The 2022 Global State of Crypto report released today by cryptocurrency exchange Gemini found that 58% of Irish respondents who do not currently own cryptocurrency are interested in learning more or are likely to acquire it in the next 12 months.
Compared globally to 20 countries surveyed, this is the largest ‘crypto curious’ segment in any one country, followed by Germany (53%), Colombia (50%) and the UK (49%). The majority (54%) of the ‘crypto curious’ Irish are women.
The survey revealed that 18% of Irish respondents currently own or have previously owned cryptocurrency, in line with levels of ownership in other developed countries, such as the UK (18%), Germany (17%), Australia (18%) and the US (20%).
Gemini is a platform that offers individuals and institutions simple tools to buy, sell, and store crypto like bitcoin and ether. It was founded in 2014 in the US by Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss. The company recently secured an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) licence from the Central Bank of Ireland, the first such licence granted by the Central Bank of Ireland since 2020.
Gillian Lynch, Gemini’s Head of Ireland and Europe, said, “This global survey reveals that Irish people have a strong appetite for crypto, which is expected given Ireland’s international reputation as a hub for financial services and emerging technologies. We are proud that the Central Bank of Ireland recently awarded Gemini an Electronic Money Institutions licence, which is a testament to our high standards of consumer protections. We look forward to bringing our simple and secure crypto services to customers in Ireland and Europe more broadly.”
The Global State of Crypto Report shares global adoption, barriers to entry, and attitudes around cryptocurrency and is one of a series of reports Gemini will launch this year.
Other key findings from the report include:
79% of Irish investors are holding their cryptocurrency for long-term gains, and 39% are actively trading their crypto.
35% of current owners are 25-34 years old and 28% of current owners are 35-44 years old.
40% of current investors were female and 60% were male, although 54% of the crypto curious segment are female, compared to 46% male.
Workday, Inc., a leader in enterprise cloud applications for finance and human resources, today announced that it intends to create 1,000 new jobs over the next two years at its European headquarters in Dublin, increasing its Ireland-based workforce by approximately 60%. This investment is supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland. In addition, to support its future growth and deepen its local community partnerships, Workday announced plans to construct its new European headquarters at Grangegorman, Dublin 7.
The news was shared at an event at Workday’s European Headquarters that was attended by Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD and Martin Shanahan, CEO, IDA Ireland, and Workday Co-CEO Chano Fernandez, Executive Vice President, Product and Technology, Sayan Chakraborty and Senior Vice President, Chris Byrne.
As part of its growth in the region, Workday will be hiring in roles across product development, engineering and data science, sales, services and user experience. Workday’s Dublin team has played a central role in the company’s global product development and innovation efforts since the company first opened its office in Ireland in 2008. Workday currently employs more than 1,700 people in Dublin, helping support the organisation’s more than 9,500 customers worldwide.
Workday’s new European headquarters situated at Grangegorman will be a highly-sustainable 550,000 square foot campus across approximately four acres in a Strategic Development Zone, adjacent to Technological University Dublin. The company has agreed to purchase the site from the Health Service Executive (HSE). The Grangegorman Development Agency (GDA) is the state developer for the Grangegorman site.
As design planning for the new European headquarters begins, Workday will become the anchor tenant of the Dockline Building in Dublin 1, helping augment its existing headquarters at Kings Building. In addition to having excellent transport links and facilities, the 80,000 square foot Dockline Building has approximately 200 bicycle spaces and is BER A3 energy rated.
“Today’s announcement of 1,000 new jobs by Workday is a very significant endorsement of Ireland as a place to do business and in our reputation as a leading tech hub in Europe. It is a vote of confidence in the skills and talent of our workforce and in our continued attractiveness to leading global companies. I also welcome the company’s decision to construct its new European headquarters at Grangegorman in Dublin,” said Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD.
“I was thrilled to join the Taoiseach in Dublin today to announce our continued investment in our workforce and workplace in Ireland. Our presence in Dublin, and the incredible talent we’ve been able to hire here, have been critical components of our innovation and customer service efforts – both core values at Workday. We see great opportunity ahead as we help some of the world’s largest organisations with their digital transformation efforts, including how they adapt to change, plan for the future, and support their employees in the changing world of work,” said Chano Fernandez, Co-CEO, Workday.
