The Irish Tech News Podcast

Kinsale Spirit Company goes to market with the first ever Whiskey Cask represented by an NFT (A non-fungible token) and auctioned on the NFT marketplace OpenSea. The  200-litre cask of Rare Irish Malt Whiskey, is live for auction until Friday, April 30th https://opensea.io/collection/rare-aged-irish-malt-whiskey-casks ) Co-Owner of Kinsale Spirit Company, Ernest Cantillon is interviewed today about Whiskey, Gin, Angels Share and what to do if you manage to buy this NFT - hint - come visit the warehouse once COVID is over and then bottle it under your own label to share with family and friends. Ernest is quoted as saying: “I’ve been a keen observer on the sidelines of the NFT world for a long time and always wanted an opportunity to get involved. I thought that combining the rapidly evolving world of blockchain to such a traditional business as whiskey would be fun – such a juxtaposition. When this whiskey was laid down nearly 20 years ago, it would have been hard to even imagine the whole world of NFTs and cryptocurrencies.” Kinsale Spirit Company plans on integrating these digital auctions into their offering combining digital and physical. While opening up new channels of whiskey aficionados and avid NFT collectors and crypto currency enthusiasts. Your host is Jillian Godsil, award winning journalist, broadcaster and author. Her latest book can be found here: https://persons-of-interest.io/

In this episode of Irish Tech News Sangeeta Waldron speaks with James Thirwall, social entrepreneur and founder of animalltea, who decided to set-up animalltea after a tricky question from his 4-year old; James’s answer was an organic tea company that devotes 100 percent of its profits to wildlife conservation. How One Man’s Passion Of Tea Is Helping Endangered Species animalltea is James’s passion project, combining his love of fine tea, conservation and social business. This entrepreneur’s love for tea began when living in Japan and has deepened through a career steeped in Asian culture. After a decade as an acupuncturist, he pivoted to become Head of Business Development for Canton Tea - a specialty tea supplier to high-end hospitality customers such as Soho House, Nobu and Mandarin Oriental. In this podcast, James tell us how he has created a company with sustainability 'baked-in' at every level, and wants to inspire others to do the same. We find out about the difference between loose tea and teabags and their environmental impact; the work of some of animalltea’s wildlife partners; and how across all cultures, tea serves to connect people to each other, to themselves and to nature. James lives off-grid on a narrowboat in Oxford with his son and dog. Connect with animalltea via their website Instagram and Facebook Connect with Sangeeta Waldron, Founder, Serendipity PR & Media and Author of Corporate Social Responsibility Is Not Public Relations on Twitter. Sangeeta Waldron is a multi-award winning Public Relations professional with over three decades’ worth of publicity, branding, communications, crisis management, marketing, media and social media experience. Sangeeta is a published author; her first business book, The PR Knowledge Book is published by Business Expert Press and received high acclaim by international business leaders. She is a guest lecturer at Coventry University, teaching PR and global journalism. Sangeeta is also a writer specializing in sustainability and corporate social responsibility, where her work has been published by the United Nations and other leading news platforms. Sangeeta started out her career writing speeches for a previous UK Prime Minister and Ministers, and has worked at the top level with big, powerful global brands, which includes - being global communications director for the Economist Group; working for The Times Education Supplement; the Mayor of London; Cass Business School; and charities such as Breast Cancer Campaign. A regular international speaker and moderator. Sangeeta sits on different boards.

According to the IMF, the cost of the Covid-19 pandemic is set to reach $28 trillion by the end of 2025. Following the toll on both human life and the global economy, major investments will be needed into community diagnostics, to identify and quantify health problems and potential causes for concern, to mitigate another public health crisis of this scale. Ronan talks to Joe Brew the Co-Founder and CEO of Hyfe. Joe talks about his background, why we were going to have another pandemic, why this won’t be the last pandemic, the paradox of infectious diseases, long covid, the politics of Covid, what Hyfe does and why coughs matter. More about Joe: Joe is a scientist, epidemiologist, and economist. He has worked with the Florida Department of Health (USA), the Chicago Department of Public Health (USA), the Barcelona Public Health Agency (Spain), the Tigray Regional Health Bureau (Ethiopia) and the Manhiça Health Research Center (Mozambique). He is now the Co-Founder and CEO of Hyfe.

