Tag: industry

Taking a Look at Ireland’s Thriving Tech Industry

Whilst Ireland is already known for its gorgeous nature, Paddy’s Day, and the creation of one of the best beverages out there – there’s still so much more it has to offer the world. Chiefly, it has a surprisingly innovative tech sector that has been growing steadily in recent years. But let’s take a deeper look at this below.

The Rise of Dublin as a Tech Hub

Thanks to its strategic location in Europe, Ireland quickly became a base for many tech companies, especially when it comes to US tech giants. Some examples include Google, which has made Dublin its European headquarters and Apple, with a major campus in Cork. Even Uber holds an office in Limerick, while Amazon followed Google’s choice of Dublin for its fulfilment centre.

However, this isn’t simply limited to foreign businesses opting to open a location in Ireland. The region is also home to its own successful companies. One such company is Paddy Power, founded in 1988 in Dublin, Ireland and part of the iGaming sector. The iGaming sector provides uses with access to several online gambling options. For instance, users can play bingo for free at Paddy’s, rather than being limited to physical bingo halls. The sector has welcomed several technological advancements, such as mobile gaming, that ensure the prosperity and longevity of their services. 

These factors have led multiple startups to pick Ireland as their hub, acknowledging the fact that it provides a prime location in Europe. Moreover, strong government incentives and support have further made it the ideal area for such ventures. Some of the best startups in Ireland to watch are Wayflyer, Everseen, and NomuPay.

The Impact of Ireland’s Tech Industry on the Economy

The booming tech sector has positively impacted the economy of Ireland in multiple significant ways. For starters, the revenue of tech businesses tends to be a major contributor to Ireland’s tax revenue, reaching 17% as advised by the Irish Revenue Department. 

The developments have also greatly improved employment rates, with over 120,000 workers in ICT, as per the Central Statistics Office. This number is poised to continue rising as the sector continues growing, creating thousands more job opportunities. This has also led professional talent from all over the world to flock to Ireland, further contributing to increased consumer spending.

In terms of investment, many investors are looking to invest in the flourishing tech ecosystem, making Ireland a great option for investors. Also, since Ireland has been put on the map as a tech hub, it has ensured that other sectors outside of technology choose this place to make their home, further boosting the economy. 

Ireland is poised to become one of the leading countries when it comes to tech, and this will continue to have a far-reaching impact on the economy, employment and investment. As such, whether you’re a professional, business owner, or investor, we’d suggest keeping a keen eye out on anything and everything the Irish tech sector has to offer.

The Irish Aviation Industry at a Glance

Europe as a whole is a major aviation hub worldwide, but the beating heart of this industry is certainly Ireland. Not only is this country the home of one of the best-known, low-cost carriers worldwide, it is also a major leasing hub and a key player in the global aviation industry. 

In this quick-start guide, we’ll look at what has made the Irish aviation industry so successful, and how the sector as a whole is gearing up to face future challenges. Let’s get started.  

Ireland as a Global Leasing Hub

According to statistics, around 40% of the world’s aircraft fleet is managed from Ireland, as the country hosts some of the largest aircraft leasing companies worldwide. This is a significant source of income for Ireland, but it also represents a major framework for the world’s aviation industry. 

Focus on Supplier Quality

One of the pillars beyond the Irish aviation industry excellence is the strong emphasis on supplier quality, ensuring that components used in aircraft maintenance and production meet stringent international standards. Although the industry has been growing and expanding over the past years, this focus has remained stable, which helped the industry scale up safely and organically. The Irish aviation industry also works with some of the major suppliers worldwide, including Pilot John International. 

Pioneering Low-Cost, Safe Flights

Ireland is the home of Ryanair, one of the largest and most successful low-cost carriers worldwide. Ryanair revolutionised air travel in Europe with its budget-friendly approach, which allows millions of travellers each day to travel to new countries, visit families abroad, and secure new deals and job positions. 

However, the Irish aviation industry never lost focus on safety. Today, strict regulatory standards remain the backbone of this sector, and some of the major companies within the sectors continue to implement standards and guidelines to improve passenger and workers safety, such as campaigns to tackle passenger misconduct. 

Dublin Airport: Growth and New Job Opportunities

According to estimations, the air transport industry, which includes both airlines and the extensive supply chain around them, contribute over US $10.4 billion to the GDP of Ireland. At a glance, these figures speak of the importance of the Dublin airport growth and this expansion over the past years has been essential to provide cities and residents with new income and job opportunities. 