“This is an incredible expansion from Workday, creating 1,000 new jobs over the next two years. Choosing Grangegorman for its new European HQ is a real vote of confidence in Dublin and this new quarter of our capital city. I’d like to thank the team for their commitment to Ireland and wish them the very best of luck with this remarkable growth,” said Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment, Leo Varadkar TD.
“Our culture was built on great people because employees are our number one core value at Workday. Our planned new Grangegorman headquarters will provide us with a contemporary and thoughtful workplace to deliver even greater employee experiences and drive customer initiatives. As importantly, we will be able to engage more deeply in our local educational and community programmes, including our STEM partnership with Technological University Dublin, which will help to upskill young people ranging from primary school age to third level education,” said Chris Byrne, senior vice president, Workday.
“Workday’s investment in the planned Grangegorman campus and the addition of 1,000 new roles demonstrates the company’s long-term vision for its Irish based European HQ. The economic impact of this investment through the capital spend and creation of high value employment is both a significant win for Ireland and a huge vote of confidence in Ireland’s technology ecosystem. It will also be a significant boost to the business environment and increased economic activity in this North City area of Dublin. I wish the company continued success and the ongoing support of IDA Ireland,” said Martin Shanahan, CEO, IDA Ireland.
“The HSE is delighted to facilitate the sale of part of the HSE’s retained lands in Grangegorman to Workday. This part of the site was always identified as a Commercial Hub area and having the new European Headquarters of Workday on the Campus exceeds the original vision for this area. This significant development will enhance the overall Grangegorman Campus which will be uniquely shared between the HSE, Technological University Dublin, the new local Primary School and Workday,” said a HSE spokesperson.
“This is an exciting and significant announcement for the Grangegorman area of Dublin City. It represents the next step for the Grangegorman project, bringing more new people to join the existing and emerging vibrant community here and further realising the overall vision for Grangegorman. The addition of Workday to Grangegorman also offers many potential opportunities for on-going collaboration and engagement with the site’s stakeholders, and we look forward to working closely with Workday to develop their plans for the site,” said Ger Casey, CEO, Grangegorman Development Agency (GDA).
Team members have a new set of expectations when it comes to work. Technology that does what it was intended to do is now table stakes and building a strong employee experience is paramount. That’s why Dell Technologies (NYSE:DELL) is revealing a new portfolio of intelligent PCs, accessories, software and services to help solidify the future of hybrid work.
“Hybrid work is no longer an afterthought or a privilege, it is the standard,” says Ed Ward, president, Client Product Group, Dell Technologies. “While employees are moving between locations to get work done, creating a productive experience is the priority. Our latest commercial portfolio continues to put collaboration, intelligence and security at the forefront, with increased investments that meet the diverse needs of people both today and in the future.”
According to new research from Dell Technologies, 44% of people want their leaders to empower them to choose their preferred working pattern and provide the necessary tools and infrastructure to do their jobs. Dell’s latest commercial portfolio aims to help IT teams deploy the best tools for the job.
Greater intelligence for an enhanced hybrid workstyle
At the forefront of Dell’s commercial portfolio sits Dell Optimizer, an integrated artificial intelligence software suite that powers the world’s most intelligent PCs with built-in AI – driving a more collaborative and personalized experience. New capabilities advance today’s hybrid workforce as people work from multiple locations, face increasing privacy risks and combat interruptions.
With a comprehensive suite of new Intelligent Privacy features, users can conceal sensitive information on their screen if an intruder is detected, and the PC can automatically dim when the user looks away from the screen to protect data and conserve power.
Dell Optimizer features the world’s first simultaneous multi-network connection that lets users connect to two wired or wireless networks at once for faster data transfers and downloads. It also delivers less buffering and up to 30% lower latency.
Amplifying every aspect of work
Dell is launching new products for business leaders and users who need portability and performance – all with 12th Gen Intel® Core™ processors and the latest connectivity options, including 5G and Intel® Wi-Fi 6E.
Latitude
The Latitude 9430 is an ultra-premium laptop or 2-in-1 offering the world’s smallest 14-inch 16:10 business PC and the best screen-to-body ratio on a 14-inch business PC. Available in a new metallic graphite color, it also contains a new FHD camera for clearer video calls.
