KPMG has launched the search for the island of Ireland’s next top tech innovator.
The competition, now in its second year, is open to tech entrepreneurs and start-up businesses from across the island of Ireland which are pure technology, tech-enabled, tech-led, or tech-driven.
Competition entrants will be shortlisted and invited to pitch their innovations and present their growth ambitions to an esteemed panel of judges.
The overall winner will progress to the Global Tech Innovator final to be held during Web Summit 2022 in Lisbon in November.
The prize also includes travel and accommodation to Lisbon, tickets to Web Summit as part of KPMG’s delegation, an exhibition stand for one day, and access to exclusive networking events and mentoring opportunities.
Last year, KPMG’s Ireland competition was won by Terry Canning of CattleEye, a Northern Ireland-founded AgTech company which has harnessed the capabilities of advanced AI in video analytics to deliver the world’s first academically verified autonomous livestock monitoring platform.
Other companies from the island of Ireland shortlisted in the 2021 competition included Meteor Space Limited, ApisProtect, CitySwift, Dataships, Equal1, ID-Pal, Singularity Alpha and Wrkit.
The competition is open to all technology companies which have operated for five years or less, have generated revenue between $1-10 million (£770,000 - £7.7m), or have raised at least $500,000 (£384,000) in equity, and are registered and based in Northern Ireland or Ireland. Applicants must have innovative, proven technologies, robust business models, the ability to demonstrate traction in their activities and the potential to scale up. Applications must be submitted by 8th May 2022.
The global competition will include technology innovators from 21 other countries and jurisdictions across the world, including Africa, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Denmark, Germany, Israel, India, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Taiwan, the UK and the US.
Commenting on the competition, Johnny Hanna, Partner in Charge at KPMG in Northern Ireland, said “Northern Ireland has a first-class reputation for innovation and is today recognised as a global leader in cyber security, fintech and advanced engineering. We are looking for the gamechangers in innovation with the ambition to take their business to the next level. If you think you have the next big thing in tech, this competition is for you. Whether they are tech-enabled, tech-led or tech-driven, we’re inviting our unicorns of tomorrow to consider this extraordinary opportunity”.
Applications are now open for the competition at www.kpmg.ie/GTI.
