2026 AtlanTec Festival Programme

Friday 17 April

AtlanTec AI Challenge: Human Intelligence Driving Transformative Innovation

This year as part of itag’s AtlanTec Festival ‘Human Intelligence Driving Transformative Innovation’ we will be hosting an AI hackathon. The two-day event will bring innovators, tech enthusiasts, and industry leaders from across the West together to develop cutting-edge AI solutions that tackle real-world challenges.

For more information visit: https://atlantec.ie/atlantec-ai-challenge/

Venue: University of Galway 9.30am - 5pm

AtlanTec AI Challenge will be a full day event, held at the School of Computer Science, University of Galway. Teams will collaborate from 9.30am to lunch. Followed by presentations from 2pm – 5pm. Winning teams will be selected by our AI expert judging panel.

Friday 17 April

Problem-Solving using both Human and AI Expertise
Prof Padhraic Smyth, University of California Irvine

Speaker:
Padhraic Smyth
Department of Computer Science
University of California, Irvine

Abstract:
There is significant interest in using AI models to augment (or even replace) human decision-making across a broad range of application areas from autonomous driving to diagnostic medicine to code generation. A realistic scenario in many applications is one where AI agents and humans work together to solve tasks, given that full autonomy is often not ideal from a variety of perspectives (safety, legal, cognitive). In this general context, I will discuss recent work from my research group on modeling and understanding of human-AI collaboration, including online learning of policies for assigning tasks to human and AI agents, and the role of uncertainty in human-AI collaboration.

Book now

Venue: University of Galway, Computer Science Building, H91 FYH2 10:00 - 11:00

Monday 27 April

itag Agile Forum & Women in Agile: Be an Excellent Leader who Serves
Sara Davidson

In this virtual session, Sara’s keynote “Be an Excellent Leader Who Serves” will showcase how to unlock your true leadership potential and nurture a “steady rhythm of humanisation” within your teams.

Book now

 

Venue: Online 5:15pm – 6:00pm (IST/BST)

Details coming soon!

Wednesday 6 May

itag Product Management Forum: Re-Imagining Product Process

itag’s Product Management Forum in collaboration with Galway’s Product Management Meetup explores the theme of Human Intelligence Driving Transformative Innovation by grounding the conversation in the everyday realities of product practice.

The centrepiece of the evening is a panel discussion – “Re-imagining Product Processes” – that brings together practitioners across Product Management, Product Design, Technical Writing, Analytics, and Tech/Product Ops. They’ll share first-hand experiences of how AI-driven workflows are redrawing traditional role boundaries, and what that means for teams navigating the shift.

Location: Datavant L07 Event Space – Doors Open [6PM] – Event Start [6:30PM].

Book now

Venue: Datavant (L07 Event Space) 6:30pm - 7:30pm
18:00 - 18:30 Doors Open
18:30 - 18:35 Opening - Arik Elberse, Ancient Oak Ventures
18:35 - 19:25 Panel Discussion: Re-imagining Product Processes

David Murray & Kat Rejkiewicz Genesys, Sharon Conroy & Orla Mears Datavant
Moderator: Arik Elberse, Ancient Oak Ventures

This panel discussion brings together practitioners across Product Management, Product Design, Technical Writing, Analytics, and Tech/Product Ops. They’ll share first-hand experiences of how AI-driven workflows are redrawing traditional role boundaries, and what that means for teams navigating the shift.

19:25 - 19:30 Closing Remarks - Brian Fitzsimons, Datavant


Wednesday 21 May

The Rise: Leadership Succession Insights, Stories & Strategies

AtlanTec will host a special Leadership Event on the 21st at the Hardiman Hotel. 

  • Dinner
  • Wisdom in Action Leadership Insights from Dr Sarah Kiernan Assistant Dean, Executive and Professional Education at University of Limerick.
  • Panel Discussion
  • Audience Roundtable

 

Limited spots available and the event is invite only so if interested in attending please email ccawley@itag.ie

The event will take place from 5pm – 8pm.

