Category: Irish Tech News

Kingspan Group releases its second annual report for its 10-year sustainability programme

Kingspan Group, the global leader in advanced insulation and building solutions, has released its second annual report for its 10-year sustainability programme, Planet Passionate.

Highlights include a 4.3% reduction in scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions and a 29% reduction in carbon intensity year-on-year, against a background of 42% total revenue growth for the period.

For the second year running, the Group has made absolute reductions towards its 2030 net zero carbon manufacturing goal. This is underpinned by a verified SBTi target to reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 90% by 2030, from a 2020 base year.

Achieving this will require the decarbonisation of Kingspan’s energy sources and processes across its existing 198 manufacturing sites (up from 166 in 2020), while supporting newly acquired businesses to decarbonise as quickly as possible.

To accelerate the Group’s decarbonisation strategy, the report has announced the introduction of an internal carbon charge of €70 per tonne of CO2e, which will be implemented throughout the business in 2023.

The 2021 Planet Passionate report illustrates the positive progress made to date against the majority of the programme’s 12 measurable targets in carbon, energy, water and circularity. Notable achievements include:

  • Energy: An increase in the direct use of renewable energy from 19.5% to 26.1%, and an increase in the percentage of wholly-owned facilities with solar PV from 21.7% to 28.4%. The Group also achieved a 15% reduction in energy intensity[4] year-on-year.
  • Carbon: An increase in the percentage of zero emissions company funded cars from 11% to 29%.
  • Circularity: A reduction in company waste to landfill of 13%, as well as 843 million PET bottles recycled into our processes.
  • Water: The Group announced its second ocean cleanup project: a partnership with cleantech startup SeabinTM, to deploy their unique technology first in Sydney Harbour followed by LA later in 2022. This follows a three-year partnership with the ECOALF Foundation which works with a network of 2,000 artisan fishermen to remove around 150 tonnes of marine debris each year from the Mediterranean.

In addition, Kingspan’s science-based targets were updated in 2021 and are now in line with a 1.5°C future. Limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C means that the world must achieve a 45% reduction in global CO2 emissions versus 2010 levels by 2030.

While Kingspan did not make progress in 2021 against its target to halve the product CO2e intensity from its primary supply partners by 2030, the report highlights ongoing collaboration with suppliers to this end.

Moreover, during the year Kingspan invested in H2 Green Steel, a company pioneering new production methods for lower-impact steel manufacturing using green hydrogen. Use of lower-emissions steel could help Kingspan reduce the embodied carbon of its insulated panel products by up to 45%.

The report also presents the impact of Kingspan products sold during 2021. The built environment is responsible for roughly 39% of global carbon emissions[6], and high-performance insulation is one of the most important ways to increase energy-efficiency in buildings. The insulation systems Kingspan sold during 2021 are projected to save 193 million tCO2e during their lifetime. That’s equivalent to the emissions from 42 million passenger vehicles in a year.

In addition, Kingspan announced a new initiative called Planet Passionate Communities, a programme that will support people and communities around the world. The report unveils the programme’s flagship project: a five-year partnership with GOAL, the international humanitarian response agency, to support them in their transformative work in areas of most need.

Gene Murtagh, CEO of Kingspan Group, said: “The climate crisis, the pandemic, and now recent global events all serve to concentrate the mind on the need to build a more resilient and equitable world while ensuring energy security. Planet Passionate is our contribution to a future that uses resources efficiently, protects the natural world and delivers high-performance, energy-efficient products and solutions to our customers and global communities.”

Bianca Wong, Head of Sustainability of Kingspan Group, said: “Delivering a programme of this scale against a background of rapid business growth takes huge effort and determination and I would like to thank and commend the incredible efforts of our people across the world to achieve positive progress against the majority of our targets for the second year in a row.”

View the full version of Kingspan’s Planet Passionate Sustainability Report at:

https://viewer.ipaper.io/kingspan/pp-report-2022/planet-passionate-report-2021/

U.S Health tech company Signify Health to create 125 jobs in Galway

Signify Health  a leading U.S. value-based healthcare platform that leverages advanced analytics, technology, and nationwide healthcare provider networks, today announced the opening of a new technology centre that is expected to create more than 125 new technology innovation roles in Galway during the next two years.

