Netwatch announces 10 new tech hires at Carlow base
River Barrow bridge at Carlow town, Co Carlow, where Netwatch was founded in 2003. Image: walshphotos/Shutterstock

Irish security firm Netwatch announces 10 new tech hires

23 Nov 2017

Netwatch has announced 10 new positions in its research and development department, Netwatch Visual Labs.

Netwatch, an Irish high-tech security specialist, has revealed today (23 November) that it intends to increase its workforce in Carlow by 10.

The positions will be in software development, with a focus on applications for desktop, web and mobile platforms. Those hired will work with the company’s Agile team, designing and creating applications for various platforms on iOS and Android.

Netwatch combines specialist video processing technologies with satellite communications to provide more immediate and cost-effective protection solutions for its clients.

The organisation has developed software that allows high-speed processing of multiple video alarms from client sites across the globe, with in-built capabilities such as ‘plugging in’ to artificial intelligence processing platforms.

Netwatch was founded in 2003 after a mutual friend of co-founders David Walsh and Niall Kelly was assaulted by intruders after responding to what he assumed was a false alarm at his business premises.

The incident highlighted the shortcomings of CCTV to Kelly and Walsh, who felt there had to be a way to prevent the possibility of blindly entering into a real-life crime scenario.

This inspired Netwatch’s system, which utilises remote video surveillance and live audio warnings that are deployed upon entry of an intruder, with the hopes that they will flee the scene before a crime has taken place.

Kelly, Netwatch CTO, said: “We see this as one of the most exciting developments that could happen in our world, whereby intelligent algorithms can pre-process the video streams and identify or classify the images therein.

“So, there is automatic screening of activity deemed not to be a threat – perhaps a large animal crossing a perimeter – and then presenting the Netwatch Intervention Specialist with only real alarms that match the threat criteria for that site.”

Netwatch has offices in Northern Ireland, the UK and the US, and revealed 15 new positions in Chicago earlier this year as part of the company’s international growth strategy.

Eva Short
By Eva Short

Eva Short was a journalist at Silicon Republic, specialising in the areas of tech, data privacy, business, cybersecurity, AI, automation and future of work, among others.

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