On the 5th of June 2026, Dogpatch Labs in Dublin was filled with an electric energy that is rare to find. Fierce Summit 2026 brought together 100 early-stage women tech founders, along with some of the most seasoned investors, founders, and operators in the global tech ecosystem. As the founder of Priya Life Science and my MedTech startup, CareSight, I was honoured to be in the room.
Fierce Summit is designed to bypass the usual corporate fluff and focus on what early-stage founders actually need: direct access to active VCs, candid roundtables on GTM and fundraising, and tactical advice from operators who have built, scaled, and exited global ventures. From the morning keynotes to the evening networking reception, it was a day of high-signal, zero-fluff insights.
The Highlight: Razor-Sharp 1:1 Mentoring
One of the most valuable aspects of the day was the structured 1:1 mentoring sessions. I had the privilege of sitting down with three ecosystem leaders, and each conversation gave me critical, actionable guidance for CareSight:
- Saurabh Kumar (Principal at Sure Valley Ventures): Saurabh was incredibly precise about what VCs are looking for in the current market. We discussed how to position CareSight’s privacy-first, AI-powered monitoring systems for elder care, and his feedback on what investors are looking for in terms of traction and tech differentiation was razor-sharp.
- Menno Axt (Head of Platform at Dogpatch Labs & NDRC): Menno brought an invaluable platform-thinking and ecosystem perspective. We mapped out how CareSight can leverage regional networks, transition from pilots to system-wide adoption, and optimize our platform thinking.
- Faye Walsh Drouillard (Partner at WakeUp Capital): Faye provided the kind of honest, direct, and impact-focused conversation that early-stage founders need. We focused on funding strategies and the realities of building responsible tech in a regulated care environment.
The Power of Hallway Conversations
While the scheduled sessions were exceptional, the informal conversations in the corridors and over lunch were just as impactful. I had enlightening chats and connected with fellow founders and operators, including Michelle Mead (Familitime / Mykidstime.com), Emer Mugisha (Cyberminds), Dara Cosgrove (InterTradeIreland), Sarah Walker (Enterprise Ireland), Johanna Herfter (CrewCut), and Blessing Fortune. Every single person in that room was building something real, and the peer-to-peer exchange was incredibly grounding.
Sharing our journeys and connecting with peers facing similar technical, commercial, and operational paths reinforced the importance of the community we are building. For CareSight—where we are developing a privacy-focused, AI-powered monitoring system enhancing safety in elder care environments—this shared energy was extremely reassuring.
World-Class Speakers: Pure Signal, No Noise
The main stage featured founders who have been in the trenches and exited, and VCs actively writing checks. The panels addressed the hard realities of fundraising, GTM execution, and product-market fit. Hearing from leaders like Áine Kerr (Storyful & Kinzen), Dee Coakley (Boundless), Katie Farrell (Squid), and Aisling Browne (Glitch) provided a masterclass in resilient building.
A special thanks to Lorraine Curham (Founder of Fierce and Head of Early-Stage Talent at Dogpatch Labs) for creating a space that actually matters. This is the room every woman founder in Ireland needs to be in.
What’s Next for CareSight?
Leaving Dogpatch Labs, I felt sharper, more connected, and highly motivated to execute. At CareSight, we are working on privacy-focused monitoring systems that enhance elder care safety without intrusive video feeds. The insights gained from Fierce Summit will directly guide our regulatory roadmap and upcoming funding round.
If you are an investor or healthcare partner interested in how edge AI and privacy-by-design are redefining elder care, I would love to connect and share more about what we are building at CareSight.
