Judith Millar, Centre for Secure Information Technologies (CSIT), Queen's University Belfast; Ryan Keenan, Learning Experience Lab, DeepLearning.ai; Connla McCann, Aisling Events; Tom Gray, Kainos; Ryan Ballantine, Options IT
Belfast business leaders will set out to replicate the success of their transatlantic partnerships with Boston and New York, at a conference in Silicon Valley next month.
AICON Silicon Valley will take place at Stanford University on 22 May 2025 and build on the success of the AICON Belfast conference, which is Ireland’s largest AI gathering.
“Belfast has a compelling proposition to make when it comes to software, cyber security and AI, and it’s high time we set out our stall in the global epicentre of innovation, AI and VC funding,” said Connla McCann, co-founder of the New York-New Belfast conference in the Big Apple and the Golden Bridges conference in Boston.
Last year, tech leaders in the Irish diaspora and Irish American communities in the Bay Area of California took part in an Irish Roundtable in the Valley, which brought them face-to-face with representatives of Belfast tech companies Kainos and Options, alongside Queen’s University.
AICON Silicon Valley supported by Invest NI will build on the success of that event.
Hosted by headline sponsor Kainos and supported by Invest NI, Options IT and Unosquare of Belfast, as well as Wink Inc of California, AICON Silicon Valley will focus on maximising the opportunity of artificial intelligence.
Also making up the delegation travelling to California will be representatives of the Atlantic Technological University in Donegal and Údarás na Gaeltachta.
AICON Silicon Valley is the sister conference of AICON Belfast, now in its seventh year, which has become a firm fixture in the Irish tech calendar.
Connla McCann, Director of Aisling Events added: "Our goal is to bring together two world-class tech communities. Last year a smaller group travelled from Belfast to Silicon Valley, and we were amazed at the appetite for collaboration and partnership on both sides. The new AICON Silicon Valley conference cements this further and will provide unparalleled opportunities for sharing knowledge, networking, and strengthening ties between Ireland and Silicon Valley in the pursuit of AI-driven solutions for a better world.”
Tom Gray, Kainos Group Chief Technology Officer and Director of Innovation said: "This conference presents an opportunity to bring together professionals and experts with strong ties to innovation and technology. By fostering collaboration and sharing knowledge, this conference will reinforce connections between our two tech communities. I look forward to seeing this conference become a regular platform for enabling productive dialogue, encouraging diverse perspectives and generating new ideas in the field of artificial intelligence."
Andrea Haughian Executive Vice President, Head of Americas at Invest Northern Ireland said: “The new AICON Silicon Valley reaffirms our reputation as a global hub for technology innovation and positions our tech community as a key player in the AI revolution. This collaboration is poised to unlock new opportunities and build lasting connections between the two regions.”