Check out four fantastic visionaries added to the Inspirefest 2018 line-up


5 Mar 2018

Heather Massie, playwright and performer, will perform her play about Hedy Lemarr at Inspirefest 2018. Image: Al Foote III

In the build-up to International Women’s Day, four fantastic speakers have been added to the line-up, with a special discount available for a limited time only.

As the clock ticks down to this summer’s Inspirefest 2018, the organisers have introduced four incredible women who will be in Dublin this June, including an award-winning cartoonist and writer, and the head of one of the Middle East’s leading accelerators.

Just to make things that bit better, there was also the announcement that, in celebration of International Women’s Day, team Inspirefest is running a special 25pc ticket discount until midnight (EST) on 8 March.

To get your hands on some discounted tickets, just visit the Inspirefest website and enter the code IWD18 when purchasing. Best get booking now!

In its fourth year, this event brings together, on one stage, more than 50 of the brightest minds in international science, tech, entrepreneurship, the arts and innovation, for what has become an unmissable date on the European events calendar.

Themes will range from the future of digital media, artificial intelligence and fintech, to blockchain uncovered, space research and environmental science.

As always, there will be an invaluable dose of leadership, networking lessons and professional development, whatever your career path or level.

Liza Donnelly

Liza Donnelly

Cartoonist and writer Liza Donnelly. Image: Eric Korenman

The first of the new speakers added is New York-based Liza Donnelly, a cartoonist and writer for The New Yorker and CBS News.

Donnelly is the creator of a new digital visual reporting style of cartooning called live-drawing.

She was the first cartoonist to be granted access on location to live-draw the Academy Awards, also attending the Grammys, the 2016 Democratic National Convention and more.

Maha Al Balushi

Maha

Maha Al Balushi, managing director of the Oman Technology Fund. Image: Connor McKenna

The second new speaker is Maha Al Balushi, managing director of the Oman Technology Fund (OTF), and she is running the group’s first pre-seed accelerator programme, Techween.

She began her career studying in Oman and Singapore, picking up two diplomas in IT, a degree in internet applications and a master’s in IT project management, before returning to Oman as part of a national drive to generate a technology start-up ecosystem in the region.

Heather Massie

Also confirmed for the line-up is playwright and performer Heather Massie, who will be giving a live performance of her play Hedy: The Life & Inventions of Hedy Lamarr.

The New York-based actor and writer has always been fascinated by science, and seeks to marry this passion with art in her portrayal of the legendary actor and inventor Hedy Lamarr.

For her show on Lemarr, Massie was named the 2016 Outstanding Actress in a staged reading at Planet Connections Theatre Festivity, a Festival Bestseller at the United Solo Theatre Festival and Best Actress in the 2017 SaraSolo Festival.

Noeline Kavanagh

Noeline Kavanagh

Noeline Kavanagh, artistic director and CEO of Macnas. Image: Julia Dunin

Finally, the last of the new additions is Noeline Kavanagh, artistic director and CEO of her street performance company Macnas.

Her outdoor spectacle events as director/designer with Macnas include: the SXSW Festival, Dublin Fringe Festival, Bram Stoker Festival and the Macnas Hallowe’en Parade.

When translated into English, Macnas means ‘joyful abandonment’, which Kavanagh once summarised as “frisky, risky, youthful, a bit bold, a bit wild – like a young calf bursting out of the barn!”

You can check out the full list of confirmed speakers and performers here.

Inspirefest is Silicon Republic’s international event connecting sci-tech professionals passionate about the future of STEM. Get your Early Bird tickets now to join us in Dublin on 21 and 22 June 2018.