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Derek Jones |
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Skype founder says Ireland a great place for tech startups
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Ireland is one of the best countries in the world to set up a technology company, according to Niklas Zennström, the Swedish businessman who founded internet phone service Skype.
There is no reason why Irish technology companies should relocate to another country to attract investment or grow their business, said Mr Zennström, who is considered Europe’s most successful internet entrepreneur.
In 2005, Skype was sold to eBay for $3.1 billion (€2.19 billion) and Mr Zennström was part of a consortium that subsequently bought the company back before selling it to Microsoft for $8.5 billion in cash earlier this year.
“There is no reason to leave Ireland,” said Mr Zennström, citing business-friendly laws and the availability of skilled workers as two of the reasons why so many international technology firms choose to locate their European headquarters here.
Mr Zennström made his remarks at the closing of the two-day Dublin Web Summit in the RDS yesterday, which was attended by more than 1,200 people.
The presentations yesterday focused on the new crop of technology startups in Europe and addressed issues such as the future of money and newspapers, the lack of women in senior positions in the technology industry and how charities are adapting to the digital world.
The biggest cheer was reserved for Fred Destin from US venture capital firm Atlas Ventures, when he said he was “on a mission to kill banks” with his investments.
Redeem Get, a Dublin startup, won the ESB Electric Ireland Spark of Genius competition.
The firm, which helps its customers manage deal-of-the-day offers through services like Groupon, won cash and services of €40,000 and will be offered a €100,000 investment from ACT.
About 30 of the speakers at the summit are attending the exclusive Founders conference at Dublin’s Mansion House. The group of 150 company founders, which includes the creative minds behind web giants such as YouTube, LinkedIn, Angry Birds and PayPal, was addressed by Taoiseach Enda Kenny yesterday.
Mr Kenny asked them to “consider Ireland when you are making decisions about locating new startups or growing existing ventures”. “In return, I’ll fill my iPad with your apps,” he joked.
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