The technology centre – which will be located in Galway City – will drive technology innovation for Signify Health as it changes how U.S. healthcare is paid for and delivered so that people can enjoy more healthy, happy days at home.

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise Trade & Employment, Leo Varadkar TD said: “I’m really pleased Signify Health has chosen Galway City for its new Technology Centre. It’s a real boost to the city and will create over 125 new jobs by 2024. This investment is a testament to all Galway has to offer and the company can expect to draw from a deep pool of talent and expertise when recruiting for these new jobs. I wish the Signify Health team the very best in this exciting new chapter.”

Founded in 2017, Signify Health is a technology-enabled services company whose mission is to lead  the transformation of the U.S. healthcare system to one that aligns payors, providers and patients to achieve the best health outcomes for individuals.  Signify Health currently employs more than 2,000 people in the U.S., and has a national mobile network of approximately 10,000 credentialed physicians and nurse practitioners.

“The team at our Galway technology centre will be designing solutions that solve some of U.S. healthcare’s most difficult and elusive problems,” said Josh Builder, Chief Technology Officer, Signify Health. “Our success will depend on being able to apply a diverse set of experiences to the challenges we face in enabling a patient-centric, cloud-based environment that brings healthcare wherever health happens. We know first-hand that Ireland is home to professionals who not only have the experience we need, but who are energised by opportunities to make a meaningful difference in healthcare, and we are excited to now also call the West of Ireland home.”

For its first phase of recruiting, Signify Health is seeking candidates to fill a range of roles in product management and software engineering as well as scrum masters.

IDA Ireland CEO Martin Shanahan said: “Today’s announcement by Signify Health is a significant one for Ireland’s growing InsureTech sector and is an endorsement of the high quality of talent available in Galway and the West Region.  This announcement is an exemplar of IDA Ireland’s continued commitment to winning jobs and investment in regional locations.  I wish Signify Health every success with this investment.”

 To explore career opportunities at Signify Health’s new technology centre go to signifyhealth.com/ireland

Safecility’s ‘Safeblock’ Project to Use Satellite Technology To Transform Building Safety and Monitoring

Dublin-based Safecility, an Internet of Things (IoT) specialist startup that focuses on smart and safer buildings, has been chosen by the European Space Agency’s Space Solutions Programme to demonstrate a new blockchain-based database for building safety. Currently, building safety is managed on paper or spreadsheets and has yet to adopt the transformative change that digital technology can bring.  The project, Safeblock, starting in Q1 2022 will address this challenge through sensors, geolocation and distributed ledger technology (blockchain), providing timely, accurate and transparent information for a range of stakeholders.

Safecility will demonstrate a database capable of verifying legally-required safety data collected from smart sensors in buildings and publishing it to a secure database that cannot be manipulated. The data will make use of the GNSS  (Global Navigation Satellite System) derived positioning data  to authenticate the data entries.

Safeblock supports trust by offering a standard for transparent and immutable data from devices in buildings and making a database directly available to key stakeholders, such as owners, tenants and regulators. Safeblock addresses key issues internationally around building safety, trust and compliance and the Safeblock standard will support more trusted sharing of information, better safety enforcement and support moves to introduce a Golden Thread for building safety.

Safecility already develop and sell their smart building sensors for emergency lighting and fire safety across the UK and Ireland. The company offers a platform to manage compliance testing and reporting to customers. With ESA support, the company will offer Safeblock so building safety data can be shared among all parties in a trusted way. The startup has already been shortlisted for five  awards including the UK’s Housing Digital Innovation award for its technology and ambition.

The two year project is rolling out in Q1 2022 and supports Safecility’s vision to support safer communities through technology. It also underlines the importance of research, development and innovation to the startup’s success and represents another vote of confidence in the IoT sector in Ireland.

Speaking about the announcement of the contract, Safecility CEO Cian O’Flaherty said “We are delighted to continue our work with the  ESA’s Space Solutions programme on Safeblock. They have supported this project since its inception and are a fantastic resource for companies with innovative ideas for services using space data and technology. Safeblock will fundamentally change how building safety is managed and improve transparency, trust and safety in buildings. Technology has a crucial role to play in ensuring ongoing safety of buildings to the standards we all want. We see Safeblock as a key tool in the regulator’s toolbox to keep owners, tenants and occupants informed and safe. It can address global challenges with a simple, truthful record of building safety built on sensors that report in real time. In the same way we have come to expect a BER (building energy rating) for any property, a BSR (building safety rating) is now becoming possible.”