Today, Dublin Airport remains a major international gateway as it continues to grow. In 2023 alone, this hub catered to over 30 million passengers!

4 Factors That Make The Irish Aviation Industry Future-Proof

Above, we’ve looked at what made the Irish aviation industry great. But will this sector be able to stand up to future challenges and industry changes? Looking at the infrastructures and managerial approach in place, the likely answer is yes – here’s how: 

  • Ireland’s aviation schools, like Atlantic Flight Training Academy, are among some of the major training hubs worldwide, and they continuously draw global talent to the country. 
  • The entire industry is strengthened by robust regulations, with major authoritative bodies, like the IAA enforcing high safety and operational standards.
  • Due to the Brexit shift, Ireland has become even more of a hub, with companies relocating after the UK left the EU.
  • The country and industry as a whole are committed to eco-friendly efforts, the reduction of carbon emissions, and limiting the use of fossil fuels.  

Lastly, the whole industry has innovation-friendly policies, which will work as the foundations for future growth and development. 

Law Society of Ireland hosts Industry Event on Artificial Intelligence and GDPR

One of Europe’s most prestigious legal events, the European Law Institute’s (ELI) Annual Conference, starts today and will run until Friday. Hosted in Dublin for the first time, the event will bring together over 400 delegates from across Europe to the King’s Inns and Law Society.

The conference will feature some of the world’s leading legal experts taking part in discussions on key themes, including the impact of digitisation on law and society, AI regulation and ethics, and the future of GDPR amid rapid technological advances.

Dublin’s selection as the host city reflects its established position as the European headquarters for several global tech firms.

The European Law Institute (ELI) is regarded as the voice of the legal community in Europe, with nearly 1,700 individual members from the bar, bench, academia, and various legal professions. It also boasts almost 150 institutional members, including EU institutions, supreme courts, law firms, and academic bodies.

Key speakers at the conference include:

  • Marko Bošnjak: President of the European Court of Human Rights
  • Michael O’Flaherty: Former Director of the EU’s Fundamental Rights Agency and recently appointed Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe
  • Rossa Fanning, SC: Attorney General of Ireland
  • Frances Fitzgerald: Former Member of the European Parliament

This evening, the Law Society will host a seminar on Artificial Intelligence and GDPR at Blackhall Place. Confirmed speakers include:

  • Pascal Pichonnaz, ELI President and Professor at University of Fribourg (Switzerland)
  • Sir Geoffrey Vos, ELI Vice-President; Master of the Rolls and Head of Civil Justice in England and Wales
  • Jeremy Godfrey,  Executive Chairperson, Comisiún na Meán
  • Emma Redmond, Assistant General Counsel for privacy and data protection – Open AI
  • Irene Nicolaidou, Deputy Chair of the European Data Protection Board
  • Gerard Hogan, Judge of the Supreme Court of Ireland and former Advocate General of the European Court of Justice

Together, they will analyse how advances in technology, particularly in AI, are reshaping the legal landscape and the conflicts with privacy and other rights.

Commenting on the upcoming event, ELI President Professor Pascal Pichonnaz said, “Dublin was chosen as the host city for its pivotal role as home to the European headquarters of many leading technology firms. The city provides an ideal backdrop for important discussions around the future of technology in law, AI regulation, and privacy issues, all of which have wide-reaching implications for the legal sector globally.”

Solicitor Paul Keane, European Law Institute Irish Hub Co-Chair; and Member of the Council of the Law Society of Ireland, said “We are delighted to welcome the ELI Annual Conference to Dublin for the first time. The European Law Institute (ELI) plays a vital role in relation to European Law. It focuses on the law as it should be, not as it is. It produces quality-tested, practical legal thinking, with pragmatic proposals, to guide law-makers. The quality of the Conference panels and the innovative work they will be highlighting are outstanding. The Law Society is especially pleased to host the Opening Reception of the Conference and to support, in its headquarters, the ELI seminar on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and GDPR. In addition to enjoying the quality of the legal debates, we hope that our visitors will be intrigued and inspired by the cultural and historical charms of Dublin.”

