Engine Hubs Network, an Innovate Limerick initiative, are running a flag ship event for Irelands first-ever “Digital First “day to take place on the 16th of November. The nationwide initiative, driven by a new collaboration, Digital Ireland Network (www.digital-ireland.ie) sets the goal to highlight the power of digital to work in communities around the country. It will be the first ever event to be held in the newly finished Innovate Limerick, Engine Collaboration Centre. The theme of the event ‘Champions of Collaboration – How To Progress through Partnerships ", the event will reflect the new centre’s mission of encouraging collaboration between all size companies, in particular through digital growth to reach new customers and improve products or services. Integral to the event is Innovate Limerick's mission of working with the 19 ENGINE Hubs throughout the mid west and N.Kerry to deepen the connection between the urban and the rural, the national and the international. The event will highlight the benefits of digital growth through collaboration to help communities to attract investment, remote workers, home buyers and visitors to their area, thus advancing sustainable regional development and quality of life.
Keynote speakers at the event will focus on the importance of collaboration, digital and personal to create successful partnerships to grow any business from micro level to multinational.
Dr Karen Weekes is the key note speaker who will present on “The Atlantic Solo: Insights into team & digital collaborations”. In February 2022, Dr Karen Weekes, became the first Irish woman to row solo and unsupported 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean. By successfully completing this journey Karen became the 20th female worldwide to have ever rowed across any ocean solo. Karen is an adventurer, lecturer at MTU, and sport psychologist who specialises in cognitive and practical coping techniques for endurance sport. Her academic research has explored motivations and cognitive coping strategies of ultra-endurance athletes. In this session, Karen will share insights into how collaboration with her land based team and modern technology proved essential for her successful ocean crossing.
Jeff McCann, Director of , CSC Innovation Labs, Dell Technologies will also speak on “Partnership, Not Product” along with Dr Stephen Kinsella, co-director of the Software Immersive Programme and Professor of Economics form University of Limerick.