Dell’s extremely portable yet durable Latitude 7330 Ultralight configurationis the world’s smallest and lightest 13.3-inch premium commercial 16:9 laptop. Weighing 2.13lbs/0.967 kg, it incorporates all the ports required to balance productivity in a high-quality form factor without compromising Latitude grade reliability.
With increased video conferencing usage putting more strain on systems, the new Latitude 7000 series features higher performance processors and DDR5 memory options, while also improving thermals and acoustics. Pair the Latitude 2-in-1s with the new Dell Premier Rechargeable Active Pen,the world’s first active pen with Tile location tracking that can be located via Bluetooth. Dell will also update its Latitude 5000 series and introduce a new Latitude 3330.
Precision & Monitors
Creators and engineers can maximize performance and portability with new Dell mobile workstations, plus ecosystem solutions.
The new Precision 5470 is the world’s smallest, thinnest and most powerful 14” mobile workstation. It comes with up to 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i9 processors, 64GB of DDR5 memory, 4TB of storage and a choice of NVIDIA RTX ™ A1000 Graphics. Dell also introduces its thinnest and smallest 15- and 17-inch mobile workstations, the Precision 5570 and 5770.
Business and creative professionals can enhance their work in 4K clarity on the Dell UltraSharp 32 and 27 4K USB-C Hub Monitors. These are the world’s first monitors to feature groundbreaking IPS Black technology, providing rich contrast, deep blacks and improved viewing angles that boost a dual monitor usage experience. Along with the 16:10 Dell UltraSharp 30 USB-C Hub Monitor, these monitors offer wide color coverage, ComfortView Plus for enhanced eye comfort, multitasking features and a host of connectivity ports.
Ecosytstem Devices
As people transition between workspaces, ecosystem devices and IT services are essential for a seamless and simple experience.
The compact Dell Dual Charge Dock is the world’s first laptop docking station with a wireless charging stand for Qi-enabled smartphones and earbuds that can support up to dual 4K monitors, perfect for a home office. The new and upgraded Dell ThunderboltTM Dock, with its future-ready modular design, supports easy upgradability from the previous generation, delivers lightning-fast charging via Thunderbolt™ 4 and is ideal for connecting multiple 4K displays, devices and peripherals in a typical office setup. The new Dell Universal Dock – best suited for shared hoteling workspaces – offers a consistent experience for any USB-C laptop and the highest number of ports in a universal dock.
In the era of conferencing, the new Dell Speakerphone and Dell Slim Conferencing Soundbarare the world’s most intelligent Microsoft Teams certified speakerphone and soundbar. They feature AI noise cancellation that reduces background noise, while preserving the clarity of human voices so users can enjoy a richer and clearer audio experience.
For IT admins who need to deliver custom devices to end users, faster,Dell has expanded its Connected Provisioning service to 37 new countries across Europe, including Ireland. The cloud-based provisioning service speeds up the way devices are configured to quickly deliver ready-to-use devices out of the box.
Sustainability & security
Sitting at the core of every product is Dell’s commitment to sustainability and security. The new Dell portfolios feature even more sustainable materials, including the world’s most innovative use of sustainable materials in the Latitude 5000 series. New packaging is made of 100% recycled and renewable materials – and is fully recyclable – and will be shipping on all new Latitude laptops, Precision Mobile Workstations and XPS devices, giving Dell the opportunity to make impact at scale.
Dell also offers the industry’s most secure commercial PCs – employing both software-based, above the operating system (OS) protections, and hardware-based, below the OS capabilities, to defend against current and future threats. New to all Dell Latitude devices is a Self-Healing Image Recovery that provides OS restoration after a catastrophic issue.
Pricing & availability
Latitude 9430, available April 2022, with pricing to be unveiled upon launch.
Latitude 7330 Ultralight configuration, available April 2022, with pricing to be unveiled upon launch.
Latitude 7330, 7430, 7530, available April 2022, with pricing to be unveiled upon launch.
Latitude 5330, 5430, 5530, available April 2022, with pricing to be unveiled upon launch.
Latitude 5431 and 5531, available April 2022, with pricing to be unveiled upon launch.
Latitude 3330 available April 2022, with pricing to be unveiled upon launch.
Precision 5470, available April 2022, with pricing to be unveiled upon launch.
