Dublin Tech Summit

Day 2 of Dublin Tech Summit features exciting discussions on tech disruption, diversity and robotics

By Business & Finance

31 May 2024

Dublin Tech Summit saw thousands of attendees stream through the doors of the Royal Dublin Society yesterday for the second day of the Europe’s ‘most exciting’ tech festival.

Attendees of Dublin Tech Summit’s second day of events were treated to a host of firesides, panels and keynotes from industry leaders the world over.

The summit was hosted across two large stages, one located in a big top marquee. Day 2 saw the final of the start-up pitching competition take place, a podcast booth hosted live-streaming sessions to attendees, and a number of workshops, demonstrations and exhibitor stands all catered to the tech-curious attendees.

On the Prism stage, Leo Clancy, CEO, Enterprise Ireland guided James Ives, CEO & Founder, XOcean and Niamh Donnelly, Co-founder and Chief Robotics Officer at Akara Robotics in a conversation on how how Ireland is embracing robotics and machine learning.

The session highlighted Ireland’s significant advancements in robotics, driven by robust research and data-rich insights. Discussion centred on Irish enterprises and academic institutions that are leveraging AI and machine learning to innovate and excel, positioning Ireland as a key player in the global tech arena.

Niamh Donnelly, Co-founder and Chief Robotics Officer at Akara Robotics

Niamh Donnelly spoke about how Akara Robotics “helps hospitals reduce down time in operational hours.”

Thought leader Steven Fuller, Founder & Director of Race in STEM, spoke to Anna Radulovski, Founder and CEO, WomenTech Network,

Mike Adebiyi, Early Stage Startups Growth Lead, Google Cloud UK & Ireland, Jeevantika Lingalwar, Cloud Solution Architect at Microsoft and Founder, International Women in Tech, and Mel Good, Senior Executive Director of Reliability, JPMorgan Chase & Co on the subject of the ROI of DEI.

This panel explored how fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce directly correlates to improved business profitability and success. The discussion showcased real-world examples and case studies that highlight the tangible ROI of DEI initiatives, from diversity’s impact on innovation and customer satisfaction to its influence on financial performance.

Mel Good noted that “diversity has been proven to drive profitability.” Echoing her sentinments was Mike Adebiyi, who said: “Customers love to see diverse teams.”

Steven Fuller, Founder & Director of Race in STEM

Matthew Chavira, CEO of Prophets of AI, spoke to Ciaran O’Mara, CTO & Co-founder, Protex AI, Fareed Idris, Co-founder & CTO, Kreoh,

Aisling Browne, Co-founder & CEO, Glitch, and Rena Maycock, Founder and CEO of Chirp in an engaging fireside on ‘ Disrupting the Disruptive Disrupters.’

This fireside operated as ‘an insider’s guide’ to turning disruption into a competitive advantage.

Ciaran O’Mara said: “The tech shift of the last few years has seen some companies rushing to develop an AI strategy.”