“Since 2018 Safecility has been awarded more than €550,000 in Research, Development and Innovation contracts”, he continued, “this has enabled the company to increase staff and contribute to the development of a vibrant Irish Internet of Things startup community. With the support of the ESA, Safeblock will now recruit additional roles in development and engineering. This project cements Safecility’s reputation as leading global innovators in the field of smart, safe buildings.”

Rita Rinaldo, Head of Projects and Studies Implementation Division at ESA added “Through the Business Applications and Space Solutions programme we support start-ups and new-entrants to the space sector such as Safecility to develop, test, and scale-up their business proposition. Safeblock is an excellent demonstration of the innovative utilization of GNSS, IoT and digital technologies applied to the housing sector. It will contribute to solve the urgent issued around building safety faced by tenants, occupants and regulators, delivering a standard to be used internationally.” 

Welcoming the announcement, Gearoid Mooney, from Enterprise Ireland said:

“Safecility is an ambitious, innovative company that is changing how we monitor and report on the critical issue of building safety. The European Space Agency contract will support Safecility to combine the most advanced satellite positioning technology into its building safety management platform leading to safer living environments for building occupants and tenants.

 “Safecility is one of a number of Irish start-up companies use space-based solutions to develop commercial market opportunities.  This access to transformative technology is  supported by the Government’s investment in the European Space Agency.

Square Loyalty And Square Marketing Launch For Irish Businesses

Square has announced two new products in Ireland to help businesses grow their sales and engage their customers with just a few clicks. The two pieces of software, Square Marketing and Square Loyalty, are now available as separate subscriptions for Irish businesses of all types and sizes.

Square Marketing helps businesses reach customers at the right time and all in one place. The tool allows businesses to create, send, and track email marketing campaigns in minutes – from one-time email campaigns to personalised automations – expanding customer reach and helping sellers gain key business insights with analytics.

Businesses can now also build a loyalty program in minutes with the launch of Square Loyalty. This new to market tool can help turn one-time visitors into regulars and increase repeat visits. It’s easy to set up a customised loyalty program that rewards customers both in-store and online.

“Square Loyalty has allowed us to introduce a new way of turning one-time-visits into repeat customers,” said Jonathan Hughes, Founder of Shoe Lane Coffee – one of the first businesses to use Square Loyalty in Ireland. “As the tool works both in-store and online, our customers have the flexibility to redeem their points any way that suits them, with the process being straight-forward and streamlined for us at the same time. We’re now looking to roll out Square Loyalty across all three of our coffee shops, meaning our customers have the choice of where they want to spend and collect their points.”

This double-product launch aims to further level the playing field for businesses, as it provides all sellers with easy-to-use, powerful marketing tools that have typically only been accessible to big businesses. Along with Square products already available to Irish sellers like Square Point of Sale, Square Online, and Digital Gift Cards, Square provides a whole suite of customer capability products that enable sellers to manage the entire consumer lifecycle in one place.

“Square is helping its sellers bring more value to their customers by expanding the ecosystem of products and services in Ireland,” said Saumil Mehta, General Manager of Customers and Square Point of Sale. “Sellers are increasingly turning to Square as the one-stop-shop to run every part of their business, from payments and online commerce to inventory, team management, loyalty programs and more. We’re excited to help sellers run and grow their business with the addition of these new tools that enable them to retain and re-engage their customers.”

Data from Square’s email marketing platform shows a 25% average increase in spend by customers who redeem email coupons. Square Marketing key features include:

  • Drive buyer engagement & ROI – Square Marketing offers businesses a powerful tool to help grow their customer base, drive repeat visits, and increase buyer spend.
  • Plan ahead, automate, and send – Businesses can schedule or immediately send emails to customers by leveraging Square Marketing’s automation capabilities, saving them time and effort.
  • Measure campaign results – Real-time tracking is available in the Square Marketing Dashboard around active campaigns, open and click through rates, as well as attributable sales.