Precision 5570, 5770, available April 202, with pricing to be unveiled upon launch.
Dell Dual Charge Dock (HD22Q), available May 12, with pricing to be unveiled upon launch.
Dell Thunderbolt Dock (WD22TB4), available in Q2, with pricing to be unveiled upon launch.
Dell Universal Dock (UD22), available May 12, with pricing to be unveiled upon launch.
Dell Premier Rechargeable Active Pen (PN7522W), available now, with local pricing to be announced.
Dell Speakerphone (SP3022), available now, with local pricing to be announced.
Dell Slim Conferencing Soundbar (SB522A), available now, with local pricing to be announced.
DellUltraSharp 32 and 27 4K USB-C Hub Monitors (U3223QE / U2723QE), available now, with local pricing to be announced.
Dell UltraSharp 30 USB-C Hub Monitor (U3023E), available now, with local pricing to be announced.
ININ Games together with TAITO are excited to announce TAITO MILESTONES for Nintendo Switch launching April 15th in Europe and North America! The special retro compilation of some true TAITO classics will be available through selected retailers and the Nintendo eShop.
Soon retro fans can dive into a nostalgic gaming experience to replay the classics that represent TAITO’s legacy. Celebrate the company’s milestones! Defeat the monsters deep inside the castle as witch Ptolemy in The FairyLand Story, strike your enemies in the sci-fi shooter SPACE SEEKER or collect the hearts from the thieving Monsta in Chack’n Pop! With this collection there will be something for every retro game enthusiast!
1981
QIX
1983
Chack’n Pop
1981
SPACE SEEKER
1983
ELEVATOR ACTION
1982
ALPINE SKI
1985
The FairyLand Story
1982
FRONT LINE
1986
HALLEY’S COMET
1982
WILD WESTERN
1987
THE NINJAWARRIORS
The boxed edition and the digital download version of TAITO MILESTONES for Nintendo Switch will launch on April 15th, 2022. Get ready for a true retro flashback – heading straight for your home screens!
Check iningames.com for more information and the latest updates on the game!
Comit, the tech specialist PR and communications agency, today announces that it will adopt a four-day week from 1st May. It is the first PR agency in Ireland to announce a move away from the traditional five-day week to this new way of working, which aims to boost employee wellbeing as well as productivity.
Comit’s new four-day week is the first element in a significant innovation programme being rolled out by the PR agency. It will lead to the creation of 15 new jobs in PR, digital content and communications consulting.
The company will also invest €200,000 in digital transformation, training and new service development. The digital transformation investment will fund the introduction of a suite of productivity, automation and other digital tools, which will enable team members to be more productive. The funding will also enable the PR agency to invest in new digital and data analytics services for clients.
Founded in 1997, the Dublin-based PR and communications agency is on a strong growth path and has built up a significant customer base including technology and tech-oriented organisations spanning areas including cybersecurity, managed services, FinTech, data centres, consultancy, software development, communications, location intelligence, sustainability and Ireland’s start-up ecosystem.
Employees, clients and other key stakeholders have been consulted about the four-day week to ensure a smooth transition to the new way of working. Comit’s four-day week initiative will initially be trialled for six months and will see staff remain on their existing salaries.
Allan Chapman, managing director, Comit, commented: “This decision has come about as part of a well-thought-out innovation process whereby we reviewed and reimagined our working model. As well as maximising flexibility for our team and prioritising wellbeing, we wanted to identify new ways to enhance the value we deliver for clients and how we deliver our service.
“It is important to stress that this is not a compressed approach to the 4-day week, whereby team members will be asked to squeeze 40 hours into four days. Our aim is to empower and support people by giving them more time that they can use to do the things that they enjoy.
“We carried out a very detailed planning and research process, which included speaking to international PR agencies who have already implemented a four-day week, as well as our own employees and clients. The clear message from this was that happy, energised employees are more focused, more productive and achieve better results. The four-day week will also enable us to attract and retain the very best PR, digital and communications professionals as we grow our team and roll out innovative new services.
“We are very excited to reveal this four-day week initiative and announce the investment in our growing team as we approach the milestone of 25 years in business this year. We see this move and expansion as being great for the business, great for the team and great for our clients.”
