TechIreland

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TechIreland is an independent, not-for-profit ESO that operates a data platform and resource hub for the Irish technology sector.
What are the main aims and objectives?

TechIreland's main aims and objectives are centered around promoting and supporting the Irish technology and innovation ecosystem. The organization strives to increase visibility and awareness of Ireland's tech sector both domestically and internationally. By maintaining a comprehensive database of Irish tech companies, startups, investors, and hubs, TechIreland aims to facilitate connections and collaborations within the industry. It seeks to attract talent, investment, and attention to Ireland as a hub for innovation and technological advancement. Additionally, TechIreland works to provide valuable insights and analysis through reports and events, helping stakeholders make informed decisions and stay updated on industry trends. The organization's overarching goal is to foster growth, drive innovation, and strengthen Ireland's position as a global tech leader by creating a more connected and visible ecosystem for all participants in the Irish tech landscape.

How does the program work?

TechIreland operates as a comprehensive platform and resource hub for the Irish technology sector. At its core, it functions as a data-driven organization that collects, organizes, and disseminates information about the Irish tech ecosystem. The organization maintains an extensive database that includes details on thousands of tech companies, startups, investors, and innovation hubs across Ireland and Northern Ireland.

One of the primary ways TechIreland works is through its online portal, TechIreland.org. This website serves as a searchable database where users can explore and discover information about various entities within the Irish tech landscape. Visitors can filter and search for companies based on criteria such as sector, technology focus, location, and funding stage. This functionality enables stakeholders to gain insights into specific areas of interest and identify potential partners, investments, or opportunities.

TechIreland also works by actively engaging with the tech community and conducting ongoing research. The organization regularly updates its database, ensuring that the information provided remains current and relevant. This continuous data collection process involves reaching out to companies, attending industry events, and monitoring news and announcements within the sector.

Furthermore, TechIreland functions as an analysis and insights provider. The organization leverages its vast dataset to produce reports, blogs, and podcasts that offer in-depth analysis of trends, challenges, and opportunities within the Irish tech ecosystem. These publications help stakeholders make informed decisions and stay abreast of developments in the industry.

TechIreland also works to foster connections and collaborations within the tech community. By organizing and promoting events, workshops, and meetups, the organization creates opportunities for networking, knowledge sharing, and partnership building among various players in the ecosystem.

Lastly, TechIreland operates on a membership model, offering annual memberships to supporters who wish to contribute to the organization's mission. This approach helps sustain the organization's activities and ensures its continued ability to serve as a vital resource for the Irish tech sector.

What is the overall cost?

There is no information currently available on the annual running costs of TechIreland

How was it implemented?

TechIreland was created as a result of Niamh Bushnell's vision and experience in the Irish startup ecosystem. The organization's journey began in mid-2016 when Bushnell, who had just completed a two-year term as Dublin's first startup commissioner, recognized a need to highlight and showcase Ireland's homegrown innovation story.

Initially, TechIreland started as a raw spreadsheet in mid-2016, compiling data on Irish tech companies. Bushnell's experience as the startup commissioner had made her realize that the impressive achievements of homegrown Irish companies were often overshadowed by the success of attracting global tech giants to Ireland. She saw an opportunity to create a platform that would ensure Ireland's own tech story remained in the spotlight both domestically and internationally.

In January 2017, TechIreland officially launched as its own not-for-profit organization. At this point, it was already tracking over 700 companies. The initiative quickly gained momentum, evolving from a simple spreadsheet into a comprehensive public database providing a detailed portrait of Ireland's startup scene.

TechIreland's mission was to map, track, and showcase innovation across the Republic of Ireland, offering a full overview of the Irish technology ecosystem. This approach aimed to attract more talent, funding, and attention to Ireland as a great location to start and scale an innovation company.

The organization's growth was rapid. By 2019, just two years after its official launch, TechIreland was showcasing over 2,000 software, hardware, and platform-based companies through its live database. The platform expanded to include interactive maps, infographics, blogs, and campaigns such as the €100M Campaign for female founder funding.

What impact has been measured?

TechIreland has become a crucial source of information and analysis for the Irish tech sector by tracking and providing information on over 4,500 indigenous tech startups, 9,000 corporates and multinationals, 800 investors, and 320 tech hubs. This extensive database has made Ireland's startup ecosystem more visible and tangible to all stakeholders.

What lessons can be learned?
  1. Data-driven ecosystem mapping: TechIreland demonstrates the power of comprehensive data collection and analysis in understanding and promoting a tech ecosystem. This approach provides visibility and tangible insights for stakeholders.
  2. Centralized information hub: By creating a single platform for information about startups, investors, and tech hubs, TechIreland shows the importance of having a centralized resource for ecosystem participants.
  3. Transparency drives growth: Regular reporting on funding, deals, and sector trends fosters transparency, which can attract more investment and talent to the ecosystem.
  4. Highlighting underrepresented groups: TechIreland's focus on tracking investments in women-led startups emphasizes the importance of diversity and inclusion in tech ecosystems.
  5. Regional impact awareness: By monitoring funding distribution across different regions, TechIreland highlights the need for balanced growth and support across the entire country.
Notes + Additional Context

Mapping City Resources:

When it comes to digital startups, maps can be helpful to understand where such firms are physically located – especially if their business activities otherwise leave little obvious sign. Maps can help identify clusters, their structures and their unique assets, allowing policymakers to proceed from a better-informed position. Importantly, however, it should be realised that ‘digital’ startups often do not reveal themselves through conventional business data – many standard industry classification schemes, for instance, have failed to keep pace with digital innovation and often obscure more than they reveal about the nature of local businesses. The most informative maps may therefore need to use novel data-gathering techniques and alternative metrics.

Maps also serve a wider purpose, showcasing an ecosystem and helping different elements locate each other. Presenting city-level ecosystem data in map format is a visually appealing, easy to navigate and relatively cost-effective method of information sharing. Through a combination of visualizations, charts and table data, platforms can showcase the contributions being made in each sectoral cluster. Well-designed platforms allow the data to be dynamically linked, making real time updates possible. As well, filtering mechanisms which allow the user to only extract the data they need, making the map embeddable, and any analysis tools available, are an added bonus. 

Read more about this type of policy approach in Nesta's Idea Bank for Policymakers.

CURATED BY

Simona Bielli

Research Programme Coordinator – Digital Startups
Nesta
United Kingdom