AI Transforming Online Slots Apps in A New Era of Personalized Gaming

The gaming industry is rapidly evolving, with arti͏ficial intelligence ͏play͏ing a significant role in this t͏ransformation. AI has enhanced gameplay by elevating compet͏itiveness and en͏ric͏hing sto͏rylines͏; particularly notewo͏rthy is the impact of AI ͏on onli͏ne sl͏ot applications where it customizes gaming experience f͏or ͏individual players p͏rov͏iding them with persona͏lized and thrilling games.

In the past, online slot machines were uncom͏plicated. Players push a button, spin the reels, and aw͏ait the outcome; however, thanks to AI technology, these games have ͏evolved now, and they can gather information about your gam͏ing preferences such as preferred game types, betting amounts, and frequency ͏of play. A specially design game, the innovative blen͏d of AI and ͏traditional slo͏t f͏eature bring a new captivating vibe to onli͏ne slots games.

The Evolution of Online Slots Through AI

AI is transformi͏ng how developers ͏make onli͏ne slot applications. B͏efore, all players had the same odds, the same gameplay, and missed pe͏rson͏alized experiences. While this way suited some individuals, it lacked diversity; now AI allows online slots to exceed their traditional structure.͏

With ass͏ist͏a͏nc͏e from A͏I, these applications gather information about gaming habits. They identify p͏referre͏d themes, betting fr͏equency and online activity ͏leve͏l; utilizing this da͏ta, the application can suggest games that may pique interest or modify ͏aspects of gameplay like winning frequencies; this ad͏justment is enh͏ancing cu͏stomization of online slots creating experiences that app͏ear crafted uniqu͏ely ͏for individual players.

AI-Powered Personalization: A Game-Changer for Players

AI intro͏duces thrilling elements to internet slot games cu͏stomization; while you engage in gameplay, the AI familiarizes itself with your preferences, it might recommend games that a͏l͏ign with your interests like slots offering larger prizes if ͏that’s what you ͏enjoy ͏or ones providing regular smaller rewards if you prefer consistent wins; this enhances overall gami͏ng ex͏perien͏ce.

AI is able ͏to generate custom͏ize͏d bonuses͏ and offers based on your preferences; for example, if ͏you have a preference for a specific type of game, the application may provide tailored p͏romotions or bonus opportunities accordingly. This enhances the gaming experience and sustains your ͏engagement with the game͏.

Enhancing Gameplay with AI-Driven Features

Artificial intelligence enhances not just customization but also improves gameplay. Unlike traditional slot machines, AI introduces an͏ extra element of enjoyment; nowadays, certain slots incorporate ͏interactive c͏omponents where your c͏hoices impact the game outcomes; this innovation may include ͏bonus rounds that allow you to select options that al͏ters your prizes or introduce multi͏pliers for hi͏ghe͏r ͏winn͏ings.

͏AI can also adjust the game’s difficulty level making it easier if you struggle or increase the challenge to enhance your experience. These AI enhance͏ment create individualized sessions and su͏stain player e͏ngagement.

AI and Responsible Gaming: Balancing Fun and Safety

Artificial intelligence goes beyond enhanc͏e the entertainm͏ent value of games by contributing to player safety͏. A significant issue in online gam͏bl͏ing involves preventing players from falling into harmful habits or overspending. AI technolog͏y are ͏cur͏rently utiliz͏e to monitor͏ play͏er actions instantly for early detection of ͏any alarm͏ing pattern.

If the AI detects excessive play or b͏ets that are higher than usual, it can step in͏ by giving reminders or putting limits; it ͏could suggest taking͏ a break, lowering bet a͏mounts͏, or directing players towards suitable support when needed. This makes sure͏ ͏gaming is fun and happens ͏re͏spons͏ib͏ly with the help͏ of AI technology.

AI and the Future of Online Slots

The future for A͏I-powered online slot machines look͏ promising͏. With ongoing improvements in AI technology, players can expect more customized gaming experiences and better functionalities. An interesting development is the potenti͏al merge of AI with virtual reality or augmented͏ reality, allowing users to step into pers͏ona͏liz͏ed virtual͏ casinos. Imagine immersing yourself in a VR ͏casino that is uniquely designed to fit your preferences, including tailored lighting and ͏g͏ame choices.

AI has the potential to ͏enhance͏ slo͏t games by enabling them to evolve. These games can adapt ͏and improve by ga͏thering insights from players,͏ ensuring a dynami͏c and engaging experience. As a result, slots will remain innovative͏ and e͏ngaging prese͏nting players with fresh challenges and features without feeling repet͏it͏ive.