Nasuni Corporation, the leader in file data services, today announced that it will create up to 55 new senior engineering jobs over the next three years in Cork, Ireland at its newly established Innovation Centre. This will be Nasuni’s first innovation centre and its fourth office including its headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts, USA and additional offices in Marlborough, Massachusetts, USA, and Cary, North Carolina, USA. The company is also expanding its presence in Germany, Benelux and London as part of its global expansion.
The company is supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland. Welcoming the announcement, Taoiseach Michéal Martin TD, said “This announcement is great news for Cork and indeed Ireland. With up to 55 jobs planned, Nasuni is placing a significant vote of confidence in Cork and further demonstrates our competitive position in attracting Foreign Direct Investment. I am delighted that Nasuni chose to locate its Innovation Centre in Cork as part of its global expansion.”
Nasuni has also hired Derek Murphy as Vice President of Engineering, EMEA. Derek is an experienced head of engineering with experience at multinational enterprise companies including Forcepoint, McAfee, Intel, and Apple. In the past 15 years, Derek has worked in the domain of Cyber Security under the areas of Cloud Product and Services, with a focus on Cloud Software Engineering and Cloud Operations.
“We are looking for the right talent to fill senior, ‘greenfield development’ positions, cloud and analytics focused. This is high-value work, crucial to our business, and we are convinced we will find the right candidates in Ireland,” said Murphy.
Paul Flanagan, CEO of Nasuni, added: ‘‘Nasuni is committed to Ireland, and we have already incorporated Nasuni Ireland Ltd. The country is known for its well-educated software talent pool as well as the number and variety of its technology hubs. Together with the strong support and relationship with the IDA and the diversity of the region, Ireland has a track record as a place to invest, and one that yields results. This will complement the success that Nasuni has in its centres of innovation and offices across the globe, continuing to offer the same level of trusted file data services in the region. Our vision is to expand the team to over 55 people over the next three years.”
IDA Ireland CEO Martin Shanahan said: “Nasuni’s investment comes at the right time, as remote work continues to create unprecedented challenges and cyber security is more important than ever for enterprises. The establishment of the EMEA Innovation Centre for Nasuni is a testament to the region’s highly-skilled and talented workforce and reinforces IDA Ireland’s mission to boost jobs and investment for regional locations. I welcome Nasuni to Ireland and wish the team every success with this expansion.”
With the rising threat to business from cyberattacks, Nasuni believes it is more important than ever that the entire IT ecosystem of an enterprise—its suppliers, partners, and managed service providers – offer the highest standards of security and risk management. Enterprises benefit from Nasuni services to achieve cost-efficient, multi-site primary file storage capacity, fast access over standard file sharing protocols and the ability to recover files systems after a ransomware attack in minutes; all for less than the cost of traditional on-premises file infrastructure.
Nasuni has a hybrid working arrangement in place across all its offices as it transitions out of COVID-19. The current expectation is that the Ireland site will also support hybrid working. As Nasuni Ireland scales and hires people, the company intends to open a physical facility in the near future.
A programmer is a person who works on both the design and development of various software systems. When it comes to careers in the field of programming, different types of options exist, such as full-stack development, front-end development, embedded systems development, backend development, and so on.
Programmers use different programming and markup languages. As a rule, the expertise of every programmer depends on the experience and skills that s/he has. That is why every programmer tends to enhance the skill set by taking some steps that we mentioned below. Check the list of practices to enhance your programming skills and become better at what you do.
#1 Set Goals for Yourself
If you have a list of goals at hand, you have a chance to be more productive as a developer. Make sure to ask yourself some of the questions:
Why did I decide to become a programmer?
What are my key programming goals?
What are your dreams when you think about being a programmer?
The reality is that every person has personal goals. Below, we offer some of the ideas for you to take into account:
Get a freelance job
Create a user-friendly website
Get a well-paid job
Gain enough money to move abroad
If you want to stay motivated and succeed, make sure to create as many projects as you can. There’s no need to finish each. The idea is to take every project as the so-called homework assignment, just like the ones that you have in math or biology. You just have to achieve small goals on your way to a successful future. Here’s an example. Let’s say, you would like to learn how to use a database. In that case, you have to start a blog project. However, if you want to learn how to add something to a database and nothing more, feel free to just create a title and description (a simple form) that will enable you to add a record to the database. No matter how simple it may sound, when you do it, you successfully achieve your goal. It is important to work on projects in order to achieve goals since it will eventually lead you to more complex examples. And that’s quite motivating.
