26 April 2021
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
it@cork will host TechFest 2021, which will take place virtually from 25th to 27th May 2021. The 3-day technology festival will include speakers from around the globe, interactive panel discussions, technical workshops and one-to-one networking opportunities. Marcus Weldon, former President of Bell Labs and former Corporate Chief Technology Officer of Nokia; and Caroline Dowling, Non-Executive Director at UNICEF Ireland and former Business Group President at Flex will deliver keynote addresses.
Chairperson of IT@Cork Gillian Bergin, Dell, TechFest Committee Chair-William Dalton, Trendmicro and Keynote Speaker Caroline Dowling, Director UNICEF
Pic Darragh Kane
Other speakers confirmed include Cathal Wilson, COO of Nexalus; Steve Fleming, CEO of Voxxify; and Dr. Fiona Edwards Murphy, cofounder of ApisProtect, with more to be revealed over the coming weeks. it@cork will be closing the open call for speakers shortly as slots are filling up fast. Visit www.itcork.ie for more information.
Speaking on the launch of TechFest 2021, Gillian Bergin, it@cork Chairperson and Senior Consultant with DELL Technologies said: “The way we work and live has been transformed over the last year. The pandemic has forced us to rethink ourselves and our businesses. Business models have been reinvented and multi-year workforce transformation programmes have happened in days and months. When we exit this pandemic, that evolution will not stop. There is a new normal now. We need to always think about what’s next and how can we stay relevant?
“At it@cork, we are excited to bring back TechFest as a three-day conference this year, to help answer some of those questions and give access to some of the brightest minds in the tech sector. Attendees will hear from speakers that have transformed and adapted to succeed, as the world around them has changed.”
Tickets for TechFest 2021, priced at €20 for it@cork members, €30 for non-members and free for students, are on sale now at bit.ly/TechFest21. Broadcaster Jonathan McCrea will MC the event.
Ms Bergin added: “Over the three days, we have selected themes, topics and speakers that will inform, challenge and energise attendees. Our Innovate track on Day 1 will showcase the disruptive technologies that impact us all and feature those who are innovating for people prosperity and planet. With the theme Transform, Day 2 will explore how current and future transformative technologies will impact the nature of work, from immersive technologies and mixed reality to artificial intelligence and future networking.
“To Inspire on Day 3, we will be challenging attendees to think big, explore possibilities and push limits, hearing from start-up founders who are changing the world, cybersecurity gurus and communications strategists.”
The conference is supported by partner organisations Trend Micro, Glandore, it@cork skillnet, KPMG, Cork City Council, Berkley Recruitment, Springboard Communications and Dell Technologies. it@cork is one of Ireland’s most established and connected technology clusters representing over 220 companies in the South-West of Ireland. A not-for-profit organisation, it@cork works with academia, private sector and state agencies to promote the region as a technology excellence hub.
TechFest Committee Chair-William Dalton, Trendmicro, Keynote Speaker Caroline Dowling, Director UNICEF and Chairperson of IT@Cork Gillian Bergin, Dell,
Pic Darragh Kane
