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SBD International Innovation Summit Agenda
DAY 1: Tuesday October 13th: Business Districts & Innovation
12:00 - Registration (a light lunch will be provided)
1:00 - Welcome & Introduction to Sandyford’s Innovation Campus
1:15 - Keynote: Adrian Weckler
- An Cathaoirleach Cllr Barry Saul
- Frank Curran (CEO, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council)
- Ger Corbett (CEO, SBD)
- As Technology Editor of both the Irish Independent and the Sunday Independent, Adrian brings a wealth of experience and insight into the technology and innovation landscape.
- He is also:
- Host of Ireland’s most listened-to technology podcast, The Big Tech Show
- A multi-award-winning journalist and broadcaster
- A familiar voice and face across national and international television and radio, including RTE, BBC and Sky News, where he interprets emerging technology trends and their impact on business and society.
1:45 - Plenary Panel: Sandyford’s Role in a Fast-Changing International Context
- Sandyford seeks to be a premier European business and innovation district. It has committed to help lead the emergence of the European Association of Business & Innovation Districts (EABID). What foundation stones and priorities must be in place for Sandyford, indeed any EU District, to respond to today’s pressing needs?
Moderator: Adrian Weckler
2:30 - Workshop Orientation
2:45 - Parallel Theme Workshops (Round 1)
· Theme 1: Supporting Sandyford’s Businesses
Explore how Sandyford’s SME community can collaborate and co-create cutting-edge, AI-enabled business solutions, exploiting the Innovation Campus asset, to understand how shared development can drastically cut costs, boost productivity, and improve business and staff outcomes. Inspired by a proven showcase from Whitworths UK, this practical session seeks to explore and secure “in principle” local commitment to develop a local demonstrator, that can help lead the way to safely exploiting AI’s potential across your entire business.
· Theme 2: Promoting Investment (Topic 1: Startups, Innovation & Venture Capital; Topic 2: Real Estate, Infrastructure & Private Equity)
Explore how business districts can better understand and support the key drivers behind their local private investment ecosystems. The first half of this panel will focus on one such investment type—venture capital—and how business districts can better funnel this type of financing to their high potential startups and scaleups. The second half of this panel will explore the other types of investors and firms that underpin the physical backbone of business communities: real estate developers, infrastructure investors, and private equity firms. Together, the two halves of this panel will equip business districts with the knowledge to map their own investment ecosystems and better engage the key players.
· Theme 3: Influencing Competitiveness via National Innovation Blueprints
Help shape the future of European economic growth by joining key Irish and EU stakeholders to address the innovation gaps highlighted in the Draghi and Letta reports. Share, compare, and refine draft National Innovation Blueprints to build actionable recommendations at local to European levels. Help refine the vital influential role of Business Districts as convenors of business, public, academic, society, and private capital.
5:30 - Plenary Catch-Up, Day 2 Plans & Drinks
- The opportunity for all participants to understand what is emerging across all three themes, and ready for further action in Day 2.
9:00 - Welcome Coffee & Plenary Planning
DAY 2: Wednesday October 14th: Taking Action
A short recap for each Theme to ensure orientation and readiness for action planning
9:30 - Parallel Theme Workshops (round 2) – From Ideas to Action
11.30 - Plenary Feedback Panel (Theme Champions & Moderators)
12:30 - Closing (a light lunch will be provided)Places are limited - register now for October 13th, October 14th, or both days.
- Further developing each theme, ensuring recommendations and practical actions emerge
- This will share forward commitments for each theme, and seek individual feedback and material personal commitments