#2 Read Code
All codes that you read will hone your programming skills. Moreover, you will discover a lot of interesting things! When it comes to the resources that you can deal with, make sure to check:
Books
GitHub
Articles & newsletters
The point here is that one can learn a lot from the codes written by the other programmers. You can find professionals in your area or go to GitHub, where you can find code that is similar to the one you produced. Seeing how other developers create codes will help you solve problems with yours. Besides, it will boost your critical thinking skills and help you deal with college assignments or your personal coding sessions.
Just like your program every day, make sure to read one or two articles on programming as well. Check some of the most popular books like Deep Work by Cal Newport to hone your knowledge.
#3 Check the Core of the Project’s Architecture
There are loads of software architecture patterns out there. Plug-in, client-server, layered, and sub/pub architecture are some of the most popular software design patterns that experts use at the moment.
As a rule, software architects tend to decompose the whole project into smaller sub-projects. This enables them to reduce the complexity that in turn guarantees higher maintainability factors. As a rule, programmers do not need to understand every fragment of the architecture of the software project in order to contribute to the whole project. At the same time, it is also important to understand the architecture of the software system better in order to have a chance to contribute more effectively.
#4 Have Some Fun
Whenever you comprehend a code bit, ensure to analyze and play with it by changing it. As a result, you will comprehend better how the code works and find some fascinating schemes. Thus, you will get to know different approaches on how to accomplish similar arrangements.
#5 Practice As Much As Possible
If you want to improve your writing skills, you make sure to write as often as possible. If you want to cook better, you cook every day. If you want to boost your statistics or English skills, you focus on these fields and…practice. That’s how it works for programming as well. If you want to code better, you have to write more programs.
For instance, you can start by writing many small programs. If you do so, you will crank up the amount of code that you create regularly. As a result, you will create more programs.
It’s no doubt that many small programs can’t cover the whole scope of programming skills that are needed to be called a pro programmer. For that reason, it is crucial to take a step from writing dozens of simple programs to writing more complex programs. This would reveal a range of challenges that would force you to hone your programming skills.
#6 Work in Group
One of the best ways to hone your programming skills is by working in groups. When you finally find yourself in a professional workplace, you will have to deal with teamwork as well and will be ready for that. Besides, when you team up with the other programmers, you have a chance to share and gain some knowledge, as well as hear some interesting points of view that will help you deal with complex tasks in the future. Are you stuck with the programming issues that your partners can’t find solutions for? Do not hesitate to approach online helpers with the “Please, do my assignments for me” request. Online companies help you get in touch with programming experts that offer cheap yet professional assistance 24/7.
While all the tips and tricks given above are great if you work solo to hone your programming skills, in the real world, you will have to co-work with other individuals in the area. The reality is that true growth in the field of programming comes when you leave your isolated comfort zone and start working with others, especially someone who is more skillful and smarter than you. Thus, you will be able to learn from them by adopting their methods.
KPMG in Ireland has launched a search for Ireland’s next top tech innovator. The competition, now in its second year, is open to Irish tech entrepreneurs and start-ups businesses which are pure technology, tech-enabled, tech-led, or tech-driven.
Competition entrants will be shortlisted and invited to pitch their innovations and present their growth ambitions to an esteemed panel of judges. The judges, which will include successful entrepreneurs and investors, will be announced shortly.
The overall winner in Ireland will progress to the Global Tech Innovator final to be held during Web Summit 2022 in Lisbon in November. The prize also includes travel and accommodation to Lisbon, tickets to Web Summit as part of KPMG’s delegation, an exhibition stand for 1 day, and access to exclusive networking events and mentoring opportunities.
Last year, KPMG’s Ireland competition was won by CattleEye, a Belfast-founded company which has harnessed the capabilities of advanced AI in video analytics to deliver the world’s first academically verified autonomous livestock monitoring platform. Other Irish companies shortlisted in the 2021 competition included ApisProtect, CitySwift, Dataships, Equal1, ID-Pal, Singularity Alpha and Wrkit.
