Comments on: Options for Government Action

By: johnnyryan

johnnyryan — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 23:59:45 +0000

The good news is that Government has embraced the idea of a Digital Content Services Center. This is one of the key strands of the strategy announced in July. A digital IFSC is finally in sight. Presumably people agree this is a good thing?

By: N Leyden

N Leyden — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 10:32:42 +0000

The DIgital Media Forum has further outlined the concept of a Digital IFSC – or an International Content Services Centre – and what it might look like in the following article:

http://www.calico.ie/2008/10/it-was-definitely-ray-of-sunshine.html

The comments on the article come from our members – all innovative companies in the DIgital Media space – and make for interesting reading. We hope to work with the IIEA in 2009 to put further bones on this concept.

Our experience in the DMF (running the Skillnets programme) would be that such an initiative needs to be enterprise-led – not government-led – in order for it to succeed. However, government support is certainly valuable – if not obligatory – in order to make something like this happen i.e. tax incentives, utilizing the IDA and EI in order to draw Foreign Direct Investment, ensuring infrastructure etc.

Also, whilst the promise of a “virtual business environment” is tantalizing, in reality we find that good old fashioned face-to-face networking is still the most valuable way of getting business done in the short term – especially in a convergent industry whose mainstay – content – is still quite a traditional industry. However, a specific geographic location shouldn’t limit “virtual networking” either.

By: J Doyle

J Doyle — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 11:41:32 +0000

I wish we had an “Irish Silicon Valley,” and I think there were chances around some of our colleges, but we did not get there. I share some of the scepticism above about the Digital Hub, a typical example of a poor implementation of a not-altogether bad idea. I do not fully agree with what one other commentator seems to imply, that the virtual world makes physical proximity non-useful: I do think it can be good to meet and mix. It certainly helped during the first “‘Net boom.” And I like the idea of harnessing some of our proven businesspeople (and they must have some useful folk they could nominate from the next generation leaders of their businesses).

I am less sure about the VC part, in part because I am not sure that industry, for and with which I have done some work, always operates in a way compatible with all suggestions. Certainly we need more “angel investors” and other low-demand initial facilitators (such as, yes, Y-combinator and seedcamp). And absolutely, we should have more business people involved in assessment and mentoring. Small, focused, limited-time “niche working groups” are a fine idea, and would fit well with online collaboration tools.

By: R Almatev

R Almatev — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 22:54:43 +0000

Two great points here, on the need to use real-world commercial people to judge market demand and financial viability for projects, and on the imperative to have academia and business cooperate.

Don’t overestimate Y-Combinator or copycats – these are great folks but all such outfits between them have funded under 200 businesses *worldwide* – and their culture is far from that of most Irish “entrepreneurs”. We will need something more home-grown.

Aside from providing a refuge for some old familiar faces, the Digital Hub has not impressed – if it were a business unit, it would be buried by now – but the related idea about gathering a team of “wise men (and women, but please, no Laura M’s)” is valid. Many of the really smart ones are tax exiles, but since they do get to live in Ballsbridge, Kildare, Meath and Glandore for up to 180 days, they could offer some time in lieu of tax. If the boys over at the Indo could take a break from the war, O’Brien sure knows how to run a tight business, and O’Reilly may actually have a vision on media – and at least two of his sons, Cameron “Anthony” and Gavin, sound like they have a clue – and with Desmond to play some money games, yes, we might be talking.

By: P Thomas

P Thomas — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 10:00:49 +0000

My friend, I think someone’s missed the point of the NEW WORLD here.

The Digital Hub?? WHat on earth has it achieved, beyond costing a quantity of taxpayers’ cash. This was another half-baked project. Many old IDA industrial estates have done more for IT, or for that matter several university incubators. And someone wants to build on that?

Why try to make artificial physical locales, when we are talking about a NEW, VIRTUAL world. Distance does not matter, as the guys in India, China or Singapore would be happy to explain. Or for that matter, the next generation in some Arab states, the Baltics and Brazil. Not to mind much of the USA.

Tax incentives, sure, yes, that worked. And niche study groups, possible. But not all areas, Ireland needs to pick from the list above 2-3 areas where we can excell.

And keep the Dead Hand of Government away, or we are doomed. For now Ireland still has a chance, if we smarten up, wise up (invest in kids) and speed up.