Square’s global data shows that customers who enroll in a Square Loyalty rewards programme are twice as likely to be repeat customers. Key features include:

  • Drive visits and sales – Businesses can encourage repeat customers through the implementation of a loyalty program.
  • Omnichannel integration – Square Loyalty is built into businesses point-of-sale and website meaning businesses can reward customers wherever they choose to purchase, whether that’s in-store or online.

“It’s been a challenging couple of years for businesses and it’s more important than ever for sellers to stand out from competitors and see the impact on their business,” said Stephen Smythe, Head of EU Marketing at Square. “We’re coming up to one year since launching in Ireland and have seen great demand for products like Square Loyalty and Square Marketing from our sellers – we’re delighted to be launching them into such an innovative and entrepreneurial market.” 

To find out more about Square Marketing businesses can visit: https://squareup.com/ie/en/software/marketing and for Square Loyalty: https://squareup.com/ie/en/software/loyalty

Survey shows IT sector is determined to go green but 65% of businesses have not yet measured their carbon footprint

DataSolutions, the specialist distributor of innovative IT and security solutions, today announces the results of recent research which found that while the majority of tech companies have plans to either reduce their carbon emissions or become carbon neutral, a large proportion have not yet measured their footprint.

The study involved signatories of Techies Go Green – a collective of IT organisations committed to becoming more sustainable – found that 82% have firm plans to reduce their carbon emissions and 78% have plans to become carbon neutral.

In fact, 39% of respondents said they will be carbon neutral by the end of 2022 and a further 43% expect to be by 2025. However, almost two thirds (65%) have not yet measured their carbon footprint.

Despite the fact that a large proportion have not yet measured their carbon footprint, the research did find that companies are taking steps to be greener. Eighty-eight per cent currently recycle the e-waste they produce and three quarters (75%) of IT leaders would consider buying refurbished IT equipment.

Some 48% of respondents have employee incentives to encourage them to reduce their commute and travel, and over half (51%) are using a green energy provider. Of the 49% that don’t currently use a green energy provider, 77% would consider changing to same.

Furthermore, 59% of tech companies have an Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy in place and 55% have a dedicated internal resource responsible for sustainability.

The findings come as Techies Go Green, co-established by DataSolutions, reaches 180 members. The movement, which will be celebrating its one-year anniversary in March, aims to increase its membership to 300 signatories by the end of 2022.

Michael O’Hara, Group Managing Director of DataSolutions and Co-Founder of Techies Go Green, said: “Sustainability is undoubtedly a crucial focus for IT leaders in 2022 and our research demonstrates its ever-growing importance in the world of business. But while organisations are starting to recognise and realise how crucial going green is, this appreciation needs to translate into consistent action.

“It is certainly positive to see companies review and reassess how they operate – for example, the use of green energy providers among Techies Go Green signatories increased 14% compared to six months previously. And it’s even more encouraging to see that dedicated resources are being put in place to progress sustainability efforts.

“Taking such practical steps is the key to turning the aim of carbon neutrality into a reality. However, companies need to look at the bigger picture and understand where they are starting from in order to identify the changes which will help to bring about widespread change. It is only through education and collaboration, enabled by communities like Techies Go Green, that we can hope to have a real and lasting impact on the global battle against climate change.”

Philip McMichael, founder and CEO of Vyta, a Techies Goes Green signatory, said: “Real, exciting change is happening across the technology sector in Ireland and the UK. Our largest enterprises are joining forces on a mission that is not only the right thing to do, but is something that creates more opportunities for them as businesses, too. At Vyta, we are first-hand witnesses of this. We are helping companies to take simple steps, such as recycling old IT equipment or purchasing high-spec refurbished IT assets, to get them on the road to carbon neutrality.

“Techies Go Green is playing a vital role in driving meaningful change in our industry. We are delighted to be joining an increasing number of environmentally-conscious businesses on this journey as we pave the way towards a better future for our planet.”

The Performance Corporation presents the ground breaking Live and Virtual Reality (VR) experience Emperor 101 at SXSW 11-14 March 2022

Award-winning theatrical innovators The Performance Corporation will present their cutting edge experience Emperor 101 at the world famous tech/arts festival, first presented at Dublin Theatre Festival 2021. The production allows live performers to interact with audiences in Live Virtual Reality (VR) and explore the explosion of online conspiracy theories, and the parallel rise of far-right extremism. For this presentation, the performers will be in 2 separate countries, the server that supports the tech in another, and the audience in headsets in Austin.