The competition is open to all technology companies which have operated for 5 years or less, have generated revenue between USD $1-10m (or have raised at least $500,000 in equity) and are registered and based in Ireland or Northern Ireland. Applicants must have innovative, proven technologies, robust business models, the ability to demonstrate traction in their activities and the potential to scale up. Applications must be submitted by 8th May 2022.
The global competition will include technology innovators from 21 other countries and jurisdictions across the world, including Africa, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Denmark, Germany, Israel, India, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Taiwan, the UK and the US.
Commenting on the competition, Anna Scally, Partner, Head of Technology & Media and Fintech Lead, said: “Following the huge success of our inaugural competition last year, we’re back on the hunt for the next ‘big thing’ in tech. We have a thriving tech ecosystem here in Ireland and we’re looking to find emerging tech start-ups, with potential to be Ireland’s next unicorns. If your company is tech-enabled, tech-led or tech-driven, this is really an opportunity not be missed.”
Applications are now open for the competition at www.kpmg.ie/GTI.
Datapac, Ireland’s leading technology solutions and services provider, today announces the results of a new survey which found that an estimated 89,744* SMEs (31%) in Ireland have had data stolen in the last 12 months. Furthermore, the research revealed that over two fifths (41%) of small and medium-sized businesses have permanently lost critical data within the same timeframe.
The survey of 150 SME business owners in Ireland was carried out by Censuswide in association with Datapac and cybersecurity and backup specialist, Datto, during February 2022.
The research shows 37% of Irish SMEs experienced a known cyberattack in the last year. Looking ahead, 86% of SME business owners are concerned that they will become a cybercrime target. However, almost a quarter (23%) admit that they are not at all prepared to defend themselves against cybercrime.
Evolving Threat Environment
The years of the Covid-19 pandemic witnessed rapid digital transformations across many organisations, largely to help facilitate new remote and hybrid working environments. 56% of businesses reported a reliance on cloud storage for some or all of their data storage needs.
When asked about the impacts of permanently losing data, over a quarter (27%) believe they would go out of business. SME owners also said the loss of critical data would impede their business growth (38%), damage their professional reputation (35%), lead to regulatory consequences (32%), contribute to employee attrition (31%) and result in the loss of some of their customers (29%).
Despite the prevalence of cybercrime and data loss, just 5% of Irish SMEs back up their data in real-time, with nearly three quarters (72%) reporting that their data backup frequency is once per week or less. The research shows around a fifth (21%) of small businesses don’t have a tested Disaster Recovery (DR) plan in place in the event of data theft or loss. In addition, 43% admitted they don’t have a secure copy of their data held offsite.
83% state that they have plans to increase their level of outsourced IT to a Managed Service Provider (MSP) over the coming year. Nearly a third (32%) attribute this decision to a need to address cybersecurity shortcomings in the face of the cybercrime risk, while 36% cited the need to access a wider range of expert IT skills and knowledge.
Commenting on the survey results, Karen O’Connor, General Manager, Datapac said:
“Our survey has highlighted the unprecedented scale of cybercrime for small and medium-sized businesses in Ireland today. With over 4 in 10 of all Irish SMEs permanently losing mission-critical data over the past year and almost a third having data stolen, this can have significant and damaging repercussions for these businesses and their customers.
“The vast majority of business owners are concerned about being a cybercrime target, yet many still don’t seem to be taking the necessary steps to improve their protection. While threat detection and prevention are important parts of the cybersecurity puzzle, they don’t solve it alone. Data backup is a vital component and one that shouldn’t be overlooked. With almost three quarters of firms only backing up their data weekly or even less, this presents a huge challenge for businesses to maintain continuity after an incident.
“In the likely event of a cyberattack, a robust backup and business continuity solution is the last line of defence and enables most businesses to recover quickly from business-critical data loss. Put simply, data cannot be recovered if it isn’t backed up effectively to begin with.”
Nicholas O’ Donovan, Sales Manager, Datto Ireland, said:
“The pandemic has permanently changed the way many organisations work, fundamentally altering where data is created and stored. A more dispersed workforce creates a larger network threat perimeter, which increases the risk of cyberattack.
Wherever the data lives, be it in an on-premises server or in the cloud, it needs to be backed up with the highest frequency possible in a way that allows instant restoration for when disaster strikes.”
