Dublin-based IP Telecom plans acquisition-led expansion
Shena Brien, founder of IP Telecom. Picture: Fergal Phillips
IP Telecom, a Dublin-based telecommunications firm, anticipates a 15 per cent increase in revenue this year.Founded in 2010 by Shena Brien and Brian Chamberlain, IP Telecom is headquartered in Park West. The company employs 50 people and reported €7 million in revenue last year.“We provide connectivity services. We allow businesses to connect via phone and broadband securely to communicate with other businesses. We’re exclusively a B2B provider,” Brien told the Business Post.Company DetailsFounded by: Shena Brien and Brian Chamberlain in 2010Staff: 50Revenue: €7 million in 2025 “Our service is entirely based online, including the phone or other devices connected to the system. Even if you have an office on the other side of the world, they can connect directly to the platform.”Brien and Chamberlain had experience working together for several years prior to setting up IP Telecom. It was during that time that they developed the idea for the business.“Brian is a true technologist; he likes new tech and is constantly at it. He was talking to me about a voice solution he had been developing for a couple of years. It was very early days stuff. Fast forward, and it got a bit more serious,” Brien said.“I was looking to do something in telecoms and he kept poking me every couple of months until we went into business together. I set up the support side of things while he was on the technology side.”The company has thrived in the 16 years since and Brien said IP Telecom’s practical approach has enabled that growth.“What helped us from day one was going with a direct-debit mandate approach for billing. It meant we were never chasing people. I don’t think we could have survived if we didn’t have that in place,” she said.“Building up our sales team helped us to rocket and allowed Brian to focus on the technology. We’ve also made sure we maintain a high level of support as our customers are very important to us.”IP Telecom is supported by Enterprise Ireland and Brien said the agency had provided substantial support to the business.Listen: CPL boss Lorna Conn on AI, leadership and fighting for gender balance“Enterprise Ireland has been amazing to us. Our first engagement was a market discovery grant for South Africa and having that support was a big help. There have been so many things since,” Brien said.“They’ve helped us bring expertise into the business when we need it and I did the Leadership for Growth programme with them last year, which was like doing an MBA in nine months.”The business is focused on acquisitions to help it grow in Ireland and internationally, with Germany and the UK as key target markets.“Our organic growth has been great, but we want to be able to jump-start a few things. Buying technology is a big thing for us and acquiring a company that does it well is a good way to do that. It also helps us widen our customer base,” Brien said.This Making it Work article was produced in partnership with Enterprise Ireland.
