A coincidence for the TEE conference….

Ireland Opening “Innovation Center” In Silicon Valley.
The San Jose Mercury News (3/15, Carey) reports, “Ireland stepped up its already strong relationship with Silicon Valley on Sunday by opening an ‘innovation center’ in downtown San Jose that it hopes will help revive the battered Irish economy.” Ireland is “hoping to grow an indigenous high-tech sector to help with recovery.” To that end, “the center – with a grant from the Irish government – will give Irish entrepreneurs a front-row seat in Silicon Valley, where they can ‘make the right pitch to the right people in the right place at the right time,’ said Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen.” The Mercury News notes, “The Irish Innovation Center will serve as an incubator for as many as 35 Irish startups in green and cleantech, software and other emerging tech areas. It will eventually be linked to a planned $100 million venture fund.”
Shannon Region To Become Green Energy Hub. The Irish Times (3/15, Collins) reports, “The Shannon region is to become home to a ‘green energy hub’ following the signing of an agreement in Silicon Valley yesterday between the University of Limerick (UL), the National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG), Shannon Development and the Irish Technology Leadership Group (ITLG).” The agreement “commits them to creating activities in the region around sustainable energy, in order to support job creation and the creation of green start-up companies.”
Another Irish Times (3/15, O’Brien) article reports, “The main research partners, NUI Galway and UL, plan to combine their research efforts and provide a range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in the sector. NUI Galway already has courses in energy systems engineering, while the first students at a new energy programme are due to graduate from UL in 2013. The initiative also aims to support the development of wind, wave/tidal, biomass, solar and geothermal generation facilities.”