Paddy Cosgrave is an Irish entrepreneur known for co-founding Web Summit, an influential annual technology conference, have a look at his net worth
Paddy Cosgrave’s journey from a rural upbringing to the forefront of the tech industry is marked by noteworthy achievements and occasional controversies.
Who is Web Summit CEO Paddy Cosgrave, net worth, parents, father, mother, wife, age and bio
Cosgrave has faced criticism for comments he made about various subjects, particularly politicians. His remarks on the Irish tax system in 2019 drew attention, with critics pointing out potential hypocrisy in his stance. He also faced legal action for comments made on his Twitter profile, settling the case outside of court.
To repeat: War crimes are war crimes even when committed by allies & should be called out for what they are.
I will not relent.
— Paddy Cosgrave (@paddycosgrave) October 16, 2023
Web Summit CEO Paddy Cosgrave forced to resign after calling out Israeli war crimes.
Web Summit does a yearly tech conference which is one of the largest in the world.
Zionist companies Meta and Intel have said they won’t attend this year which will be held next month,… pic.twitter.com/9We8DKmE0d
— Maree Campbell (@Campb37345Maree) October 21, 2023
41-year-old Paddy Cosgrave was born on 19 March 1982. He is married to Faye Dinsmore
Paddy’s formative years were spent on a farm in County Wicklow. He received his education at Glenstal Abbey School and later pursued Business, Economics, and Social Studies (BESS) at Trinity College Dublin. During his time at Trinity, Cosgrave held notable positions including president of the University Philosophical Society (The Phil) and editor of Piranha, a satirical college magazine.
His tenure at The Phil saw the introduction of Phil Speaks, an initiative aimed at promoting debating and public speaking in Irish secondary schools. Cosgrave graduated with an II-1 BA from Trinity College Dublin’s BESS program in 2006.
He had revealed how his father was one of the earliest adopters of tech in this country and considered it “the silver bullet for getting ahead in life.”
Cosgrave ended up at Trinity College studying Business, Economics, Political Science and Social Studies and a flair for networking saw him become President of the University Philosophical Society, or the ‘Phil’ – a position once held by Bram Stoker.
Paddy Cosgrave career
Paddy Cosgrave’s entrepreneurial journey began with his role as the executive director of Rock the Vote Ireland, a campaign encouraging young people to vote in the 2007 Irish general election. He co-founded MiCandidate, a website offering comprehensive information on candidates in the same election. In 2009, the company was sold for an undisclosed sum.
One of Cosgrave’s most significant ventures was co-founding the Web Summit and F.ounders conferences, which gained international prominence in the tech industry. His contributions were acknowledged when he received the 2015 Irish Exporters Association annual gold medal and was listed 18th in Wired UK’s “100 most influential individuals in the wider Wired world.”
Paddy Cosgrave’s controversies
Cosgrave’s career has not been without its share of controversies. In 2012, he was appointed to the board of the Higher Education Authority but resigned in 2015 after making comments that caused a rift with the authority. He faced criticism for falsely claiming credit for building the Tito ticketing application in 2015.
In 2018, at the Collision tech conference in New Orleans, Cosgrave’s behavior at a drinks reception sponsored by the IDA drew criticism. His slow clapping during a speech by a senior female IDA executive was deemed “particularly regrettable.”
Web Summit, under Cosgrave’s leadership, also encountered controversies including its relocation from Dublin to Lisbon, organizing a dinner at Portugal’s National Pantheon, and inviting Marine Le Pen as a speaker, only to withdraw the invitation later.
In a surprising turn of events, Paddy Cosgrave resigned as CEO of Web Summit on October 21, 2023. This marked a significant transition in the leadership of the influential tech conference.
Paddy Cosgrave’s net worth
While his net worth isn’t known, Web Summit returned to profit last year and Paddy Cosgrave’s firm, which stages its annual technology conference in Lisbon, recording pre-tax profits of €4.34m according to 2021 accounts filed by Manders Terrace Ltd and they show the group returned to profit after revenues last year increased by €14.45m, or 83pc, from €17.35m to €31.8m.
The group’s 2020 accounts, which became available only on Tuesday, show the business sustained a €30.59m hit to revenues in 2020 due to the impact of Covid-19 and the group’s 2020 revenues reduced by 64pc from €47.94m to €17.35m and resulted in the business recording a pre-tax loss of €5.29m in 2020.