The Irish Tech News Podcast

Ronan talks to Mark Hughes the EMEA manager of Chargify. Mark talks about the opening of their new HQ, why they've expanded their footprint to Europe, why they chose to do so in Dublin, who they're looking to hire, how they see the tech landscape in Ireland changing and the future for SaaS companies in particular.

Fascinating conversation with Damian Costello and his conversion to the importance of environmental issues. See more in his article for this year's CongRegation here https://congregation.ie/society-3-0-needs-us-to-win-hearts-rather-than-minds-28-cong20/ and join him at the event also Since last year’s Congregation I have become an environmentalist. For years I’ve been working towards a more empathetic and sustainable society, but recently I’ve come to realise that environmental disasters might destroy civilisation before Society 3.0 can ever emerge. About Damian Costello: Damian Costello runs Decode Innovation and specialises in Innovation in Strategy and Innovation Strategies. Damian is passionate about helping Ireland retain and grow its position in the global economy. Damian has almost 25 years of consulting experience across global multi-nationals to local start-ups in the Medical Device, Pharma, Automotive, Financial Services and ICT sectors. He has delivered successful strategies and breakthrough solutions in Ireland, Europe, North America and Asia. Contacting Damian Costello: You can follow Damian on Twitter, connect with him on LinkedIn, send him an email or see Decode Innovation.

Great, informative interview with Shannon Polson, one of the first female attack helicopter pilots in the US Air Force. We discuss her journey, and her new book in which she shares insights from other women who have also broken records and achieved new successes. At age nineteen, Shannon Huffman Polson became the youngest woman ever to climb Denali, the highest mountain in North America. She went on to reach the summits of Mt. Rainier and Mt. Kilimanjaro and spent more than a decade traveling the world. Yet it was her experience serving as one of the Army's first female attack helicopter pilots, leading two Apache flight platoons-- taking one on deployment to Bosnia-Herzegovina-- and a line company in Korea, that she learned the lessons of leadership she would take with her for the rest of her life. Where did these insights come from? From her own crucibles of experience – and from other women. Writing The Grit Factor, Polson made it her mission to connect with an elite pack of tough, impressive female iconoclasts who shared their candid stories of combat and career. This decorated slate of leaders includes Heather Penney, one of the first female F-16 pilots who was put on a "suicide mission" for 9/11; General Ann Dunwoody, first female four-star general in the Army; Amy McGrath, first woman Marine to fly the F/A-18 in combat and a 2020 candidate for the US Senate – and dozens of other unstoppable women who got there first, including Polson herself. These women led at the highest levels in the most complicated, challenging, and male-dominated organization in the world. Polson brings these voices together, sharing her own life lessons and theirs with storytelling flair, keen insight, and incisive analysis of current, relevant research. See more on her website http://www.shannonpolson.com/ and on her twitter account https://twitter.com/aborderlife

PaoloGallo is a Futurist, global expert in Human Capital, Future of Work, Leadership 4.0 andI CF certified Executive Coach. Paolo is AdjunctProfessor in Leadership and Organizational Behavior at SDA Bocconi Executive Education Milan. PaoloGallo has delivered more than 100 keynotes including: 10 Downing Street, World Economic Forum in Davos, Ferrari, FCA-Fiat, LVMH, Manpower, World Bank, Microsoft, United Nations, Toyota, Ministry of Economics and Finance(Italy) ,LVMH, Citigroup, Blackrock, UBS, ENI, Unicredit, Salesforce, IATA, WTO, WHO, WIPO, British Chamber of Commerce, PWC, IMD, St.Gallen, Antwerp Management Schools, Starbucks and given TEDx and several commencement speeches worldwide. A popular futurist and a recognized thought leader in themes related to global job market megatrends, ethics and AI, Leadership 4.0, personal development, well-being and energy management in a disruptive VUCA world, Paolo has served as Chief Human Resources Officer at the World Economic Forum in Geneva and has also been Chief Learning at The World Bank in Washington DC and Director of Human Resources at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in London, with prior experience at the International Finance Corporation in Washington DC and at Citigroup in London, New York and Milan, his hometown.

Fascinating interview by Melanie Boylan with Rob Metcalf and Natalie LeRoy about their insights into how behavioural economics is usefully impacting on fuel consumption in the aviation industry. If you are planning to save an airline, could you do it through big sweeping changes like new aircraft designs and futuristic fuels, or could you do it through small messages of encouragement and feedback about fuel use? https://www.signol.io/ More about Natalie LeRoy Natalie is a creative director with experience bringing concepts, products and research to life in a variety of mediums and roles. She is leading Signol's creative team, marketing and product. In her community, Natalie runs an experimental architecture group and guides participants through openIDEO design challenges as a mentor. More about Rob Metcalf Rob is an Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Southern California. His research tests economic theory using field experiments and identifies practical solutions to business and government challenges. He was a collaborator on MINDSPACE, the first influential report about the applications of behavioral economics. Rob’s recent research has been featured in the Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal, and the Financial Times, and was cited in the award of the Nobel Prize in Economics to Richard Thaler. Co Founder of Signol More about Melanie twitter.com/STOMPSMTraining Over the years I have worked with SME, FMCG and State Bodies I'm delighted to say I now support and train all sizes of business and my business has grown with my clients. I provide Adult Education and support for people in Business. With my many years of experience in promoting services and charities in Ireland and the UK; I have been very fortunate to establish a strong network of contacts and over the years have learnt how best to promote a business online and improve their social media scoring. Creating a professional image and maintaining it is the crux of a great marketing plan and is instrumental in today’s climate in making your business stand out, I can tailor my services to your requirements. Over the last few years I have started working in other areas I have a genuine passion in. I have been avid writer for a number years and started working as a Freelance Writer with Irish Tech News since 2016 and StartUp Mindset since October 2019.