Book Now

Venue: The Hardiman Hotel Galway 5-8pm

Thursday 7 May

Digital Innovation for Sport 2026 - The Intelligent Sport Ecosystem

The Intelligent Sport Ecosystem – leveraging data pipelines and AI to support sports performance and operations.

Focusing on the Intelligent Sports Ecosystem, our third Digital Innovation for Sport event at ATU Galway brings together leaders from sport, technology and research to examine how data and AI are transforming modern sport.

Through real-world insights and examples, discover how intelligent systems can optimise operations, elevate performance, and create new pathways for participation, engagement and commercial growth.

Book now

Venue: ATU Galway 9:00 - 15:30

Thursday 7 May

Women of Impact: Leading with Presence and Power

This event will be held by itag’s Digital Women’s forum.

Venue: The Hardiman Hotel, Galway 2.00pm - 5.30pm

Details coming soon!

Keynote: Leading with Presence and Power
Dr Melrona Kirrane, DCU Business School
Panel Discussion: Keeping the Human in the Leader

Edel Kelly, Genesys, Siobhán Dervan, Rent the Runway & Dr Melrona Kirrane, DCU
Moderator: Audrey Bleach, Cisco

Tuesday 12 May

Scaling Customer Success Without Losing the Human Edge

You’ll hear directly from Customer Success leaders actively navigating this transformation as they explore:

  • How Customer Success operating models are evolving  from Traditional > Scale > AI powered
  • Practical AI & Automation use cases, and where human touch is superior to AI.
  • The importance of Digital CS, Education, community, and AI for all customer segments

Book now

Panel Discussion: Seán Reid, Supermetrics, Dee Donohue Genesys, Valerie Potter Cloudbees & Catherine McGrath TitanHQ
Chaired by: Andrea Manning, Acorn Life DAC

Speakers & Panellists:

Seán Reid, Head of Customer Success at Supermetrics, Ranked #1 Voice in Customer Success in Ireland 

Dee Donohue, Manager of Digital Customer Success at Genesys 

Valerie Potter, Snr Manager Progressional Services at Cloudbees

Catherine McGrath, Director of Customer Success, TitanHQ

Book now

Venue: PorterShed, Market Street, Galway 11am - 1pm

You’ll hear directly from Customer Success leaders actively navigating this transformation as they explore:

  • How Customer Success operating models are evolving  from Traditional > Scale > AI powered
  • Practical AI & Automation use cases, and where human touch is superior to AI.
  • The importance of Digital CS, Education, community, and AI for all customer segments

Book now

Tuesday 12 May

Centripetal Ireland Insider Intelligence Spring Summit

The Insider Intelligence Summit is back for its spring edition. If you’re responsible for protecting your environment, you don’t need more noise—you need clarity on what’s actually happening and what to do about it. This day is built around that. How attacks really occur, what we’re seeing across environments, and what that means in practice.

break down how cyber attacks actually occur and share proprietary research to give you real insider insight into the threat landscape that you can actually apply.

Dave Silke, Managing Director for EMEA and APAC at Centripetal, will open the day as we mark Centripetal’s fourth anniversary at Platform94—reinforcing our belief that Galway remains a centre of emotional, technical, academic, and creative intelligence.

You’ll spend the day in focused sessions alongside peers dealing with the same realities—cutting through noise, comparing approaches, and getting clearer on what’s working and what isn’t.

Across a series of focused sessions, you’ll hear directly from experts at Centripetal as we bring together business owners and IT and technology leaders from across Galway, Connaught, and Ireland.

We believe in building a community based on shared intelligence—and we’d welcome you to be part of it.

Book now

10:00 - 10:30 Networking
10:45 - 11:00 Opening Remarks - Dave Silke, MD for EMEA and APAC

Dave Silke will open proceedings as we mark Centripetal’s 4th anniversary at Platform94 reinforcing our belief that Galway remains the home of emotional, technical, academic and creative intelligence.