This ground-breaking production, is at the cutting edge of an emerging crossover between theatre and Virtual Reality. The Performance Corporation is one of the first theatre companies in the world to design and build a bespoke virtual world in which to stage a Live VR experience. In this VR space, live actors and audience inhabit avatars that allow them to interact and speak to each other in real time.

Speaking about the production, Artistic Director of The Performance Corporation Jo Mangan said: “It’s incredibly exciting to be part of what we believe is a new departure for theatre. I believe that by creating this kind of live and interactive performance in a specially designed virtual space, we can open up a huge array of new possibilities. We’re lucky to have an amazing team working on Emperor 101 to create this completely new experience for theatre audience and thrilled to be taking it to the prestigious SXSW with the support of Culture Ireland.”

The Performance Corporation believes plays like Emperor 101 have huge potential, and plan to further develop this digital genre in the future. The company envisages future live VR productions that would be available to audience members in locations across the world simultaneously, opening up new theatrical frontiers.

In the play, we meet a notorious conspiracy theorist who has built a Virtual Reality space to induct recruits to her organisation. She wants her country to go back to the past, but her own traumatic history is threatening to destroy the movement she has built.

Emperor 101 immerses the audience in an alternate world that reflects the mind and motivations of a conspiracy theorist. In a time when the very notion of truth or facts is called into question, the innovative use of VR reflects the multiple realities or ‘bubbles’ we live in. The piece riffs on influences from ancient mythology to Alice in Wonderland, and asks if rejection of the ‘mainstream’ is a product of fear, or the ultimate act of self-empowerment in a complex world.

Emperor 101 begins with an intimate in person interaction with a live performer. The audience then puts on a Virtual Reality headset and is led through a series of interactive environments. Here they experience live interaction with performer avatars. The story explores the inner life of a high profile conspiracy theorist as she struggles with a personal tragedy that has turned the world upside down.

Company

Cast: Caitríona Ní Mhurchú and Karl Quinn

Directed by Jo Mangan

Script Tom Swift

Design Leon Butler and Peter Power

VR Producer Camille Donegan

Immersive Media Studio RETinIZE

Produced by The Performance Corporation

Esri celebrates female political representation this International Women’s Day with interactive map

In celebration of International Women’s Day 2022, digital mapping specialist Esri Ireland has created a map which recognises female representation in national parliaments across the world. The map charts current figures (World Bank 2020) and compares these to data from 1997.

According to the figures, Ireland’s national parliament comprises 23% female representation, which has almost doubled compared to just 12% in 1997.

Rwanda currently tops the list as the country with the highest female political representation at 61%, followed by Cuba at 53% and the United Arab Emirates at 50%. Mexico (48%) and New Zealand (48%) round out the top five.

See more here 

IDEATE IRELAND Empowering The Next Generation Of Irish Entrepreneurs

IDEATE Ireland (formerly The Ireland Fund’s Business Plan Competition) is an exciting new initiative to uncover and empower Ireland’s next generation of entrepreneurs, helping to turn their brilliant ideas into thriving international businesses.

IDEATE Ireland is now seeking applications for its 2022 competition, where candidates will have the opportunity to develop their business ideas through mentoring and workshops, apply for start-up support and pitch for cash funding. Applications open on Tuesday, 08 March and will be accepted until midnight on Thursday, 07 April 2022.

As great ideas can come from anyone and anywhere, IDEATE Ireland is open to undergraduate, postgraduate or research students from any academic institution or research centres on the island of Ireland. The best ten best submissions will be invited to participate in an 8-week mentoring and support programme and compete for a €27k prize fund. 

The initiative aims to build on the Ireland Funds Business Plan Competition (BPC) which helped develop entrepreneurial skills and innovative ideas among early-stage, student entrepreneurs. Since its founding in 2011 by The Ireland Funds Board Director Bill McKiernan, 276 people from academic institutions throughout the island of Ireland have participated in the programme. 60% of participating teams have formed viable businesses, creating 300+ jobs.

