Wayflyer, Ireland’s latest tech unicorn, has signed a multimillion euro sponsorship deal with Irish golfer Shane Lowry covering the next three years.
The deal was signed as Lowry prepares to tee off in the Masters tournament this week at the famed Augusta National course in the US in the first golf Major of the year.
Lowry will act as a global brand ambassador for Wayflyer at the tournament, and will wear the Wayflyer logo on the chest of all his professional golf clothing. In addition, he will host a variety of corporate golf and promotional events for Wayflyer’s clients and partners across the US, Europe and Asia.
Lowry, who hails from Clara in Co Offaly, has a strong connection with Wayflyer having invested in the company as part of a $150 million funding round by the tech group in February. This valued Wayflyer at $1.6 billion, making it the sixth Irish company to reach unicorn status – companies with a valuation of $1 billion-plus.
Lowry is currently ranked number 35 in the world rankings. He won the British Open Major championship in 2019, and made his Ryder Cup debut for Europe last September.
Founded by Aidan Corbett and Jack Pierse in September 2019, Wayflyer provides ecommerce stores with affordable unsecured loans to allow them to fund advertising and inventory ahead of selling items. It also offers detailed analytics to help clients improve their sales performance.
Staff numbers have risen from 40 at the start of 2021 to more than 300 now, and the business has expanded into a range of new markets globally. It recently opened an office in Atlanta, Georgia, and signed partnerships with companies including Adobe, Sezzle and eBay UK.
New markets
Commenting on the sponsorship, Mr Pierse said: “The entire Wayflyer team is so excited that Shane has come on board as our global brand ambassador. His support will be incredibly valuable as we continue to grow across the world and enter new markets. Shane’s commitment to his sport, his hard-working attitude and occasional Irish cheekiness mirrors what we stand for at Wayflyer – he’s the ideal partner for us.”
Mr Lowry said the sponsorship was a “great fit” for him, with the company’s ambition to be the best in its field aligning with his own to compete for more Major championships.
“I take huge pride in flying the flag for Ireland everywhere I compete around the world. Throughout my career I’ve been very fortunate to partner many Irish companies and brands that have achieved global success. This partnership with Wayflyer is particularly exciting for me, as it is another truly astonishing Irish success story, featuring a young, talented and committed workforce achieving extraordinary things on the world stage.”
