Malaika Judd, the Dutch-American entrepreneur and co-founder of Kenyan logistics startup Sendy, has been appointed as the new managing director of Ireland’s National Digital Research Centre (NDRC), the country’s flagship startup accelerator. Judd’s international experience and entrepreneurial acumen are expected to bring a fresh perspective to the NDRC, which co-manages the accelerator program with Dogpatch Labs.
The NDRC accelerator program, renowned for fostering innovation and supporting early-stage startups, has announced its latest cohort of seven promising ventures. Notably, four of these startups are either led by women or have women co-founders, highlighting the growing presence of female entrepreneurs in the Irish tech scene.
The selected startups represent diverse sectors, from pharma and finance to tourism and blockchain. They are united by their ambition to tackle global challenges with innovative solutions. The program will culminate in a Demo Day in September, where the startups will pitch their ideas to potential investors and partners.
Malaika Judd, whose startup Sendy closed operations in 2023 due to difficulty raising new capital, expressed her enthusiasm for the new role, stating, “This new cohort of startups is next level. I’m very excited to be leading the team accelerating these entrepreneurs and look forward to mentoring them as they scale fast.”
The NDRC accelerator program has a proven track record of success, with alumni companies raising over €56 million in the past three years. The program offers participants access to mentorship, resources, and a network of successful entrepreneurs and investors. Each startup in the current cohort will also receive €100,000 in funding.
Ian Browne, managing director of NDRC, welcomed Judd’s appointment, emphasizing the organization’s commitment to being entrepreneur-led. “I am delighted to welcome someone with such stellar credentials as Malaika to the team, and her international experience will undoubtedly add significant value not just to this cohort but to the whole organization.”
With Judd’s leadership and the promising potential of the new cohort, the NDRC accelerator program is poised to continue its mission of fostering innovation and driving economic growth in Ireland.