Ireland will host two technology focused events in the coming weeks, one in Dublin and the other in Belfast.
First up is TechConnect Live, at Dublin's RDS, with an expected attendance of 3,000 technology and business executive as well as start-ups and investors.
The free event on May 31st will hear from a number of high-profile speakers including Louise Phelan, a vice president of online payments system PayPal; Amanda Kelly, Ireland’s managing director for Just Eat, an online food ordering company; and Paul Byrne, chief executive of Irish-based fintech firm CurrencyFair.
Meanwhile, Digital DNA kicks off in Belfast on June 6th. Claiming to draw in "some of the world's biggest tech companies", it expects more than 2,000 delegates.
Digital sector
The event, now in its fifth year, will hear from speakers such as Ruth McEntee, YouTube Ireland head of sales; Vincent Kennedy, general manager of Motorola solutions UK; and Nisreen El Kaloush, commercial director of Virgin Media Business.
According to Tech Nation 2017, a report for which Digital DNA is a community partner, Belfast currently employs more than 9,000 people in the digital sector and contributes about £530 million (€615 million) to the economy.
However, that report also notes that Belfast faces challenges “around a limited pool of highly skilled workers, investment structure and digital infrastructure”.
Despite those challenges, Gareth Quinn, founder and managing director of Digital DNA, is positive: “Northern Ireland is holding its own among the world’s great technology hotbeds and we want to build on our work over the past four years by delivering an event that reflects the thriving tech community here.”
Passes for Digital DNA start from £149 (€172).