11:10 - 12:00 Insider Intelligence Streams

 

 

12:10 - 13:00 Networking Lunch
Venue: Platform 94, Well Park Road Galway

Wednesday 13 May

Build to Exit: Preparing founder for future success - PorterShed 10 for 10

Partners: Goodbody 

Speaker: Damian Malone from Skyspecs

Find out more

Damian Malone, Skyspecs

Partners: Goodbody 

Speaker: Damian Malone from Skyspecs

Find out more

Venue: PorterShed, Market Street, Galway 5pm
 

Partners: Goodbody 

Speaker: Damian Malone from Skyspecs

Find out more

Wednesday 13 May

Leaders Series : Region to Reputation

Details coming soon!

Panel Discussion: Michael McCarthy, Cloud Infrastructure Ireland (CII) & Niall Muphy, Cisco
Chaired by: Pauline O’Reilly, Irish District Energy Association
  • Niall Muphy is an engineering manager in Cisco Systems in Galway. He has authored one book on safety for software controlled systems. From 2020 to 2024 he was a Galway City Councillor and campaigned for a more sustainable environment through city development plans and city policy.
  • Michael McCarthy is director of Cloud Infrastructure Ireland (CII) having previously served as CEO of the Irish Solar Energy Association [ISEA]. Michael holds extensive experience of environmental-related legislation within the Oireachtas through his service of 14 years as a TD and Senator including as Chair of the joint committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht, and the chairing of the public consultation on the pre-legislative stages of the Climate and Low Carbon Development Act 2015.
  • Pauline O’Reilly Pauline O’Reilly is the CEO of the Irish District Energy Association, which promotes district heating and cooling in Ireland. Prior to taking up this role Pauline served as a Senator, city councillor, and Chairperson of a political party.

 

Book Now

Venue: TBC

Details coming soon!

Wednesday 13 May

itag Tech Writing Forum - Transforming your Content Lifecycle: Keeping Pace with AI-Generated Code

Book now

 

Panel Discussion: Michael McCarthy, Cloud Infrastructure Ireland (CII) & Niall Muphy, Cisco
Chaired by: Pauline O’Reilly, Irish District Energy Association
  • Niall Muphy is an engineering manager in Cisco Systems in Galway. He has authored one book on safety for software controlled systems. From 2020 to 2024 he was a Galway City Councillor and campaigned for a more sustainable environment through city development plans and city policy.
  • Michael McCarthy is director of Cloud Infrastructure Ireland (CII) having previously served as CEO of the Irish Solar Energy Association [ISEA]. Michael holds extensive experience of environmental-related legislation within the Oireachtas through his service of 14 years as a TD and Senator including as Chair of the joint committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht, and the chairing of the public consultation on the pre-legislative stages of the Climate and Low Carbon Development Act 2015.
  • Pauline O’Reilly Pauline O’Reilly is the CEO of the Irish District Energy Association, which promotes district heating and cooling in Ireland. Prior to taking up this role Pauline served as a Senator, city councillor, and Chairperson of a political party.

 

Book Now

Venue: HPE Galway 10am - 12pm

Details coming soon!

Thursday 14 May - AtlanTec Conference Morning

AtlanTec Conference: Intelligence Augmented: The Frontier of Human Judgement
Venue: Bailey Allen Hall, University of Galway
09:00 - 09:05 Welcome Address itag - Sharon Walsh, SVP Technology Fidelity Investments, itag chair
 
 
 
 
09:05 - 09:15 Opening Address: Aengus Parsons, Acting VP for Research & Innovation University of Galway
 
 
 
 
09:15 - 10:00 Leadership in an Age of Superhuman Tech
Mark Little, Journalist & Entrepreneur

Abstract: Mark Little will explore innovation in uncertain times, examining trends reshaping organizations, flatter structures, and predictive AI. He’ll highlight energy and infrastructure challenges for Ireland and beyond. He’ll emphasize empathy and decentralized leadership. Crucially, he’ll address how agentic AI augments human judgment, enhancing decision-making at the frontier of leadership. If needed, he’s open to adding insights on fostering trust or combating disinformation—both key to the tech community.

