This has already been mentioned on the forums but it looks like it might be of interest as it targets early stage tech companies. Starts in Oct. 2010 and funding of €50,000 + space looks enticing. Read below for more.

Aphra.

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Ryan Academy Accelerator Fund Raises €1 million for Start-ups
10 07 2010

Dublin City University’s Ryan Academy for Entrepreneurship is delighted to announce the establishment of a seed venture fund of 1 million for early stage technology start-up companies. The new venture fund is an accelerator fund, which will help fund new companies develop from concept to product. The aim of the venture fund is to jump-start a number of high technology start-ups in Ireland with an emphasis on software and biotechnology hardware ideas such as medical devices and diagnostics.

The successful companies will get approximately 50,000 in direct funding, as well as a three-month programme of support from the Ryan Academy for Entrepreneurship, which will include office space, mentorship and specially-designed networking and educational programmes. The financial support for the venture fund is provided by the One Foundation. In addition any profits generated by the Accelerator Fund will be returned to the Fund for further investment.

The first round of investment will open for applicants in October this year, with the first four successful entrepreneurs being announced before the end of the year. A further eight entrepreneurs will be funded in 2011 and again in 2012.

Each of these entrepreneurial groups will then work with the Ryan Academy to develop their company, building key and lasting business relationships along the way to help them sustain a viable business. The Ryan Academy is aiming to work with other seed funds and individual investors, and will be seeking to increase the fund size over time.

“Raising the money to get through the first year is often difficult for entrepreneurs and our objective is to support twenty early-stage entrepreneurial teams over the next two and half years” said Gordon McConnell, Deputy-CEO of the Ryan Academy and venture manager for the new fund. “We will work with other later-stage angel investors, other funds and the venture capital community to help ensure further funding for these new companies. We want to help nurture innovative technology ideas and act as a launchpad for new entrepreneurs.”

The fund is unique as it is both a university-related venture fund for start-ups across Ireland, as well as offering a programme of support for these startups through the Ryan Academy and its network.

see http://ryanacademy.wordpress.com/ for more

DIGITAL SPARK – PRACTICAL USE OF IP IN THE DIGITAL CREATIVE INDUSTRIES – CONFERENCE- UNIVERSITY OF ABERTAY DUNDEE – 1-2 SEPTEMBER 2010

The University of Abertay Dundee is internationally recognised for education in the area of computer games development; and is home to Scotland’s first National Centre for Excellence in Computer Games Education and the competition “Dare to be Digital”.

The University is organising the DIGITAL SPARK conference in Abertay on 1-2 September 2010. The conference aims to present a legal and commercial perspective on the practical use of IP in the digital creative industries.

The website for the conference has just gone live. The URL is http://digitalspark.abertay.ac.uk/

The conference aims to provide insights into how best to make money from your IP whilst protecting yourself from IP threats. It will also provide a great opportunity to mix with other developers, publishers, investors, policy makers etc.

This year Women in Games (UK) will host a session at the Develop Conference in Brighton on Thursday 15th July 2010
from 2pm – 6pm.

Keynote speaker Sheri Graner-Ray is ‘Defending Diversity’

Sheri Graner Ray is a Senior Designer with Schell Games and heads up their satellite studio in Austin, Texas, USA. She has been in the game industry since 1989 and has worked for such companies as Electronic Arts, Origin Systems, Sony Online Entertainment and Cartoon Network. During her career she has worked with such licenses as Star Wars Galaxies, Ultima, FusionFall, and Nancy Drew.

She is author of the book, “Gender Inclusive Game Design-Expanding the Market” and is one of the game industry’s leading experts on gender and computer games. In 2005 she was awarded the IGDA’s Game Developer’s Choice award for her work in gender and games and she is currently serving as the chair of Women In Games International; an organization she co-founded. She was a keynote speaker at the first Women in Games conference in 2004.

There is free entry to the Women in Games event, but you must register to attend this. There are only a limited number of places which are being offered on a first come, first serve basis.

To register email develop2010@womeningames.com to book a place. There are limited places so we will email you back to confirm your place. If all the places have already been booked then we will email and let you know.

Then go to the Develop website and register there: click the blue ‘Register Now’ button at the top right. Then select ‘Expo only – FREE, Weds 14 & Thurs 15 July’, enter your name, email address and so on. If you have already booked for Develop then you do not need to register again.