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SBD Innovation Summit 24 Review

Last week’s Sandyford Business District Innovation Summit 2024 was a resounding success, bringing together local and global thought leaders, innovators, and stakeholders for two days of collaboration and inspiration. We are thrilled with the overwhelming engagement and the practical and actionable outcomes for the District achieved during the 2 days.

(see links to photo galleries below)

DAY 1: Laying the Foundation for Innovation and Commitment

Keynote speeches from figures such as An Cathaoirleach Cllr Jim O’Leary, Minister Neale Richmond, and Minister Ossian Smyth, alongside insights from SBD CEO Ger Corbett and DLR County Council CEO Frank Curran, framed the discussions. Panels addressed critical themes, including circularity, mobility, social innovation, and digital transformation, featuring insights from industry leaders and academics.

In Panel Session 1 we gained valuable perspectives from a diverse group of speakers

• Aidan Blighe: Director of Planning and Economic Development DRL County Council
• Declan Shortall: Dublin Airport
• Dr Aodhan Newsholme: Lecturer on the Circular Economy (IKC3) at Munster Technological University.
• Alan Hicks Manna Drones: CTO
• Barry Brown Director: IBM Cloud Technical Sales, EMEA
• Felipe Muñoz: Head of Growth at Swappsi Software

This was followed by a key note speech from Dr. Lollie Mancey Programme Director at UCD Innovation Academy and co-presenter on RTE1: Futureville

Panel session 2 on “Learning Internationally” brought multifaceted viewpoints from distinguished speakers.

• Matjaž Rakovec, Mayor of Kranj, Slovenia
• Pablo García-Vigón González, President of the Federation of Business Areas of Asturias
• Marta Morillo Co-Founder CircularAI
• Ciaran Cuffe urban planner Ciaran Cuffe, (former MEP)

DAY 2: Turning Ideas into Action

Building on the energy of Day 1, the second day was action focused. Themed workshops, championed by local leaders, produced targeted strategies for addressing priority areas. Participants collaborated to draft a comprehensive roadmap, designed to guide the District’s growth over the next five years.

Looking ahead: Outcomes and Impact

The summit reaffirmed the District’s role as a hub for forward-thinking business and urban development. The actionable plans formulated during the event reflect our collective commitment to fostering sustainability, digital excellence, and inclusive growth in the region.

We look forward to sharing these exciting plans with you over the coming days.

Acknowledgments

This summit would not have been possible without the contributions of our partners and supporters. We offer special thanks to:

• Graham Colclough, our exceptional MC, whose guidance and subject matter expertise ensured the event ran seamlessly.
• Leo McBride of DigitalX Ireland our AV partner for his technical expertise.
• Microsoft, for providing an electric bus to transport delegates sustainably.
• Gerry Walsh and the team at Dynamic Space, who hosted us for Day 1.
• Elaine Kelly and her team at Explorium, for their support and venue on Day 2.
• Andrew Watchorn for the wonderful photography across the 2 days.

We extend our gratitude to all attendees, speakers, and partners who made this event possible. Together, we have set a strong foundation for a brighter, more innovative future for Sandyford Business District and beyond.​

Innovation Summit Day One Photo Gallery: https://tinyurl.com/mr46d43w

Innovation Summit Day Two Photo Gallery: https://tinyurl.com/3jep3v5w

In the image shown here pictured are

Front row from left to right: Matjaž Rakovec, Mayor of the City of Kranj, Sheila Moore, Board Member Sandyford Business District, Neale Richmond TD, An Cathaoirleach, Cllr Jim O’Leary, Minister Ossian Smyth, Aranxta Herrero Yuste Asemposil, Frank Curran CEO DLR County Council, Paul Kennedy, Director of Infrastructure, Climate Change & Municipal Services DLR County Council

Back row from left to right: Gašper Kleč Head of the Office for Economic Activities and Transport: City of Kranj, Ger Corbett CEO Sandyford Business District, Pablo García-Vigón González President of the Federation of Business Areas of Asturias, Aidan Blighe, Director of Planning and Economic Development DLR County Council, Graham Colclough, UrbanDNA and Master of Ceremonies