Microsoft, IC4, DCU, UCC and AIT to accelerate the growth of cloud business in Ireland
Microsoft, the Irish Centre for Cloud Computing and Commerce (IC4), Dublin City University (DCU), University College Cork (UCC) and Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT) today announced the National Cloud Computing Accelerator Programme to accelerate cloud business in Ireland. Over the next year, over 2,000 organisations will receive guidance and training on how to assess which cloud services are best situated to accelerate their business and 200 organisations will receive hands-on cloud implementation advice at drop-in clinics in Dublin, Cork and Athlone. An additional 500 small and medium businesses who have already adopted the cloud will be advised on how the cloud can be leveraged to support growth.
The announcement of the National Cloud Computing Accelerator Programme follows the publication of the Microsoft/Amárach Cloud Index yesterday as part of National Cloud Week. The report showed that greater awareness about the benefits of cloud and the latest cloud-related offerings is needed, with 37% of organisations polled saying that they are unaware of or are still gathering knowledge about the potential that cloud computing holds for their business. While 64% of businesses which have deployed the cloud said the cloud had met their expectations, only 19% of organisations said their expectations had been exceeded, suggesting that many have yet to harness the power of the cloud as a growth tool.
Speaking this morning, Clare Dillon, Microsoft Ireland said: “The purpose of the National Cloud Computing Accelerator Programme is to evangelise on the benefits of cloud computing for business, providing it is deployed in an appropriate, sophisticated manner. Microsoft will be working with DCU and IC4 on the design and delivery of clinics which have the specified aim of broadening the reach of the cloud in Ireland. We will also be arranging for expert speakers to attend the drop-in clinics where they will advise organisations on the most up-to-date developments in cloud technology. 90-day versions of all Microsoft cloud services will be provided to all participating businesses and Microsoft will be promoting the programme to 30,000 small business customers and partners.”
DCU will be leading the outreach programme to 2,000 Irish organisations which they will seek to educate about the ways the cloud can aid growth. The university will be immediately expanding its existing ‘Techspectations’ outreach programme to incorporate a new free cloud-specific training programme. DCU will also be launching a new facility, MarketingLab, to provide SMEs, and specifically cloud technology companies, access to cloud and digital marketing expertise, tools and knowledge. MarketingLab will be supported by Microsoft and hardware partner HP with the latest Windows 8 PCs, tablets and phones.
“Acceleration of cloud computing is a national priority. Cloud computing has the potential to drive significant new job creation and contribution to GDP,” said Prof. Brian MacCraith, President of Dublin City University. “As Ireland’s University of Enterprise, DCU is delighted to work with Microsoft, our IC4 partner institutions – UCC’s Boole Centre for Research in Informatics and AIT’s Software Research Institute – and the other industry members in IC4 to accelerate the development and adoption of cloud technologies by Irish organisations through education, research and outreach.”
National Cloud Week has been running all week: Monday saw a focus on the non-profit sector, on Tuesday Microsoft presented to the Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation on the efficiencies that can be achieved through Cloud computing and launched details of a Cloud Roadshow in association with Enterprise Ireland and the Irish Internet Association. On Thursday Microsoft hosted a Business Leaders Summit focused on Cloud adoption and deployment for different types of businesses. As part of this event details of the Microsoft/Amárach Cloud Index were released.
For more information the Irish Centre for Cloud Computing and Commerce visit IC4.ie