David Caspari - Vice president of enterprise and government, Optus Business
On 18 October, Optus Business partnered up with financial technology start-up hub, Stone & Chalk, to host more than 50 Irish technology companies at a pitch event in Sydney.
The event was attended by the likes of Ireland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Frances Fitzgerald, and Optus Business’ enterprise and government vice president, David Caspari, among others.
The Irish technology companies were in Australia as part of the latest trade mission to Australia by Irish Prime Minister, Michael Higgins.
Indeed, his deputy, Fitzgerald, represented the trade mission at the event as part of her continued mission to double Irish exports to Australia by 2020.
According to Optus Business, the gathering in Sydney was intended to provide a platform for the company and its customers to come face-to-face with leading innovative technology solutions from Ireland, with a focus on fintech, health and education.
“Today’s event provides us with an opportunity to see the innovative technology that is driving overseas economies forward," Caspari said. "Being able to share these insights with our customers demonstrates Optus’ commitment to game changing technology."
Supported by Enterprise Ireland, a government organisation responsible for the development and growth of Irish enterprises in world markets, the Sydney event offered a glimpse into Optus Business’ efforts to tap into early stage tech companies to unearth and commercialise new technologies that may be, or become, useful to its enterprise clients locally and further afield.
Casperi told ARN that Optus Business is already in the process of integrating the capabilities of a start-up to which it was introduced by Enterprise Ireland. More information about the new deal will become publicly-available in the coming weeks, according to Caspari.
The agreement with the as-yet unnamed start-up comes off the back of a mutually-beneficial relationship with Stone & Chalk, and a lengthy history of delving into the local start-up community for new opportunities.
“Without access and the relationships with the likes of Stone & Chalk, we wouldn’t have access to as much agility as we do,” Caspari told ARN. “Large corporates…they don’t innovate at the same pace as some of the start-ups that are incubating in Stone & Chalk and the like, and that gives us a real benefit and advantage.”
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