Tech Industry Alliance Announces TechFest 2024

The Tech Industry Alliance has officially launched TechFest 2024. TechFest is its annual flagship technology conference, which will be held at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Little Island on the 14th of May, 2024.

This year the focus is on “Tech for Good: Driving Deep Tech, Fostering Sustainability & Building a Better Tomorrow”, and to complement the main event, a festival of supporting events will take place throughout the week of TechFest led by well-known organisations and agencies throughout the South-West region.

The lineup of expert speakers includes a global leader in promoting tech for good – Sarah Porter, who is the founder and CEO of InspiredMinds, a global community of 220,000 high-level experts in AI and emerging technology and an advisor to both the UN and the EU AI council.

TechFest 2024 will again this year be MC’d by award-winning industry broadcaster Jonathan McCrea, and will feature panel discussions on AI, sustainability & diversity, as well as having plenty of networking opportunities and an industry expo featuring leading companies from across Ireland.

Gerry Murphy, Tech Industry Alliance Chairperson, commented: “We are delighted to be announcing TechFest 2024, which will feature rare content, rich dialogue and facilitate real connections and which would not be possible without the vital support of our sponsors, who all recognise the importance of our sector to the Munster region. Following on from a really successful TechFest last year, we are excited with this year’s amazing lineup of speakers and even greater opportunities to network with colleagues and businesses across the southwest region.”

“Our three key themes this year are Disrupt, Evolve and Ignite and we will hear from leaders of Industry and academia on how technology can contribute to sustainability, the threats and opportunities from the latest AI technology, how to ensure a vibrant and diverse talent pipeline as well as how tech can benefit society and the future of business.”

Approximately 450 people are expected to attend the event, network, connect and collaborate. Other expert speakers on the day include Denis Ryan, Technology, Media & Telecoms AIB; Joanne Sheahan, Senior Advisor – Sustainability & Climate Action Enterprise Ireland; Robert McArdle, Director in Trend Micro’s Forward Looking Threat Research; Steve Fleming, Founder and CEO Voxxify; Andy Bastick, Senior Director, Product & Partner Marketing, Digital Realty; Susie Harding Senior Manager Data, Analytics & AI at EY; Nikki Bradley Motivational Speaker, Amputee and Adventurer and Lynsey Monaghan, Global Diversity & Inclusion Strategist at NetApp.

TIA Vice Chair Donagh Kiernan added: “TechFest 2024 is a groundbreaking event dedicated to exploring the pivotal role of technology in addressing global challenges and fostering a sustainable future. The event will also showcase young, innovative tech companies in the southwest and provide attendees with an insight into technology aimed at addressing environmental, social, and economic challenges. And we are delighted to acknowledge the invaluable support of our Skillnet again for TechFest 2024.

Tech Industry Alliance Skillnet (TIAS) has been a consistent sponsor throughout the last ten years. The theme of TechFest this year fits perfectly with our Skillnet services, fostering innovation in talent strategies for tech through subsidised support with up- and cross-skilling programmes. In today’s fast-paced tech landscape, the significance of talent development and upskilling cannot be overstated. Our TIAS Team will be available at TechFest 24 to chat with attendees on how they can further support their organisation’s growth and development.”

Tickets for the event are now on sale at https://techindustryalliance.ie/event/techfest-2024/, but numbers are limited, so attendees are encouraged to book early as the event is expected to be a sell-out.