Trust has moved back into the room.
With AI content everywhere, people want to see and hear experts in person. In-person events are where trust is built.
About SpeakFor
A real person on a real stage is worth more than ever.
SpeakFor is a talent booking engine for in-person events. We help organisers book the right thought leaders, and help people with expertise get booked and paid for it.
Why now
In the age of AI, trust is built in the room.
Expertise is everywhere. Access isn't.
Thousands of credible voices never get booked, because bureaus only have time for headliners.
The tools finally exist.
Payments, calendars and AI can now handle the admin for every speaker, not just the famous few.
National Startup Awards 2026Shortlisted
New FrontiersEnterprise Ireland programme
Ideas AcademySocial Entrepreneurs Ireland
Why we exist
Booking a speaker still runs on emails, handshakes and hope.
Last year I spoke at an event, delivered the talk, then spent two months chasing the invoice. It went to the wrong account. I've been cancelled on three weeks out. I've also booked speakers, and watched a bureau take a third of the fee for an introduction.
No bureau under-serves its roster on purpose. A human team can only pitch so many people, so attention goes to the headliners while most speakers wait. SpeakFor takes that ceiling away, so every speaker can be worked like a headliner.
Emmy Coffey Nguyen, founder
Our mission
Help people with expertise build an income on their own terms, and make it simple for organisers to book the right voice for every room.
Our vision
Become the default place to book, pay and manage speakers for corporate, education and entertainment events, starting in Ireland and the UK.
What we stand for
More diverse voices on stage. We'll grow the number of women booked, publish our representation figures, and make the platform accessible to disabled speakers.
The founder
Built by someone who has been on both sides of the booking.
Emmy Coffey NguyenFounder and CEO
Emmy Coffey Nguyen is the Founder and CEO of SpeakFor, a platform reimagining how speakers and event organisers find and book the right voices. She previously founded ProudPlanet, a platform helping businesses access sustainability solutions. Emmy is also an Independent Speaker with the European Commission Representation in Ireland's Team Europe Direct. She previously worked with climate-risk startup Cervest, ClimatePartner, UNICEF, Salesforce.org, Sport Against Racism Ireland, and the World Trade Center Dublin.
In 2021, she was appointed by the Irish Government as a National Citizen Representative to the Conference on the Future of Europe. She has also served as Deputy Chair of the Africa Ireland Centre and was Campaign Director for Presidential Candidate Gareth Sheridan, who secured two local authority nominations. A graduate of UCD in Politics and International Relations and the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, Emmy frequently speaks on climate justice, anti-discrimination, responsible business and human rights, with contributions made at the UN, the European Parliament, and the OSCE.
Who it's for