Ultimately, ar͏tificial intelligence is transforming ͏online slot machines͏ in interesting ways, by gaining insights from players and pr͏oviding͏ custo͏mized experiences, ͏these games become more enjoyable and captivating. Through ͏AI-powered elements, g͏ameplay͏ is enhanced, personalized and also makes ͏use of responsible gam͏ing resources for increased safety; as AI advances further, prospects for online slo͏ts appear pr͏o͏mising for ͏additiona͏l innovat͏ion and customization. The dawn of a new age in online gaming has arrived with AI at ͏its ͏core.

Tech Industry Alliance Leaders Awards 2024

Tech Industry Alliance (TIA) is delighted to announce the 2024 Leaders’ Awards, taking place at the prestigious Great Southern Hotel, Killarney, on 29th November.

This year’s ceremony marks a pivotal moment as the awards debut in County Kerry, a region that is swiftly becoming a powerhouse of technological innovation. The decision to host the event in Kerry highlights TIA’s commitment to recognising the achievements of the entire South-West’s tech and STEM communities and the vital role that collaboration plays in driving this regional success.

The Tech Industry Alliance Leaders’ Awards, now in their 17th year, have become the benchmark for celebrating those who are shaping the future of technology in the South-West. From emerging startups to established multinational companies, these awards honour the leaders whose contributions are making a significant impact on the region’s growth. Former winners of Tech Person of the Year include Frank Madden, Founder & CEO, Crest Solutions, and Andrew O’Shaughnessy, Founder of Poppulo.

Building on a Legacy of Leadership and Collaboration

The Leaders’ Awards represent nearly two decades of unwavering dedication to fostering innovation, collaboration, and excellence within the tech sector. Since their inception, the awards have shone a spotlight on the extraordinary achievements of a wide range of organisations, from pioneering startups to leading educational institutions across the entire STEM spectrum.

Sean Ryan, TIA Board Member and Chairperson of Aspen Grove, shared his excitement about this year’s event: “Bringing our flagship event to Kerry isn’t just a milestone; it’s a statement. It underscores our commitment to driving tech innovation and collaboration across every corner of the South-West. County Kerry and Cork’s tech scene is thriving, and it’s only right that we celebrate these achievements in a region that plays such a crucial role in Ireland’s economy”.

The Power of Partnership

This year marks the third Leaders’ Awards under the Tech Industry Alliance, a collaboration formed in 2022 through the merger of it@cork and KerrySciTech. This partnership has been instrumental in expanding the reach and impact of the South-West tech sector. Partnerships like these are the bedrock of our success, fuelling innovation and fostering growth across the region.

Ogie Sheehy, TIA Board Member and CEO of ViClarity, urged the community to get involved: “There’s a real buzz around this year’s awards. I encourage everyone in the tech community of the South-West to join us — nominate those who are making waves and helping to build the vibrant ecosystem that collaboration has brought to life in our region.”

Recognising Leaders and Innovators

The 2024 Leaders’ Awards categories include Tech Start Up of the Year, Tech Scale Up of the Year, and Tech Person of the Year, among others. These awards not only recognise innovative use of technology but also highlight the resilience, creativity, and social impact of businesses and individuals who are driving progress in the region.

Gerry Murphy, TIA Chairperson, emphasised the significance of collaboration: “These awards are about more than just celebrating success—they’re about showcasing the innovation and determination that push our region forward. Thanks to the partnerships that underpin our work, we’re able to shine a light on the cutting-edge technologies and resilient businesses that make the South-West a leader in tech. We owe a great deal to our sponsors and partners, including Kerry County Council, Cork County Council, and Cork City Council, whose support is essential to our ongoing success.”

Mayor of Kerry, Breandán Fitzgerald, commented that he is “very pleased to welcome the TIA awards to Kerry for the first time, and Kerry County Council is delighted to be associated with the event, as well as collaborating with our counterparts in Cork”.

Join Us in Celebrating Excellence

Nominations for the Tech Industry Alliance Leaders Awards 2024 are now open, with submissions accepted until 11th October 2024. The awards night promises to be an inspiring celebration of the best and brightest in South-West tech. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this event—reserve your tickets by contacting info@techindustryalliance.ie. For more information, visit www.techindustryalliance.ie.

