May 2017 Galway Conference to Explore ‘The Art of Software Development’

Developing software is an art form, according to the Information Technology Association of Galway (ITAG) and something that is reflected in this year’s AtlanTec '17 Festival. As part of this festival a conference themed ‘The Art of Software Development’ will take place on 25 May in the Bailey Allen Hall at NUI Galway.

Up to 300 global software developers will convene at the one-day event to hear from world class speakers about the latest innovations and developments in the technology sector. The conference attracts software experts who develop and code products for global markets in the areas of cloud applications, enterprise software, financial services and medical technologies.

Galway has long been established as a hub both for multinational technology companies such as Cisco, Avaya, HPE, IBM and indigenous start-up ventures including The Portershed, StartLab, SuperPixels Lab, New Frontiers GMIT and the Business Innovation Centre at NUI Galway.

The AtlanTec ’17 Festival, which kicked off on 23 March includes a series of in-company events in the region focusing on specific technology themes. There will also be a ‘Women in Technology’ event on 24 May, which will see a panel of female leaders in the technology sector discuss how to challenge traditional norms. Speakers will include: Ann O’Dea, CEO and co-founder of Silicon Republic and founder of Inspire Fest; Dr Niamh Shaw, STEAM Artist; Reverend Geraldine Bown, Powerful Women; and Professor Anne Scott, Vice President for Equality and Diversity at NUI Galway. The Mothership Event on 25 May and Tech Tag World Championships on the 26 May will also take place as part of this year’s festival.

The AtlanTec festival was founded to extol the unique strengths Galway has to offer and to allow the software development and technology community here a chance to come together. “We do believe that this is an art form, with some of the most instrumental coding and creation being instigated by teams based right here in Galway”, explained  Caroline Cawley, ITAG CEO.

According to Patrick Eustace from Cisco Galway: “Galway city has a unique blend of business, industry, educational, social, cultural and sporting life. Cisco sees Galway as a world class destination to do business, develop software and engage with a highly skilled, vibrant workforce.”

The conference will explore new and emerging trends in the software development community, with topics from Microservices to Machine Learning and Artificial intelligence (AI) infused chat bots to be covered by leading experts.

David Murphy, Director of Innovation and Knowledge Transfer at NUI Galway, said: “Ireland is the second largest exporter of computer and IT services in the world. We have

such highly creative and talented people in Galway, including the Insight Centre for Data Analytics here on campus. The University’s partnerships with industry are an integral part of what we do, and hosting this conference is an opportunity for us to exchange ideas and network.”

Galway’s Information Technology heritage, which can be traced back to the establishment of the first European manufacturing operation by the Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) then the world’s second largest computer company in the city in 1971, will also be recognised on the day. Exhibits from the Computer and Communications Museum of Ireland, which is housed in Insight at NUI Galway, will also be on display for delegates.

David Lawlor, Head of Architecture for Fintrax Group, the international financial services organisation which was founded in Galway in 1985, commented: “There is incredible experience and talent both embedded and drawn into the region, with so many multinational and indigenous companies having been associated with Galway. Indeed, Fintrax has grown continuously based on the technology developed in Galway, and will continue to grow especially with new customers in Latin America and Asia.”

For registration and further information on the AtlanTec ’17 Festival visit: http://www.atlantec.ie or email contact@itag.ie. Early booking is advisable.

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