Ireland tops best good country in the world index
A digest of the top business technology news stories from the past week, beginning with the news the first ever Good Country Index has ranked Ireland the best good country in the world.
Ireland tops best good country in the world index
Ireland’s global contributions to science and technology, and thus to humanity and the planet, have helped make it the best good country in the world, the first ever Good Country Index suggests.
The survey ranked 125 countries by combining 35 separate indicators from the United Nations, the World Bank and other international institutions, The Independent reported.
In addition to a country’s global contribution to science and technology, researchers also looked at nations’ global contributions to culture, world order, the planet and climate, prosperity and equality, international peace and security, and the health and well-being of humanity.
Simon Anholt, a policy adviser who designed the survey, told The Independent he hopes the Good Country Index will change the way countries do business by encouraging them to think about the global impact of their actions.
Denis O’Brien makes €30m investment in ChinaHR website
Billionaire telecoms and IT investor Denis O’Brien has revealed a €30m investment in ChinaHR, the China-based online recruitment business he owns with Leslie Buckley.
The investment will lead to further development of the company’s technology and the recruitment of senior Chinese talent.
“The Chinese economy is still strong, growing at approximately 7pc per annum,” said Buckley, chairman of ChinaHR. “This is good news for ChinaHR, as we continue to develop the future growth of the business. Our latest investment will continue to strengthen Ireland’s business relationship with China, as well as contributing towards the further development of a leading-edge online recruitment offering for China.”
VC firm forms high-level Sino-Irish Technology Executive Society
A new high-level group, Sino-Irish Technology Executive Society (SITES), has been established by Summit Bridge Capital, manager of the China Ireland Technology Growth Fund.
The purpose of the group is to bring together leading technology executives from the Republic of Ireland and the People’s Republic of China for a number of forums each year to promote cross-border trade.
News of the establishment of SITES came at the China Ireland Technology Summit last week, during an Irish trade mission to China led by Ireland’s Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton, TD, along with Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, and Summit Bridge Capital.
Optimizely acquires Dublin start-up Synference
Optimizely, one of the web’s largest online optimisation platforms, has acquired Dublin-based machine learning start-up Synference. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Founded in 2013 by Fergal Reid and Conrad Lee, Synference’s technology is designed to apply machine learning to A/B testing and optimisation, thereby enabling companies to tailor their online site to each visitor.
“Joining the innovative team at Optimizely will allow us to achieve these results on a grander scale,” Reid said. “Optimizely is the leader in the space and has built the leading optimisation platform. I am excited for the opportunity to help build smart products that help realise the huge promise that lies in machine-learning technology and optimisation.”
Jersey aims to be world’s first ‘bitcoin isle’
The island of Jersey, part of the Channel Islands off the coast of France, is aiming to make itself the world’s first “bitcoin isle” after its treasury minister said he wants the island to be an innovator for the cryptocurrency.
Despite being a dependency of the United Kingdom, Jersey is controlled by its own semi-autonomous government and has controls over its own finances which until now, with its lower tax rates, had made it a favoured location for businesses to establish their financial base of operations, according to the BBC.
Now however, the island’s Treasury Minister Phillip Ozouf sees an opportunity to tap into bitcoin. “(Bitcoin) is a sector that could hold significant opportunities for Jersey. Our infrastructure of world-class financial services and digital expertise gives us the tools to be an early leader in the field. Innovation will be central to Jersey’s future prosperity. We are keen to support local businesses by helping to create a well-regulated and responsive environment for investment in the sector.”
Welcome to Ireland image via Shutterstock
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