 

Bio: Mark Little, is a renowned journalist and entrepreneur, with a wealth of experience in digital media, tech and entrepreneurship. As the founder of Storyful and co-founder of Kinzen, an AI media technology platform that combats the spread of misinformation, Mark has spent his career at the intersection of tech and democracy. A former RTÉ foreign correspondent and TV presenter, Mark’s presence will be a huge draw to the tech conference, offering a deep dive into trust, safety, and the future of public media.

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10:00 - 10:40 Keynote: The Human Edge: AI, Creativity, Consequence, and the Next Frontier
Dr Lollie Mancey, InsTech.ie & UCD Innovation Academy

Dr. Lollie Mancey is an internationally acclaimed anthropologist and futurist dedicated to decoding the intersection of technology and human culture. Currently the Head of Innovation for InsTech and a former director at University College Dublin’s Innovation Academy, she blends academic excellence with entrepreneurial success as a director of three businesses. A dynamic storyteller and Dublin Story Slam Champion, Dr. Mancey is a prominent media personality, co-presenting RTÉ’s Futureville and collaborating with NASA on systemic shifts. Whether demystifying AI ethics on global stages like the Pendulum Summit or advocating for underrepresented founders, she empowers leaders to navigate digital transformation with a human-centered, inclusive strategy for the future.

10:40 - 11:00 Neuro-Symbolic AI: A New Direction for AI Development and Deployment
Prof Paul Buitelaar, Deputy Director of Data Science Institute, Insight Research Centre
11:00 - 11:30 Coffee Break
11:30 - 12:00 Keynote: Human Leadership in an AI-powered World
Angus Nelson, Kuma Partners
Angus Nelson is a leadership coach, strategist, and keynote speaker who helps high-performing entrepreneurs and executives break through plateaus and achieve extraordinary success. As the founder of Evolve Leadership, he combines psychology, emotional intelligence, and proven frameworks to guide clients in overcoming limiting beliefs, aligning purpose with profit, and driving personal growth. He has worked with leaders from FedEx, Cisco, and Bridgestone and delivered keynotes at Walmart, Coca-Cola, BMW, and Disney. Angus is the author of Confidence Comes Later and hosts the Evolve Leadership podcast, where he empowers listeners to cultivate clarity, wealth, and freedom while becoming bold, aligned, and unstoppable.
 
12:00 - 12:30 A Brave New World of Engineering: Scaling Impact through Data and Innovation
Lightning Talks SENUS, SAP & CVS Health
12:30 - 12:40 AI Challenge Winner 2026: Alacantara 2 and Project 'Trustlens' from CVS Health
12:40 - 13:45 Light Lunch and Networking
 

Thursday 14 May AtlanTec Conference Afternoon

AI & Cyber: Practical Implementation & Resilience
Venue: University of Galway, Bailey Allen Hall
13:45 - 14:00 Welcome Prof Professor David Burn, President University of Galway

 

 

14:00 - 15:00 Lightning Talks & Panel - Putting AI to Work in Engineering Teams
Genesys, Cisco & Datavant
 
15:00 - 15:10 Tea & Coffee Break (in room)
15:10 - 15:20 Sustainability Lightning Talk: Sustainability Without Permission: What Developers Can Do Today
15:20 - 16:25 Panel Discussion The Security Paradox: From ‘Vibe Coding’ to Verified Code—Securing Prompt-Driven Development
Eamonn Larkin Centripetal & John Tallon Storm Technology, Veronica Breene Intuity Technologies,
 
16:25 - 16:30 Closing Remarks
16:30 Networking Reception: Pizza & Drinks at SULT