Published: June 19, 2026 at 11:18 am
A positive mindset can be the difference between winning and losing in elite sport – and the same is true in business.
Former pro golfer Karl Gilbert represented Ireland at U18 and U21 before moving into investment banking then entrepreneurship with Raylo. The scaleup helps major brands like Apple, PlayStation, Dyson and now LG launch subscription eCommerce strategies that make devices more accessible for both businesses and consumers.
Since launching in 2019, he’s raised over £180 million from investors including Citibank, NatWest Group and Channel 4, achieving £56.5m annual recurring revenue in 2025 and 94% EBITDA growth.
But without the sport he loves, it may never have happened. “My world revolved around golf. I even played alongside a then little-known talent named Rory McIlroy,” the co-founder and CEO tells BusinessCloud.
“It was my first real lesson in performing in a high stakes environment: how to focus, deliver under pressure and maintain composure when a round goes sideways.”
After stepping away from competitive sport, he spent a decade in investment banking. Keenly aware of the massive waste in the electronics sector, he eventually spotted a huge opportunity to re-engineer how tech is accessed – and Raylo was born.