HearAngel and Sonical Announce Strategic Partnership to Integrate Smart Hearing Safeguarding for Headphones

HearAngel (a LimitEar company) and Sonical, Inc. today announced a software licensing agreement to integrate the HearAngel smart hearing safeguarding solution into Sonical’s CosmOS operating system for headphones. This collaboration allows manufacturers using the Sonical platform to offer hearing safeguarding either as a standard feature or user option.

Stephen Wheatley, CEO of HearAngel, stated: “CosmOS is enabling the next generation of headphone platform, allowing for personalised and updated devices through downloadable cloud apps. The functionality needed from your headphones can be changed anytime based on preferences and usage”.

Gary Spittle, CEO of Sonical, added “Hearing safeguarding is increasingly important, with extended listening at high volumes potentially causing permanent hearing damage. HearAngel provides easy-to-use information on sound exposure, enabling informed choices to safeguard hearing.”

Developed by LimitEar, HearAngel utilises patent-protected algorithms initially designed for the professional broadcast industry. The software integrates into mobile phones and wireless headphones, measuring sound exposure, with the user interface and controls on a mobile phone. It offers dual modes: managing personal exposure or parental control enabling the management of children’s exposure. The patented technology tracks listening duration and sound levels, providing awareness and management options. Users can also opt for optional automated protection, adhering to ITU/WHO H.870 or EN62368-1:2018 safety standards.

Research indicates that at birth, each ear has 15,000 auditory hair cells, which do not regenerate. Exposure to high sound doses, particularly from recreational headphone use, can lead to permanent hearing damage. Deafness Research UK reports that 1 in 3 individuals under 35 has chronic hearing damage due to headphone use.

HearAngel continuously monitors and profiles hearing exposure, alerting users to make informed decisions. Parental control features enable management of children’s listening habits, limiting peak exposure levels and listening periods. The integration of HearAngel into CosmOS emphasises the importance of hearing protection in the audio industry, catering to both professional users and general consumers. This collaboration aims to set new standards for safe listening practices, ensuring long-term auditory health.

Sonical’s CosmOS offers a customisable operating system for headphones, supporting various audio applications and enabling dynamic personalisation of headphone functionality through downloadable plugins. The partnership will showcase smart hearing safeguarding on the Remora PRO module, compatible with wired and wireless headphones, earbuds, or headsets, enhancing the flexibility of the CosmOS environment.

Workhuman revolutionises workplace insights with industry-first AI Assistant

Workhuman, the company revolutionising the way employees celebrate, connect with and appreciate each other in the workplace, has unveiled the latest innovation in its platform – the addition of a generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) Assistant to its cultural [workforce] intelligence tool, Workhuman iQ. Workhuman is launching this tool as many HR and business leaders struggle to access organisational insights, which are often buried in static, incomplete, and cumbersome data analytics systems. Workhuman iQ offers an intuitive generative AI interface that surfaces dynamic and actionable answers and insights powered by an organisation’s rich, authentic, and unique Social Recognition programme data, and Workhuman’s 25 years of culture and recognition research.

 Workhuman iQ is the only solution in the industry that provides a comprehensive view of an organisation’s people dynamics, performance and skills, state of cultural health, and where and how work is getting done. Workhuman’s new AI Assistant within Workhuman iQ leverages the world’s first recognition-specific language model, built by Workhuman, and uses data from a customer’s own recognition programme to provide real-time insight that can inform decisive actions to maximise people and business results.

This innovation allows people managers and business leaders to quickly and easily get accurate and interactive answers to many types of employee, team, department, and organisation-level questions. These include: “Who within the organisation is demonstrating our company values?”, “What is the current skills profile of my team?”, “What impact is employee recognition having on top-talent or overall retention in my department?” and “Who are the best internal candidates for this role?” The AI Assistant provides highly accurate responses, putting answers at the fingertips of those who need them most without the need for even more technology or data analytics expertise.

Transforming the way companies monitor and enhance their culture, Workhuman iQ leverages proprietary algorithms and AI to analyse data within the Workhuman platform, offering leaders and managers clear insights into the state of their culture and talent. Acting as a virtual consultant and a single source of truth, AI Assistant and Workhuman iQ goes beyond reporting, uncovering previously hidden workplace insights and providing unparalleled insights into people dynamics, performance, skills, and more, empowering leaders to make informed and strategic decisions. The manual and labour-intensive process of generating actionable insights is replaced with real-time, on-demand trends, patterns, and precise answers to people and organisational questions.