Co- founded by Helen Fullen, IDEATE Ireland is more than a simple rebranding of the former Business Plan Competition; it is a reimagining and reinvigoration, where established local entrepreneurs and business leaders give freely of their time to help nurture the ideas and mentor the business skills of Ireland’s next generation of entrepreneurs.  

“I have seen first-hand the lasting contribution The Ireland Fund’s Business Plan Competition has made, that’s why I was determined that we build on the legacy and continue to inspire future business leaders through IDEATE Ireland. We believe ideas have the power to change the world; that’s why we’re just as excited and ambitious about our entrepreneur’s projects as they are.” Helen said.

Helen Fullen is joined in the IDEATE Ireland initiative by Co-Founders David Moffitt, Danny Moore, Options Technology, Cian O’Flaherty, Safecility and Bill McKiernan, WSM Capital. With extensive entrepreneurial backgrounds, all are firm believers in the importance of risk-taking and the ability of business ideas to bring about positive change. 

“We’re looking forward to writing the next chapter of Ireland’s leading third-level start-up competition with IDEATE Ireland” David Moffitt said. “The success of the competition to date highlights the importance of continuing to provide entrepreneurs across the island of Ireland with education, mentorship, and a robust business network. Our mission is to capture the imagination of Ireland’s brightest minds, enabling and empowering them to make a lasting contribution to the global economy, employment, and society. We have a deep bench of alumni who are ready and willing to engage with the next generation of Irish entrepreneurs, offering them support and feedback. We’re determined to sustain and grow this network to ensure IDEATE Ireland continues to be the best kick-start entrepreneurs can get on the island of Ireland.”

Website: www.ideateireland.ie

Pictured above  (l-r – back row) are Cian O’Flaherty, CEO, Safecility, David Moffit, CEO, Kayfoam Woolfson and Eamonn Sayers, Manager, The Guinness Enterprise Centre. Pictured front (l-r) are Terry Hughes, SVP Marketing, Options and Helen Fullen, CEO, Alinea.

Dublin Tech Summit will showcase the women shaking up the tech sector. #DTS2022 #InternationalWomensDay

Dublin Tech Summit will showcase the women shaking up the tech sector, The 2022 event will feature a stellar line-up of female speakers who are changing the world of tech and paving the way for future generations of women in business.

Dublin Tech Summit  (DTS) has today announced the addition of 11 more female speakers for this year’s event. To date, 33 headlining women from across the globe have been confirmed, with many more due to be added in the coming weeks. Returning in a physical capacity this year, DTS will take place at the RDS Dublin on June 15th and 16th, 2022, and the organisers are particularly keen to showcase the outstanding female talent leading the way in the tech sector.

One of stand-out female speakers being announced today is 23-year-old Zaria Parvez, Social Media Manager at Duolingo. Zaria was the brains behind Duolingo’s recent insatiable success on social media platform TikTok, where she grew the account to over two-million followers in record time. Creating viral content on the platform, Zaria landed this impressive cohort of new followers and certainly proved her worth, without the company having to spend a fortune to achieve results. Zaria will be taking to the mainstage at DTS in June, where she will be discussing the benefits of allowing Gen Z team members to follow their innovative instincts to market to their own demographic.

Company founders, CEOs, CTOs, innovators and leaders are among the female speakers already on the list, with some more really exciting names added to coincide with International Women’s Day. At least 20 more are expected to be added in the coming weeks. Today’s full list of new female speakers is as follows:

  • Jumoke Adekunle – Global Brand Marketing Lead, Depop

  • Joan Donovan – Research Director, Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy

  • Zaria Parvez – Social Media Manager, Duolingo

  • Sinéad McSweeney – VP, Global Public Policy and Philanthropy, Twitter

  • Áine Kerr – Co-Founder and COO, Kinzen

  • Guro Bakkeng Bergan – General Manager, EMEA Fivetran

  • Yi Liu – Director of Product Management, Etsy

  • Nikki Lasley – Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Amplitude

  • Eileen O’Meara – Head of EMEA Revenue & Growth, Stripe

  • Fiona Brady – Head of Operations and Public Affairs, FREE NOW

Among some of the other female speakers announced, to date, are Cassie Kozyrkov, Chief Scientist and Founder of Decision Intelligence at Google; Michele Romanow, Serial Entrepreneur, President and Co-Founder of Clearco, and Dragon on Canada’s Dragons’ Den; and Elizabeth Bramson-Boudreau, CEO and Publisher, MIT Technology.

Celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women, International Women’s Day aims to bring awareness for women’s equality. As part of this year’s DTS, a stellar line-up of inspirational women will pave the way for future generations of women in business and STEM industries. All across the world, International Women’s Day sparks important conversation and raises awareness of the need for equality, with DTS committed to creating a space where equality is prevalent.

According to a recent Deloitte Global study, global technology firms look set to reach nearly 33% overall female representation in their workforces during 2022. While this is a steady increase from previous years, DTS hopes that by giving women in tech a platform to share their professional stories and experiences, it will help to further accelerate this figure. The team at DTS and its speakers hope to encourage even more women to not just work in tech, but become leaders and founders.

Now in its 5th year, DTS 2022 will take place at the RDS, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, on June 15th and 16th. With over 8,000 registered attendees, 200 speakers, and 65 partners representing 50 countries, the event, which has taken place virtually over the past two years due to COVID, promises to be bigger and better than ever before. It will bring together the brightest tech innovators, influencers and entrepreneurs globally, highlighting the capabilities and creativity which form part of a wider tech ecosystem.

Speaking ahead of Dublin Tech Summit, Zaria Parves, Social Media Manager at Duolingo, said:

”It is an honour to be speaking this year at Dublin Tech Summit and to be given the opportunity to help pave the way for more people of colour, and indeed women in tech. A key part of my early success was simply being trusted and empowered by my employer to experiment and test new, innovative ideas. My hope is that my contribution to the conversations at this event will make more companies give junior talent a seat at the table.”

Full list of female speakers announced, to date, for Dublin Tech Summit:

  • Jumoke Adekunle – Global Brand Marketing Lead, Depop

  • Joan Donovan – Research Director, Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy

  • Zaria Parvez – Social Media Manager, Duolingo

  • Sinéad McSweeney – VP, Global Public Policy and Philanthropy, Twitter

  • Áine Kerr – Co-Founder and COO, Kinzen

  • Guro Bakkeng Bergan – General Manager EMEA, Fivetran

  • Yi Liu – Director of Product Management, Etsy

  • Riya Mehta – Researcher and Activist

  • Cassie Kozyrkov – Chief Decision Scientist, Google

  • Michele Romanow – Co-Founder and President, Clearco, and Dragon, CBC Dragons’ Den

  • Tatyana Mamut – SVP of New Products, Pendo

  • Tala Al Jabri – Managing Director, SRMG

  • Erin Platts – Head of EMEA and President of the UK Branch, Silicon Valley Bank

  • Elizabeth Bramson-Boudreau – CEO and Publisher, MIT Technology

  • Jillian Godsil – Co-Founder, Blockleaders.io

  • Rashmi Gopinath – General Partner, BCapital

  • Neivia Justa – Culture, Inclusion and Diversity Senior Leader, UnitedHealth Group

  • Sara Brooks – VP of Sales, Pleo

  • Olivia Nottebohm – CRO, Notion

  • Nayaki Nayyar – President and Chief Product Officer, Ivanti

  • Michelle You – CEO and Co-Founder, Supercritical

  • Christine Bejerasco – CTO, F-Secure

  • Janet Adams – COO, SingularityNET

  • Alisha Arora – Youth Change Maker

  • Joëlle Barthel –  Director of Brand Marketing, Flo Health Inc

  • Dorothy Creaven – VP, Managing Director and site lead, Rent the Runway

  • Dr. Michelle He – COO and Co-Founder, Fintern

  • Elise Zelechowski – Global Head of DEI, Sustainability and Social Change, Thoughtworks

  • Nikki Lasley – Head of Diversity Equity and Inclusion, Amplitude

  • Eileen O’Meara – Head of EMEA Revenue & Growth, Stripe

  • Nikki Lasley – Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Amplitude

  • Eileen O’Meara – Head of EMEA Revenue & Growth, Stripe

  • Fiona Brady – Head of Operations and Public Affairs, FREE NOW