Irish-founded Dev Ally named in top 3 startups at Slush 2024

Dev Ally, the startup empowering accessibility online, made it to the final three startups at Slush 2024 after pitching live on the coveted international summit’s Startup Stage.

Selected from over 1,000 applicants at the Helsinki event, Dev Ally has proven the effectiveness of its technology in enabling developers to create more inclusive digital experiences, and cemented their position as a global leader in accessibility innovation.

Dev Ally is attending Slush as part of the delegation of Enterprise Ireland, the number one VC in Europe by deal count, of 24 innovative startups (14 of which are raising), with collective hopes of securing €250 million in funding, with the event acting as a vital catalyst for this. 

This news comes following the launch of Dev Ally’s self-serve platform that transforms how businesses achieve digital accessibility compliance ahead of the European Accessibility Act (EAA) – the breakthrough innovation that earned them a spot in the top three. With the European Accessibility Act (EAA) deadline fast approaching on 28th June  2025, businesses face steep fines if their digital products fail to comply with new regulations. The Irish company, founded by Cormac Chisholm, Darren Britton, and Patrick Guiney-Fox, is at the forefront of solving this challenge. By combining advanced AI automation with seamless product development integration, Dev Ally enables businesses to audit and fix accessibility issues within minutes, with no outsourcing or specialised expertise required.

“Being named a top-three company in the Slush 100 startup competition validates our vision and the need for innovative solutions to address inclusivity. Dev Ally empowers businesses to make their digital products accessible, enabling startups and scaleups to fully own their accessibility journey while remaining agile and competitive. Having this potential acknowledged at such a high level at Slush 2024 empowers us to continue transforming how businesses approach inclusivity,” said Co-Founder and CEO, Cormac Chisholm.

Oasys Now, the winner of the Slush 100 competition, will go on to secure an equity investment of €1,000,000 from two of Europe’s most prominent early-stage venture funds: General Catalyst and Cherry Ventures. Known for backing industry-defining companies like Stripe, Airbnb, Flix, and Auto1, these world-class investors bring unparalleled expertise to the competition. Cherry Ventures, Europe’s leading early-stage VC guided by its “founders first” ethos, joins as a Slush 100 partner for the first time this year. General Catalyst, a returning partner since 2022, is renowned for its commitment to visionary founders and long-term growth. Last year’s winner, Faircado, has since gone on to raise €3 million – exemplifying the transformative potential of this award.

Enterprise Ireland, the Irish government’s trade and innovation agency, plays a pivotal role in supporting Irish companies in achieving international scale. As the world’s largest gathering of venture capital, Slush has become a key event in Enterprise Ireland’s strategy to help Irish businesses expand globally, and the fruits of this can be seen in Dev Ally’s achievement today. 

“Slush has been transformative for Irish companies, offering unparalleled opportunities to connect with the global VC community - being selected from over 1000 companies and speaking on stage, in front of such an audience, in itself is a massive achievement for an innovative company like Dev Ally. These events are vital as we reinforce Ireland’s reputation as a hub for cutting-edge, born-global businesses,” added Viktor Heide, Senior Market Adviser at Enterprise Ireland.