Security breaches at the HSE, Bord Gáis and numerous government departments have highlighted the importance of information security yet many Irish security professionals are finding themselves out of work or are in danger of losing their jobs this year.

In response, the Irish chapter of the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) is hosting a half-day seminar on 23 July. The aim of the seminar is to highlight opportunities for Irish security firms and to encourage Irish security experts to consider starting their own businesses rather than changing careers or emigrating. Although in-house security staff may not see themselves as entrepreneurs, this seminar will demonstrate that experienced in-house personnel are perfectly placed to identify new market opportunities and to launch new businesses.

This seminar, entitled Start-up Opportunities in Information Security will be addressed by John Brosnan, CEO, NetFort Technologies; Joe Drumgoole, CEO, Putplace.com; Mathieu Gorge, CEO, VigiTrust and Cian Kinsella, CEO, Digiprove. Each of these firms has successfully launched innovative software products in recent years. Their presentations will highlight the early development of each company and outline the challenges and lessons learned in developing technology start-ups in Ireland.

Potential entrepreneurs will also hear from Pat Byrne, Enterprise Ireland and NovaUCD’s Dr Ciara Leonard about the supports available for new businesses from Enterprise Ireland, the enterprise boards, university incubators, angel investors, venture capital firms and other sources.

This seminar will take place on Thursday, 23 July, 8:30 am – 12:30 pm, in NovaUCD, the Innovation and Technology Transfer Centre, UCD, Belfield, Dublin 4.  Attendance is free but online registration in advance is required. 

ISSA Ireland, the Irish chapter of ISSA was formed in 2003 to provide training, development and networking opportunities for Irish information security professionals.

ENDS

30 June 2009

For further information contact: Owen O'Connor, President, ISSA Ireland, t: (01) 524 2408 , or e: owen.oconnor@issaireland.org, Micéal Whelan, NovaUCD, t: (01) 716 3712 , e: miceal.whelan@ucd.ie.

Editors Notes

The Information Systems Security Association is an international professional body for information security personnel. ISSA has been in operation for 25 years as a volunteer-driven organisation, beginning in the United States and now representing over 10,000 members in 70 countries. ISSA Ireland is the Irish chapter of ISSA and was formed in 2003 to provide training, development and networking opportunities for Irish information security professionals. Dr Owen O’Connor is the President of the Irish chapter which is managed by a 9-person board of elected volunteers.

NovaUCD is University College Dublin’s €11 million Innovation and Technology Transfer Centre. NovaUCD has been funded through a unique public-private partnership that includes AIB Bank, Arthur Cox, Deloitte, Enterprise Ireland, Ericsson, Goodbody Stockbrokers, UCD and Xilinx.