BrendanMorrissey
From rock stages with Guns N' Roses to Silicon Valley boardrooms , building technologies that change lives.
About Brendan
The Times newspaper describes Brendan Morrissey as a serial Entrepreneur.
Brendan left school age 15 because of his Dyslexia & ADHD. His career journey started in the 90s heyday of the American rock 'n' roll scene as guitarist and songwriter with Geffen recording artists My Little Funhouse. This deal, known as the Funhouse deal, entered the Guinness Book of Records as the largest advance paid for a new artist up to that date. He moved to Los Angeles, recorded three records for Geffen Records and toured the world for six years with bands like Guns N' Roses, The Ramones & Red Hot Chili Peppers. Music took him from concert stages in front of thousands of fans to the boardrooms of Silicon Valley and beyond.
Brendan moved back to Ireland to set up a successful chain of Bars and Nightclubs. In 2005 he brought Lucky Brand Jeans to Europe and set up distribution for Gas and Colcci clothing. That same year, on a visit to Palo Alto, he met with a small company called Facebook and brought the social network to Ireland, setting up Facebook Garages to teach people about social networks. Facebook subsequently established their European Headquarters in Dublin.
Having caught the tech bug, Brendan acquired London-based news archive NewsPlayer from Sir David Frost. In 2011 he was appointed to the prestigious Media Advisory Board at Fordham University, New York. He also worked as a Worldwide Consultant to Amobee and Vertu. In 2012, at an event at Sony Pictures in Hollywood, Brendan was awarded the Innovation in Entertainment Award honouring the top Irish Entrepreneurs working abroad.
He now manages the development and growth of a diverse portfolio of tech investments across Education, Music, Talent Discovery, Augmented Reality, Safety, NeuroScience, Adventure and Social Impact. His technologies are available in thousands of schools around the globe, assisting children, teachers and parents with daily education.
Brendan sits on the World Hearing Forum for the World Health Organisation in Geneva, the Future Mental Health Collective in London and Orchestrated Connections in New York. His focus has shifted to social impact, assistive tech and NeuroScience, currently working on technology to assist children and adults living with Neurodiversity, Recovery, Suicide Prevention, Ukraine and Gaza Refugees and the Homeless.
Life is a balance between his projects and his family, the sky and his home in the Irish countryside.
Ventures founded & backed
Schools using his tech
Touring the world in music
Records for Geffen
Portfolio
A lifetime of ventures across music, tech, media and social impact.
30+ projects across EdTech, Music, Social Impact, NeuroScience and beyond.
My Little Funhouse
1990sGeffen Records recording artist. Guinness Book of Records , largest advance for a new artist. Toured with Guns N' Roses, The Ramones & Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Bars & Nightclubs
Successful chain of bars and nightclubs across Ireland.
Fashion Distribution
2005Brought Lucky Brand Jeans to Europe. Distribution for Gas and Colcci clothing brands.
Facebook Ireland
2005Introduced Facebook to Ireland in 2005. Established Facebook Garages , educating the public on social networks. Facebook later set up European HQ in Dublin.
NewsPlayer
Acquired London-based news archive NewsPlayer from Sir David Frost.
Education Technology
Technologies available in thousands of schools globally , assisting children, teachers and parents with daily education.
NeuroScience & Assistive Tech
Technology to assist children and adults living with Neurodiversity, Recovery and Mental Health.
Social Impact
Working on technology for Suicide Prevention, Ukraine and Gaza Refugees, and the Homeless.
Awards & Advisory
Innovation in Entertainment Award, Sony Pictures, Hollywood 2012. Media Advisory Board, Fordham University New York 2011. World Hearing Forum, WHO Geneva. Future Mental Health Collective, London. Orchestrated Connections, New York.
Current Projects
30+ active projects launching and scaling across EdTech, Music Tech, Social Impact and beyond.
Press
Selected media coverage, awards and recognition.
- The Sunday Times2020
Inside Track: Brendan Morrissey plays it for iLaughs with comedy social network
Described as a serial Entrepreneur.
By Nick Webb
- The Irish Times2022
Irish tech entrepreneur gifts software to help Ukrainian children attend school
Praised for gifting the eSchools platform to translate Ukrainian into English for displaced children. Platform in use in 26,000 schools worldwide.
By Ronan McGreevy
- Irish Independent2018
Tech investor to launch bespoke social network for dyslexic children
Profiled for launching iDyslexic, the world's first social network for children and adults with dyslexia and ADHD, in partnership with the Irish Dyslexic Association.
By Fearghal O'Connor
- ThinkBusiness.ie
iDyslexic: A social network for dyslexics
Featured for creating the world's first bespoke social network to assist children and adults living with dyslexia and ADHD. “We're teaching children that if you find what you love you can become the very best at it because your creative brain works differently.”
By Barry Walsh
- KCLR96FM2022
Online educational tool set up by Kilkenny businessman helping Ukrainian children in Irish schools
Praised for launching Ukraine School, a free virtual school app for Ukrainian refugee children, which was immediately flooded with new users.
By Edwina Grace
- Foreign Press2024
Ukrainian Refugee Children's Lives Are Better Because of a Benefactor They've Never Heard of
In-depth profile of Brendan flying to Bucharest to organise trucks at the Ukrainian border and building Ukraine School to support displaced children. Described as deeply personal and humanitarian.
- Girl Power Talk2026
Brendan Morrissey on Neurodiversity, AI, and Tech for Social Impact
Featured for his work on AI-based solutions to identify neurodiverse conditions in minutes, and his broader mission to stop children falling through the cracks of the education system.
- Guinness Book of Records
The Funhouse Deal
Largest advance paid for a new artist at the time.
- Innovation in Entertainment Award2012
Sony Pictures, Hollywood
Honouring the top Irish Entrepreneurs working abroad.
- Media Advisory Board2011
Fordham University, New York
Appointed to the prestigious Media Advisory Board.
- World Health Organisation
World Hearing Forum, Geneva
Member of the World Hearing Forum.
- Future Mental Health Collective
London
Member.
- Orchestrated Connections
New York
Member.
Contact
Whether you're a journalist, investor, collaborator or just want to connect, Brendan would love to hear from you.
For press enquiries, investment opportunities or general enquiries, please reach out directly.