Donegal-based data tech start-up Content Llama raises €2.5m

Scale content firm to create 20 jobs as it looks to expansion in US and mainland Europe

Content Llama founders Karina Kelly and Joleen Looney:  The company plans to raise a further round of €10-€15 million from international investors shortly. Photograph: Andrew Downes
Content Llama founders Karina Kelly and Joleen Looney: The company plans to raise a further round of €10-€15 million from international investors shortly. Photograph: Andrew Downes

Co Donegal-based data technology company Content Llama has secured €2.5 million in investment with the financing to be used to create 20 new jobs and for expansion purposes.

Founded by Karina Kelly and Joleen Looney in 2019, Content Llama has developed a platform that automates the collection, configuration and delivery of multisource product content for ecommerce retailers.

The company collaborates with over 3,600 global brands to configure content at scale for well-known clients such as Walmart, Aer Rianta International and Lifestyle Sports, and it collaborates with over 3,600 global brands from L’Oreal to The North Face.

Strategic investors

The funding round was led by Elkstone Partners and the Western Development Commission. Enterprise Ireland is also a backer as are a number of well-known strategic investors such as John Riordan, who leads Shopify’s Irish operations; and Pa Nolan, one of Fexco’s earlier employees and someone who has backed numerous start-ups including Deposify, Treemetrics, Scurri, Orecco and Wazp.

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Content Lllama currently employs 42 people including 14 full-time and two part-time staff locally.

‘Unique space’

Speaking to The Irish Times, Ms Kelly, Content Llama’s chief executive, said the company was focused on securing more international clients, both in the US and mainland Europe.

“We’re looking to expand outside of Ireland so the new hires will primarily be in sales and business development, and also in product,” she said.

Ms Kelly said the company intended to raise a further round of between €10 million and €15 million from international investors shortly.

“We’re in a unique space. It’s not that we don’t have competitors but what we are doing is quite unique. The market is still very new so there is a bit of a land-grab going on. We feel it is important to scale as quickly as we can to ensure we can get known and show what we can do as early as possible.”

Charlie Taylor

Charlie Taylor

Charlie Taylor is a former Irish Times business journalist