We chat with Alessandra Rojas about her work as the Sustainable Entrepreneurship Manager @ Tech4Impact EPFL Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland More about Ale I am part of the team of EPFL Tech4Impact. The EPFL is one of the two Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology and at Tech4Impact we are focused in how we can use technology for sustainable impact and the UN 2030 agenda. We work with students, researchers, professors, NGOs and corporates to try to build an ecosystem around it. The GSIV program specifically is part of our efforts to collaborate with NGOs and international bodies in Geneva to further push the developing of technology specifically by supporting Global South initiatives. We actually run a second initiative called Tech4Dev grants in which we pair Global South NGOs with researchers at EPFL to develop impactful technologies. Developed and managing the new EPFL Changemakers programme! Check it out: https://www.epfl.ch/innovation/startup/students/epfl-changemakers/

Great interview with climate change campaigner, artist and activist Donna Cooney, green Councellor, by Melanie Boylan. Follow Donna on Twitter here https://twitter.com/donna_cooney1 More about Donna I have been a community activist for 25 years, working to protect Dublin Bay, the Promenade, St. Anne’s Park, and Fairview Trees & Park. I have campaigned against bad developments; improving our area with cycle-ways, playgrounds and sporting facilities. A founder of Dublin Bay North Repeal the Eighth, I am committed to equality and climate action. More about Melanie https://twitter.com/STOMPSMTraining Over the years I have worked with SME, FMCG and State Bodies I'm delighted to say I now support and train all sizes of business and my business has grown with my clients. I provide Adult Education and support for people in Business. With my many years of experience in promoting services and charities in Ireland and the UK; I have been very fortunate to establish a strong network of contacts and over the years have learnt how best to promote a business online and improve their social media scoring. Creating a professional image and maintaining it is the crux of a great marketing plan and is instrumental in today’s climate in making your business stand out, I can tailor my services to your requirements. Over the last few years I have started working in other areas I have a genuine passion in. I have been avid writer for a number years and started working as a Freelance Writer with Irish Tech News since 2016 and StartUp Mindset since October 2019.

We have lived through a massive opportunity for learning and growth. We can change our habits, climate change didn’t go away and we must use 2020’s lessons to engage with it. Going forwards tech must include social, ethics and purpose. We need to use this time as a launch pad for a positive, engaged and conscious 2021 and beyond. https://congregation.ie/ Key Takeaways: 2020 is a massive opportunity for us to change our habits climate change didn’t go away and we must use 2020’s lessons to engage with it tech must include social, ethics and purpose use this time as a launch pad About Congregation Congregation 2020 #cong20 will be a one day online 'mindmesh' designed to foster links between attendees from very diverse backgrounds and create deep discussion and dialogue. Central to the event is earned entry via a submission posted on the site in advance, the use of social venues and huddles and the serendipitous connections that form. All attendees present during the day creating a common bond that is enhanced with plenty of networking time. The theme for 2020 is 'Society 3.0'. Our Mission Congregation is a knowledge exchange platform. Our mission to encourage the sharing of ideas, methodologies, techniques and industry insights that you might find useful and that you could apply be it in your personal journey or in business. We live and breath technology and ideas.

With the pandemic forcing a lot of us to work from home, we are relying more and more on technology. However, there are times when we may have problems with the technology that we are relying on. Ronan talks to Louise McKeown the Marketing Director at Magnet Networks. Louise talks about Magnet Networks new gigabyte broadband service, aimed at remote workers and its talk to a human technical support guarantee. Louise also talks about how 2020 is the right time for remote working as we have the technology to support this, and why working in the office won’t be like it used to be.

We catch up with Eoin Kennedy ahead of the upcoming 8th CongRegation. This year's theme is Society 3.0 See more on their website here https://congregation.ie/ What is Congregation? One day virtual mind mesh festival of thinking, sharing and connecting. Celebrating its 8th year, CongRegation™ #cong20 (Nov 21st), will be a virtual event due to Covid-19 restrictions. With the theme of ‘Society 3.0’ we are looking for curious minds from a range of diverse backgrounds/sectors who will share their unique perspective of our society – where we have come from, what we have become and what we want in our future. We are treating the theme in its broadest form from psychology, technology, personal experiences to methodologies and ideas. We want to hear how people see, experience or what they think of “Society”, be it a personal one, business or career transition. One of the key components of CongRegation™ is the diverse background and thinking of attendees and this includes technologists, psychologists, business people, start up community, academics, visionaries, disruptors and sector specific from farming to manufacturing. Tickets are earned via a submission on the theme which will be debated in virtual huddles on November 21st 2020.