Ireland aims to become world software ‘epicenter’


7 Aug 2009

On 26 August Epicenter – the largest software show and exhibition ever held in Ireland – will see 100 international technology experts visit Trinity College Dublin to share knowledge and highlight Ireland as a software development hub.

With over 1000 software developers from around the country expected to turn up, Epicenter’s 100 plus sessions will cover Java, Open Source, Microsoft, Database and Web technologies with speakers representing companies including Google, Sun Microsystems, Realex Payment, ESET and Oracle, as well as several independent software specialists.

Epicenter, organised by the Irish Software Developers Network, IrishDev.com, will have its first keynote given by Jennifer Condon, head of Enterprise Ireland’s software section who will be discussing the recent four year strategy with a Q&A session to follow.

The second of this three-day event will see the keynote speech delivered by Professor Barry Smyth, founder of ChangingWorlds and Director of CLARITY (Centre for Sensor Web Technologies) at University College Dublin, who will be talking about successful entrepreneurism in the software sector.

The final keynote will be given by CEO of Saaspoint Colm Mulcahy, who is one of the pioneers of the cloud model in Ireland. Mulcahy will be charting the rise of SaaS since the late nineties and talking about the opportunities for Irish software companies and why cloud computing will shape the Irish software sector.

Barry Alistair from IrishDev.com said of Epicenter: “As a nation, if we are to maintain our premier status and if we are to satisfy the ambitious software strategy drawn up by Enterprise Ireland, it’s imperative that we continue to fuel the passion of our developers, particularly those who have enter the industry over recent years.”

“Over the last couple of years, we have run several high profile software events to Ireland, Irish Java and Microsoft Technologies Conferences.

“However, despite having a software industry which is widely recognised to have a superb, education-rich engine driving the development of superior Irish software products and services, we have been lacking a local conference of international scale with world leading speakers – Epicenter 2009 solves both.”

Epicenter is taking place in Trinity College Dublin between 26 and 28 August. Booking is now open and further details can be found on the official site.