How Green Is the Valley

Editorial / Periscope - Niall O'Dowd

How Green Is the Valley

April 2, 2008

By Niall O’Dowd

SILICON Valley has long been the birthplace of great innovation. Companies such as Google, Apple, Hewlett Packard and Intel all began their journeys to greatness here, and the world was changed forever. Now comes a new Irish organization that I predict could change the way the world sees Irish America and Ireland.

The Irish Technology Leadership Group (ITLG) held their first event at Stanford University in the dining room of the graduate business school last Thursday.

Over 200 of the Valley’s best and brightest attended on a lovely spring evening, and the combined brainpower could have jump-started the nearby Stanford Linear Accelerator. I am proud to note our sister publication Irish America magazine was co-host of the event.

Also along to toast the occasion were the legendary Craig Barrett, chairman of Intel, and Micheal Martin, the Irish minister for Enterprise.

The ITLG could change the image of Irish America. They are as far removed from leprechauns and shillelaghs and nostalgic talk of the old country as U2 are from The Quiet Man.

This is an Irish group whose average age tends to the mid-thirties, not sixties. This is an Irish group that features the best and brightest from the Celtic Tiger generation, now let loose in California.

The organization is the brainchild of its chairman John Hartnett, senior vice president of Palm and a proud Limerick native whose only flaw may be a fanatical dedication to the Munster rugby team. When he’s not discussing hand-helds and smart phones, John is usually discussing hand-offs and scrum downs.

Otherwise, he has created an extraordinary organization of like-minded professionals who see their success in Silicon Valley as an opportunity to also give back to Ireland and drive the post-Celtic Tiger era.

Ireland, he believes, should “move up the food chain, and pursue knowledge-based engineering science and technology jobs.

“I want the next Google or Facebook to be created by two guys at Trinity College Dublin or some other Irish university,” he says. “There is no reason why it cannot happen.”

He wants Ireland to jettison a risk adverse approach. “In Silicon Valley people go for it. They go for the big bet and it doesn’t always win, but when it does win it makes a big difference,” he says.

Another key figure in ITLG is Johnny Gilmore, COO of Sling Media. Johnny is a Co. Down native.

Sling Media invented the Slingbox, which essentially allows you to receive live TV signals on your computer from any country in the world.

Think of sitting in your New York apartment and downloading the latest big soccer or rugby match live and free from Ireland on your computer.

Now imagine tens of millions of other immigrants from Latinos to Asian to Indians doing the same. Little wonder that Echo Star recently bought Sling Media for $380 million, which gives Sling access to 13.6 million DISH satellite TV network customers.

Gilmore sees all of Ireland as a natural expansion base for many top Silicon Valley companies.

“We know from our own personal experiences and contacts that there are exciting and attractive companies and investment opportunities all over the island,” he says.

The emcee for the evening was Conrad Burke from Dublin, whose specialty is solar energy. As president and CEO of Innovalight Burke is dedicated to bringing cost efficient solar power to residences and businesses. If the company succeeds it will prove to be a true revolutionary in a field that is still in its infancy.

Two other key figures in the group are Rory McInerney, vice president of Intel who received a company award for bringing its revolutionary TulsaXeon-MP Processor to market ahead of schedule, and Barry O’Sullivan, senior vice president of Cisco’s Voice Technology Group who spent 18 years at Nortel as vice president.

That is just a snapshot of the extraordinary talent that is part of ITLG. Most of the 200 present last week had similar resumes, enough to make me wonder just how important this organization could become if its talent is properly harnessed for the good of Ireland and Irish America. It is a pleasant thought to ponder.

Share this story: digg this | Add to del.icio.us

Print Save Discussions

Discuss

Email a friend