“AI is changing the way work gets done, and with the introduction of generative AI tools within programmes that generate significant data, it opens the door for people without analytics backgrounds to easily access information it would have otherwise taken them days or weeks to uncover,” said Kevin Heinzelman, Workhuman Head of Product Management. “Workhuman iQ analyses an organisation’s unique recognition data and surfaces personalised, recommended actions based on identified patterns to help managers make informed decisions and foster an encouraging environment – further driving optimal team engagement, retention, and performance. Our solution equips managers with the information they need to better support their team and induces them to take a more proactive role in shaping culture, and our AI Assistant takes those analytics capabilities to the next level.”

The new AI Assistant comes on the heels of additional innovations in the Workhuman Platform, Admin Hub, and Automated Welcome Awards, which significantly improve and empower the Social Recognition Programme Manager experience.

Workhuman iQ empowers HR leaders and people managers to measure recognition programmes, track culture and engagement, measure skills and performance, and actively know how to improve every day. To learn more, please visit: www.workhuman.com/capabilities/workhuman-iq.

Tech Industry Alliance Announces TechFest 2024

Tech Industry Alliance has officially launched TechFest 2024 in the AIB offices 66 South Mall Cork with AIB being one of the main event sponsors. TechFest is its annual flagship technology conference which will be held in the Radisson Blu Hotel in Little Island, Cork from 9:30am on the 14th of May 2024. This year the focus is on “Tech for Good: Driving Deep Tech, Fostering Sustainability & Building a Better Tomorrow”and to complement the main event, a  festival of supporting events will take place throughout the week of TechFest led by well known organisations and agencies throughout the South-West region. Tickets for the main conference are currently on sale at https://techindustryalliance.ie/event/techfest-2024/

The line up of expert speakers include global leader in promoting tech for good – Sarah Porter who is the founder and CEO of InspiredMinds, a global community of 220,000 high level experts in AI and emerging technology and an advisor to both the UN and to the EU AI council.  TechFest 2024 will again this year be MC’d by award-winning industry broadcaster Jonathan McCrea and will feature panel discussions on AI, sustainability & diversity as well as having plenty of networking opportunities and an industry expo featuring leading companies from across Ireland.

Gerry Murphy, Tech Industry Alliance Chairperson commented: “We are delighted to be announcing TechFest 2024 which will feature rare content, rich dialogue and facilitate real connections and which would not be possible without the vital support of our sponsors, who all recognise the importance of our sector to the Munster region.  Following on from a really successful TechFest last year, we are excited with this year’s amazing line up of speakers and even greater opportunities to network with colleagues and businesses across the south west region.”

“Our three key themes this year are Disrupt, Evolve and Ignite and we will hear from leaders of Industry and academia on how technology can contribute to sustainability, the threats and opportunities from the latest AI technology, how to ensure a vibrant and diverse talent pipeline as well as how tech can benefit society and the future of business.”

Approx. 450 people are expected to attend the event, network, connect and collaborate. Other expert speakers on the day include Denis Ryan Technology, Media & Telecoms AIB; Joanne Sheahan, Senior Advisor – Sustainability & Climate Action Enterprise Ireland; Robert McArdle, Director in Trend Micro’s Forward Looking Threat Research; Steve Fleming Founder and CEO Voxxify; Andy Bastick, Senior Director, Product & Partner Marketing, Digital Realty; Susie Harding Senior Manager Data, Analytics & AI at EY; Nikki Bradley Motivational Speaker, Amputee and Adventurer and Lynsey Monaghan, Global Diversity & Inclusion Strategist at NetApp.

 TIA Vice Chair Donagh Kiernan added: “TechFest 2024 is a groundbreaking event dedicated to exploring the pivotal role of technology in addressing global challenges and fostering a sustainable future. The event will also showcase young innovative tech companies in the south west and provide attendees with an insight into technology aimed at addressing environmental, social, and economic challenges. And we are delighted to acknowledge the invaluable support of our Skillnet again for TechFest 2024. Tech Industry Alliance Skillnet (TIAS) has been a consistent sponsor throughout the last 10 years.

