'Still a few tickets': TechTides returns to NI with international tech line-up and start-up pitch competition
Former Facebook and Google VP headlines conference as 10 start-ups compete in new pitch competition
TechTides returns to Londonderry on October 27 with an international line-up of technology and business leaders, including former Facebook and Google vice-president Colm Long, Salesforce pioneer Martin Moran and San Francisco-based AI entrepreneur Ross Sylvester.
The conference has grown significantly since its Londonderry debut in 2025, expanding to Belfast and attracting more than 600 attendees. This year’s event at the Millennium Forum will also feature a new start-up pitch competition, bringing 10 early-stage businesses from across the island of Ireland before a panel of investors.
The speaker line-up includes Londonderry native Colm Long, who served as vice-president of global operations at Facebook and vice-president of online sales and operations at Google.
He will be joined by Martin Moran, who was Salesforce’s first employee in Europe and established its international business, growing it to more than $250m in annual recurring revenue.
Other speakers include Naomi Timperley, an innovation and growth specialist named among Computer Weekly’s Most Influential Women in UK Tech in 2025, and Ross Sylvester, co-founder and chief executive of AI sales platform Adrata, who is travelling from San Francisco.
The programme also features Maria McMenamin, the first sales hire at Stripe’s Dublin operation, and Robert Hill, director of the Northern Ireland Space Office.
Six themes will run throughout the conference: AI implementation, manufacturing technology, start-ups and entrepreneurship, governance and responsible AI, technology thought leadership, and recruitment, HR and careers.
The new pitch competition will see 10 start-ups present their businesses live to investors, with the selected companies operating across sectors including health technology, property, cybersecurity, equestrian sport, motor retail and AI infrastructure.
The businesses are Arlo, VacTimmune, Signal PropTech, Cavalloré, Portava, HeartPath, Picari, Dealer Control Hub, KarbAI and ClearKey. Their innovations range from AI-powered clinical notes and vaccine research to equine injury prevention and property intelligence.
The founders represent locations across the island, including Londonderry, Belfast, Donegal, Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow.
The judging panel will include Jack Langan, investment associate at Clarendon Fund Managers; Maria McMenamin, adviser, board member and investor; early-stage investor Emily LaRocque; and Katey Dixon, corporate partner at Lewis Silkin.
TechTides founder Alastair Cameron said: “Since its first conference in Derry, TechTides has grown from a single-day gathering into a full-scale event with a genuinely international line-up, and we’re continuing to build on that growth.
“This year, we’re introducing a new start-up pitch competition and expanding our technical content for developers and engineers. Our ambition is to grow TechTides into a regional conference for the whole island of Ireland, connecting the business and technology communities across the region and creating opportunities for people and companies to learn, collaborate and grow.
“We look forward to welcoming attendees next week. There are still a few tickets available for the conference and evening social at techtides.co.”
TechTides Derry is supported by headline sponsors The AMP, Alchemy Technology Services, part of NTT DATA, and Allstate NI. Gold sponsors include Queen’s University Belfast, Matrix and Lewis Silkin.
Tickets are available at techtides.co.