Developing a Problem Solving Mindset through Coding and Mentorship with 13-Year Old Entrepreneur Samaira Mehta, and Generation Z. Samaira Mehta is a 13-year-old Tech Entrepreneur who was recognized by TIME as “One of the 8 Young Leaders Shaping the Decade” and a “Real-life Powerpuff girl” by Hulu for her invention “CoderBunnyz” - a board game that simplifies complex coding concepts and teaches them in a fun farmyard adventure. Samaira is also the founder of “CoderMindz” - the world’s first-ever Artificial Intelligence board game that simplifies the intricacies of how AI works, and “CoderMarz” which brings together her love for coding and AI with her interest in outer space and Mars. Mehta is a Gen Z ambassador for Arm with their program GenArm2Z, works with the United Nations for gender equality, and is a Softbank Masason Scholar. She was featured on platforms like Vogue, CNBC, CNET, Business Insider, Today Show, UN Women, and Washington Post for her creations and 500+ workshops that she has lead, which spotlight her board games, through which she has taught over 15,000 kids to code. She has been a speaker at over 100 conferences nationwide and internationally including at MWC’19, C2 Montreal, and corporations like Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Intel, SAP, Walmart, and IBM. Her STEM initiative “Yes, One Billion Kids Can Code” and entrepreneurship academy “Boss Bizz” are ambitious but that’s not her only goals. She wants to become President of the United States when she’s older, giving her a bigger platform and voice to do what she believes is right for the country. Business Inquiries: samaira@coderbunnyz.com Jamil Hasan is a Generation X Author and experienced data intelligence technology builder with two decades of experience leading data-based teams at Fortune 100 companies, including AIG, Prudential Financial, and Ingersoll Rand. Jamil believes that skill and experience, not just age, is the most important factor required to build and lead corporate organizations. His unique story, as someone on the ground floor of the 2008 financial crisis and his role to help repay the $180 billion AIG bailout, enabled him to come face-to-face with many of the societal ills facing Generation X today and their causes. As the result of his experience, Jamil has developed a path forward for his fellow Gen Xers to restore his generation’s financial standing in society today and to rebuild the American Dream for Generation X.

In this podcast Melanie Boylan spoke with Theo Priestley, a globally recognised and sought after futurist and international speaker, an author, and authority on the future of business, technology, and society.  In this episode they have a conversation about the recent book release and how tech has been impacted through COVID.  This is also your opportunity to learn more about the human behind the brand as we talk towards the second half of the podcast about living in the moment.  Has technology taken this away from us? He is also founder of Tenth Man, acting as a specialised script consultant and writers' room advisor for science fiction TV and movie productions, blending professional futurism and science fiction to provide scriptwriters, producers, and directors with creative input and bespoke consultancy. He has had the pleasure of appearing at some of the biggest conferences, and at smaller, intimate corporate events, delivering keynote talks to audiences ranging from 50 to 4,000. He has been part of panel discussions and chaired conferences across the World including USA, Peru, Australia, Dubai, Germany, UK, Sweden, China, Malta, and South Africa. Theo has published more than 100 articles on topics including Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, Fintech, Smart Cities, Education, Healthcare, Marketing, Digital Transformation, and Virtual Reality, for Forbes, the European, WIRED, and Huffington Post. He has also contributed to VentureBeat, GigaOM, The Times Raconteur, and been interviewed for BBC Radio and UK national television news on technology trends. He is widely known and sought after for his forthright views on the negative impacts of technology on society, and currently works with organizations to research technology's wider impact on society and public policy. Theo has been listed as a Top 100 global technology influencer and thought leader on the Internet of Things (IOT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Fintech multiple years in a row. Theo has also served as a startup mentor to technology accelerators, sits on Advisory Boards, and consults on new business development for deep tech startups. His book, 'The Future Starts Now', co-authored with Bronwyn Williams will be internationally available early 2021 from Bloomsbury.

We caught up with Henry McDonald, Constructive Voices podcast cofounder to discuss ecological initiatives in the construction industry, the possible impact of artificial intelligence and wider trends in technology too. Henry McDonald is a critically acclaimed author & journalist with a career spanning over thirty-five years. He has been Ireland Correspondent for The Guardian and The Observer for 23 years.  In this time he covered the second IRA ceasefire and the road to the Good Friday Agreement co-writing the definitive story of how the historic peace deal was sealed in Easter 1998. Recently retired staff writer Guardian &Observer Now freelancing. Novelist with latest book set in Belfast 70s&80s “Two Souls”. Cliftonville&Everton supporter See more on his website here https://thepunkjourno.co.uk and also follow him on twitter here

Interesting and positive conversation with Jonathan Medved, in this podcast we focus on his tech for good investment vehicle and his support for long term sustainability related startup investments. Jonathan Medved is a serial entrepreneur and according to the Washington Post (Dec 5, 2007) “one of Israel’s leading high tech venture capitalists”.  September 2008, the NY Times Supplement “Israel at 60” Medved was named one of the “top 10 most influential Americans who have impacted Israel”. In May 22, 2015 Edition of the Jerusalem Post, Medved was named one of the World’s “50 most influential Jews”. Medved has been both an entrepreneur and investor: He has been part of the founding teams at several successful Israeli startups, and as a venture and angel investor over the past two decades he invested in almost 250 startup companies, helping to bring 25 of them to values in excess of $100Million. Between 2006-2012, Medved was the co-founder and CEO of Vringo, a leader in the innovation, development and monetization of mobile technologies and intellectual property. Medved led Vringo to a successful completion of its IPO (Initial Public Offering) on the NYSE:AMEX in June, 2010 and it trades today on the NASDAQ under the symbol FH. About OurCrowd: OurCrowd is a global venture investment platform that empowers institutions and individuals to invest and engage in emerging companies. With $1.5 billion of committed funding, and investments in more than 240 portfolio companies and 25 venture funds, OurCrowd offers access to its membership of 80,000 individual accredited and institutional investors, family offices, and venture capital partners from over 195 countries to invest alongside, at the same terms. Rated by PitchBook as the most active venture investor in Israel, OurCrowd portfolio companies have been acquired by some of the most prestigious brands in the world, including Microsoft, Uber, Canon, Oracle, Nike, and Intel. To register visit www.ourcrowd.com.

