Saoirse Kelders is highly motivated, a go-getter & an opportunity taker. She graduated in UCD studying International Commerce with Mandarin in 2022. She’s currently working for a startup called Protex AI, as a Founders Associate. She also founded her own startup, Passionfruit (known as Strive during the time this episode was recorded) which is a ‘Tinder for jobs’. A machine learning matching startup that ensures student-organisation cultural & skill alignment. We go through her journey along with her co-founders, from idea initiation to winning first place in UCD’s dragon’s den competition to funding programs. We also talk about how she prioritised getting as much value out of a Covid degree as possible; mountain running, being Student President of the Data Society, participating in UCD’s Formula Student, being the student chairperson of the Chinese Society, and also participating in Model UN in Boston as she represented Ireland at Harvard last year, as the delegation of Guatemala in the social, humanitarian & cultural committee. The model aims to focus on the accountability of administering powers in the 17 remaining territories and the process of decolonisation in the delegated countries. She has also worked in 3 corporate internships and we discuss the differences between the startup world & the corporate world. So, learn about Saoirse’s compact journey, college life in Dublin and a COVID world, recruitment, the tech startup industry and the exciting opportunities after final year & how you should take as many as you possibly can.

For more information about Passionfruit, visit:

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To learn more about Protex AI:

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You can find what Saoirse is up to professionally on LinkedIn as well:

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