By Business & Finance 
Liam Dunne is the co-founder and CEO of Klearcom, a global SaaS leader in voice AI testing and contact centre assurance. With over 20 years’ experience in telecoms and tech, Liam is driving innovation from Waterford, helping world-renowned brands deliver flawless customer experiences. Liam is a 2025 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year finalist in the emerging category.
By Héloïse Chaudot
What inspired you to start your company?
I saw a once in a generation opportunity during the biggest transformation in customer experience: the shift from clunky, button-bashing IVRs to voicebots and speech-driven AI. While everyone was racing to train large language models and machine learning, nobody was asking the obvious question: what happens when a real customer actually makes the call? That’s the moment of truth. If the voicebot fails, the brand fails.
Klearcom was founded to solve that. We built the global assurance layer for voice AI testing it in the wild, at the exact moment it matters. For me, it wasn’t just about spotting a gap in the market; it was about seizing the chance to build something that could change how the world connects with the brands it trusts.
What are your main priorities and goals in your role?
My goal is to take Klearcom from our first customer in 2022 to a $100m ARR business. The first unicorn was built out of Waterford. The digital transformation of voice is exploding in the next few years; the global voice AI sector is heading north of $50bn by 2030, and someone has to help customers with this technology migration to make sure it works. My priority is making sure that “someone” is Klearcom. That means scaling globally, doubling down on AI testing, and building a team that believes we’re not just building a product, we’re helping a paradigm shift in technology.
How do you keep your team/staff motivated?
We live by one mantra: Make Shit Happen. Our people know they’re not clocking into “just another SaaS company.” They’re helping to build the backbone of how global brands connect with billions of customers. That sense of ownership, the wins with household names, the buzz of knowing our tech is running in 100+ countries, that’s what keeps the fire lit. Add in a culture that celebrates success and doesn’t shy away from accountability, and you’ve got a team that pushes forward every single day.
What are the challenges facing the industry going forward?
The challenge is speed. Conversational AI is scaling faster than enterprises can manage, and too many are gambling with their brand experience. Gartner says one in 10 agent interactions will be automated by 2026. That’s billions of customer conversations moving from human to machine. The risk? If those bots don’t work flawlessly, the brand takes the hit. The industry’s challenge is making sure voice AI is reliable, and that’s exactly why Klearcom exists.
Are there any major changes you would like to see in your sector?
Less hype, more reality. Too many companies are flogging AI buzzwords without delivering real-world reliability. Enterprises deserve truth, not “all green” dashboards that hide the cracks. I want to see our industry mature to a point where voice AI is judged by the same standards as any mission-critical system: tested, proven, and trustworthy when it counts.
What’s the best advice you’ve been given in business?
Bill Walsh, legendary 49ers coach, said: “The score takes care of itself.” That line is etched into how I lead. Focus on doing the right things daily, world-class product, relentless execution, accountability in every role and the results (ARR, unicorn valuation, EY entrepreneur awards) follow naturally.
What advice would you give to others starting out in business?
Dream bigger, earlier. Too often, Irish founders think small, safe, and local. From day one we said: why not us? Why not Waterford? Why not the global leader? The world doesn’t reward caution; it rewards conviction. So my advice: start global, not local, and back yourself to swing for the fences.
What have been your highlights in business over the past year?
Signing contracts with some of the world’s biggest tech players, scaling across 96 countries, and being named an EY Entrepreneur of the Year finalist. But honestly, the highlight isn’t a single deal or milestone. It’s the realisation that we’ve only tapped about 2% of the opportunity in front of us. The rise of voice AI is the kind of market shift that only comes once in a lifetime, and we’re leading it from Waterford.
What does being part of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year (EOY) community mean to you, and how important is networking and connection to your journey as a business leader?
Being part of the EOY programme is like being invited into the Champions League of entrepreneurship. You’re surrounded by people who’ve built, scaled, and exited companies for hundreds of millions. The EOY alumni network is priceless, too. It’s a WhatsApp away from advice that could save you six months of pain. But more than that, it’s the validation that what we’re building in Waterford belongs on the global stage and we are right not just to be ambitious but to 100% lean in and go for it!
What is the best book you’ve ever read (non-business) and why?
Best… too hard a question. Most recent and an excellent read is The Stolen Village; Baltimore & The Barbary Pirates by Des Ekin. I think the title itself explains why this book is so intriguing and a part of Irish history I just never saw coming.
What is your favourite hobby and why?
Coaching under-14 & under-8s hurling in my local club, Mooncoin GAA. I have 4 boys who all play hurling, so when not on Klearcom, I’m standing at the side of a pitch. It’s where I switch off from boardrooms and million-dollar markets and focus on kids chasing a sliotar. It reminds me that leadership is universal, whether it’s kids on a pitch or a team in a startup, the job is the same: give belief, clarity, accountability and always go towards the goal.
What is your mantra for life?
Dream big. But more importantly, act bigger. Ireland doesn’t need another “grand little company.” It needs unicorns. It needs founders who say: why not build the global leader and just do it That’s what drives me every day making sure Klearcom is the company that proves it can be done.
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