The theme of TechFest this year fits perfectly with our Skillnet services, fostering innovation in talent strategies for tech, through subsidised support with up- and cross- skilling programmes. In today’s fast-paced tech landscape, the significance of talent development and upskilling cannot be overstated. Our TIAS Team will be available at TechFest 24 to chat with attendees on how they can further support their organisation’s growth and development.”

Tickets for the event are now on sale at https://techindustryalliance.ie/event/techfest-2024/ but numbers are limited so attendees are encouraged to book early as the event is expected to be a sell-out.

Ireland’s Industry Leaders Unite at Cantillon 2024 to Address Urgent Issues in a Sustainable World

Cantillon 2024, scheduled for 7th March at Ballygarry Estate Hotel, Tralee, marks its 10th year as a pivotal platform for thought leaders, visionaries, and industry experts to delve into the urgent issues arising from the transformation towards a sustainable future. The conference will be an opportunity to hear from industry experts on topics including strategic planning, meeting future talent needs, and the evolving culture of organisations. The conference will explore how business leaders can navigate complex transformation processes, framing transformation not just as a strategic imperative but as a commitment to a resilient and prosperous world for generations to come. Cantillon 2024 is not to be missed for those looking to lead transformation in their organisation.

President of MTU, Professor Maggie Cusack, expressed the urgency of the conference, stating, “Tickets are selling fast, be sure to secure your place at Cantillon 2024 which aims to spark innovative solutions to the most pressing issues in securing a sustainable future, honouring the legacy of Richard Cantillon, the pioneering economist.”

In a rapidly changing global landscape, Cantillon 2024 highlights the importance of the need for transformation across sectors from technology and energy to healthcare and manufacturing. The conference serves as a nexus for industry leaders, policymakers, scholars, and innovators to collectively address challenges and strategically plan for a sustainable future. The need for transformation extends beyond businesses – influencing economies, shaping policies, and necessitating the cultivation of a dynamic talent pool geared for the future.

Cantillon 2024 will feature a diverse array of presentations, interactive panel discussions, and networking opportunities, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange. The conference will emphasise the urgency recognised by governmental bodies to develop and implement policies fostering sustainability. From carbon emissions reduction to incentivising green innovations, policymakers play a crucial role in steering industries towards a secure and sustainable future. Organisers are urging those interested to secure their tickets fast before they are sold out.

Highlights from the programme include keynotes from industry leaders:

  • Shane McGibney, Chief Business Transformation Officer at Kerry Group, who will be discussing how to create a transformational culture mindset;

  • Senior Economist at AIB, John Fahey who will be sharing the future transformation requirements from a global economic perspective;

  • Gemma Corrigan of Federated Hermes Limited, focusing on the multi-stakeholder engagement process when leading sustainable transformation; and

  • Disruptive innovation expert Aidan McCullen, who will explain the need to embrace the paradigm shift impacting every facet of global industries, economies, policies, and talent development.

Following the keynotes, panel discussions will dissect the seismic shift towards sustainability across industries. The rising demand for professionals with expertise in sustainability, environmental science, and technology will be a central focus, reflecting the changing landscape of the workforce.

Expert panellists across a host of industries will include:

  • Mr. Padraig McGillycuddy, CEO Ballygarry Estate Hotel: Transforming the Business Model for a Secure Future

  • Ms. Sheena Dympsey Executive Vice President and Chief Solutions Officer at Indivi.: Navigating Transformation in a Complex Digital Health environment.

  • Mr. Cathal Foley CEO, PACE; CCO, Fexco Drive: Platforming to analyse Carbon Emissions in the Air!

  • Dr Assumpta O’Kane, Business Psychologist: Workforce of the Future: The Competing Forces shaping 2040 and beyond!

  • Dr Alison Hampton, Ulster University:  Transformation through the lens of the Zillenial and AI!

With networking opportunities built in throughout the day, key topics of discussion will include the value of collective problem-solving approaches through cross-industry partnerships, public-private collaborations, and knowledge-sharing platforms.

Cantillon 2024 will also shed light on the increasing priority boards, investors, and consumers place on businesses committed to sustainable practices, influencing market trends and investment strategies.

For the full line-up of speakers, visit: www.cantillon.ie; and tickets are available to purchase here: https://events.mtu.ie/index.cfm?page=events&eventId=954