​Bonfire Chats #1 by Launch Loop

​ We don't gather around fireside chats. We ignite bonfires that light up the entire community.

​Date & Time: Friday, 6th March 2026 | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

​Location: Vibeworks, Dublin

​ABOUT THE EVENT

​You've heard of fireside chats. But this is the startup world, so we're turning the heat up. Welcome to Bonfire Chats, LaunchLoop's new in-person speaker series where we bring real founders to share real stories with real founders.

​No polished keynotes. No slides. Just honest conversation about what it actually takes to build a company in Ireland.

​For our first ever Bonfire Chat, we're sitting down with two founders who've been through the trenches and come out the other side with stories worth hearing.

​Complimentary drinks will be provided throughout the evening.

​SPEAKERS

​Stuart Connolly | Co-Founder, Open Forest

​Stuart spent over a decade as a corporate barrister at Ireland's top law firms, including Arthur Cox and William Fry. He traded the courtroom for the startup world when he co-founded Open Forest, a compliance operating system that helps founders get their companies registered, compliant, and ready to scale. After pivoting from an initial AI concept during the New Frontiers programme, Stuart spotted the real problem right in front of him: founders were struggling with the legal and compliance basics. Open Forest now has paying customers and is expanding into the UK.

​Niall Dennehy | Founder & CEO, NestiFi

​Niall is a serial entrepreneur who co-founded AID:Tech, a pioneering blockchain company that won the Irish Times Innovation Awards in 2018. A University of Galway graduate, he's now building NestiFi, an AI-powered platform that lets families and communities invest together in the next generation. Think of it as replacing old-school custodial accounts with a modern, collaborative approach to building wealth for kids. NestiFi is currently part of the AI Ecosystem Accelerator Programme run by NovaUCD and CeADAR, and is raising a seed round.

​WHAT TO EXPECT

​Stuart and Niall will share their startup journeys, the lessons they've learned, the mistakes they've made, and everything they wish someone had told them earlier. After the conversation, we'll open up the floor for questions from the room. Come with something you want to ask.

​This is a LaunchLoop members event, so expect a room full of founders who get it.

​WHO'S THIS FOR?

• ​First-time founders figuring it out as they go

• ​Experienced founders who've seen it all (and want to see more)

• ​Anyone building something in Ireland and tired of generic startup advice

​HOSTS

​Kevin Collins & Anthony Fildes

​THE FORMAT

​6:00 PM - Doors open, grab a drink, say hello 6:15 PM - Bonfire Chat with Stuart & Niall 7:15 PM - Q&A with the floor 7:45 PM - Networking & wrap up

​ABOUT LAUNCHLOOP

​Launch Loop is a private community of 80+ Irish founders building together. Whether you're shipping your MVP, finding product-market fit, or figuring out what to build next, this is where founders help each other go further, faster.

​Free to join, approval required - https://launch-loop.com/

​LaunchLoop is an echofold product.