Industry recognition and the increased stature of Irish digital media companies proves that this industry has a future, the CEO of the Digital Hub said in the agency’s end-of-year statement.
He added their international outlook will help them avoid the vagaries of the Irish marketplace.
In its end-of-year statement, the Digital Hub Development Agency (DHDA) said that despite the challenges posed by economic recession, Ireland’s digital media industry is continuing to grow and develop.
According to Philip Flynn, chief executive of the DHDA, Digital Hub based companies have gained in stature and won a number of accolades, both nationally and internationally, over the past 12 months.
“Without doubt, one of the highlights of 2009 has been increased recognition for the digital media industry overall and, specifically, for the work being done in The Digital Hub,” he said.
“Three Digital Hub tenant companies were ranked in the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Awards this year: Avego, Lincor Solutions and Avvio. Four Digital Hub companies have been nominated for the Digital Media Awards, which will take place in February: Gaumina, Kavaleer, vStream and xWerx.
“At an international level, Decawave and Sentry Wireless were selected by the Irish Technology Leadership Group as two of the 12 high-potential technology companies to engage with technology CEOs and venture capitalists from Silicon Valley. And Macalla – another tenant company at the Digital Hub – was honoured in the sixth annual International Business Awards for its ‘emergency cash’ application for Permanent TSB. Macalla technology attracted a great deal of attention resulting in them being acquired by US based Roamware.
“Increased recognition for digital media companies is proof that this type of industry is the way forward for Ireland. The small, creative and high-skilled companies that are based in the Digital Hub are exactly the type of companies that will be the basis for Irelands ‘smart economy’.
“These companies are flexible enough to withstand recession. In addition, many of them are international in their outlook, so they are not restricted by the vagaries of the Irish marketplace. In the coming 12 months, we hope to attract more of these types of companies to the Digital Hub,” Flynn concluded.
By John Kennedy
