John Hartnett, president and founder, Irish Technology Leadership Group (left), and Dr Craig Barrett, chairman, ITLG, and former chairman and CEO, Intel Corp.
The Irish Technology Leaders Group’s (ITLG) fourth annual “Silicon Valley Comes to Ireland” conference will be held at Dublin City University (DCU) next month and senior executives from Silicon Valley will afterwards proceed to the Global Irish Forum at Dublin Castle the same week.
At the 4th Annual ITLG “Silicon Valley Comes to Ireland” event, the group of executives and investors from Silicon Valley plan to engage with more than 50 selected Irish technology companies in a series of private investor workshops at DCU.
“Experienced Silicon Valley technologists and investors coming to Ireland and engaging directly with emerging Irish technology companies will have a strong catalytic impact and can point the way to significant enhancements in our innovation ecosystem,” said DCU president, Prof Brian MacCraith. Leveraging diaspora investment is key to the rapid global scaling of these companies.
More than 10 companies will be chosen to be showcased at the ITLG Innovation Awards event at Stanford University, to be held in spring 2012.
Minister for Enterprise, Jobs and Innovation Richard Bruton, TC, will open the event to be held at DCU on 5 October. The second ITLG University Challenge Completion, sponsored by Cisco, will be held in front of a live audience and the media.
ITLG president and founder John Hartnett and several of the ITLG team members have also been invited by Taoiseach Enda Kenny to participate at the Global Irish Forum being held at Dublin Castle on 7-8 October.
Innovation will lead Ireland’s economic recovery
“Ireland’s recovery will be impacted by strong investment in research and development,” said Craig Barrett, ITLG chairman. “It is imperative that there is a plan to invest at least 3pc of GDP in innovation and we must also encourage involvement from successful global leaders from industry,” he added.
“San Jose is the capital of Silicon Valley and we are currently celebrating the 25th anniversary of our sister city relationship with Dublin,” said Hartnett, who is also Spirit of Ireland Award recipient 2011.
“This invaluable connection has been instrumental in drawing significant investment to Ireland from companies in Silicon Valley including Intel, Cisco, Google and Facebook.”
In 2010, the ITLG opened the Irish Innovation Center in San Jose for Irish companies to easily set up operations in Silicon Valley. The ITLG also recently, through its venture capital arm, Irish Technology Capital Fund, announced investments in several companies, including Wavebob, Mcor Technologies, Sisaf, Pirate Eye, & Stream Glider.