Jamil talks with Shanghai based Li Jun to learn more. Li Jun is the founder of Ontology, the high performance, public blockchain specializing in decentralized identity and data. He is a highly regarded blockchain solutions architect with 17 year’s experience in IT and fintech. Li previously provided technical architecture, management, and planning support for top international IT firms and major financial exchanges, playing leading roles at the China Financial Futures Exchange and Infosys. Li holds a BA in Computer Science and an MSc in Communication Engineering from one of China’s most prestigious universities, as well as an MBA from the University of Manchester. He is also a certified Project Management Professional. Ontology is a high performance, public blockchain specializing in decentralized identity and data. Ontology’s unique infrastructure supports robust cross-chain collaboration and Layer 2 scalability, offering businesses the flexibility to design a blockchain that suits their needs. With a suite of decentralized identity and data sharing protocols to enhance speed, security, and trust, Ontology’s features include ONT ID, a mobile digital ID application and DID used throughout the ecosystem, and DDXF, a decentralized data exchange and collaboration framework. For more, visit ont.io. Website: https://ont.io/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/OntologyNetwork  https://twitter.com/LiJun_Ontology LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jun-li-58950069/?originalSubdomain=cn Jamil Hasan is a Generation X Author and experienced data intelligence technology builder with two decades of experience leading data-based teams at Fortune 100 companies, including AIG, Prudential Financial, and Ingersoll Rand. Jamil believes that skill and experience, not just age, is the most important factor required to build and lead corporate organizations. His unique story, as someone on the ground floor of the 2008 financial crisis and his role to help repay the $180 billion AIG bailout, enabled him to come face-to-face with many of the societal ills facing Generation X today and their causes. As the result of his experience, Jamil has developed a path forward for his fellow Gen Xers to restore his generation’s financial standing in society today and to rebuild the American Dream for Generation X.

Jamil Hasan catches up with  Jamie Finn to learn more about transfer agency and the streaming and telecom projects he has worked on, his journey into crypto and his latest projects. 2021: The Year of the Token in Transfer Agency and Japanese Banking, with Jamie Finn, President and Co-Founder at Securitize Jamie Finn is a seasoned executive who has worked in 6 countries in both startups and corporations, and is the President and Co-Founder of Securitize, Inc. During his nearly 20 years of experience he has participated in over $500m worth of transactions, including Kontera, Sansa Security, Jajah, Tokbox, RingRing Media, and Zingy. Most recently, Jamie helped grow Aki Technologies from an 8 person, $1m company, to a profitable enterprise with over 60 people and tens of millions in revenue. His previous employers include Ericsson and Telefònica o2, and Jamie also held the position of AVP of Product Innovation at AT&T, as well as executive positions at numerous startups. He has been in San Francisco for the past 5 years, after spending 6 years in London. Jamie grew up in Puerto Rico and is a native English and Spanish speaker. Jamil Hasan is a Generation X Author and experienced data intelligence technology builder with two decades of experience leading data-based teams at Fortune 100 companies, including AIG, Prudential Financial, and Ingersoll Rand. Jamil believes that skill and experience, not just age, is the most important factor required to build and lead corporate organizations. His unique story, as someone on the ground floor of the 2008 financial crisis and his role to help repay the $180 billion AIG bailout, enabled him to come face-to-face with many of the societal ills facing Generation X today and their causes. As the result of his experience, Jamil has developed a path forward for his fellow Gen Xers to restore his generation’s financial standing in society today and to rebuild the American Dream for Generation X.

We chat with Judith D. Schwartz who is a Vermont-based journalist who explores nature-inspired solutions to global challenges. Judith D. Schwartz is an author who tells stories to explore and illuminate scientific concepts and cultural nuance. She takes a clear-eyed look at global environmental, economic, and social challenges, and finds insights and solutions in natural systems. She writes for numerous publications, including The American Prospect, The Guardian, Discover, Scientific American, and YaleE360. Her latest book, “The Reindeer Chronicles”, is a global tour of earth repair, featuring stops in Norway, Spain, Hawai’i, New Mexico, and beyond. Judy has a B.A. from Brown University, an M.S.J. from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, and an M.A. in Counseling Psychology from Northwestern. She lives and works on the side of a mountain in Vermont with her husband, author Tony Eprile, and cherishes visits from their musician son, Brendan. When it snows, she cross-country skis, and when ski season is over, she’s in the garden. Three times a week she trains in Uechi-Ryu karate, and has reached the rank of shodan. Follow her on twitter here https://twitter.com/judithdschwartz