Web 2 Ireland

Apply to Innovate!2010 to be named as one of The World's 100 Most Promising Startups and win a share of nearly $250,000 in prizes.

The Irish leg of the Pitch Slam takes place on March 8 after the BizSparkCamp program. Judges for the Dublin Pitch Slam include Brian Caufield, Martin Kelly, Cliff Reeves (MD of MSFT Emerging Business Team)

Readers of web2ireland can attend the Pitch Slam for FREE (thanks Microsoft & Enterprise Ireland!!) using the registration code: BZS2010 here

And startups can apply to the competition here – DEADLINE MARCH 1st

Innovate!2010 is a global competition to identify and promote the Innovate!100: a prestigious list of the world's 100 most promising technology, media and communications startups..

Produced by market intelligence firm Guidewire Group, developers of the G/Score proprietary assessment methodology for evaluating startups, Innovate!2010 will offer participating companies valuable training and promotion along with a chance to win a share of nearly $250,000 in sponsored prizes.

Partners and sponsors of the competition include market-leading companies like Best Buy, HP, Motorola, O2 Litmus, RIM, SAP, Sun, SWIFT and Verizon, dozens of early-stage investors, and marquee media partners.

Here's how the program works:
* Startups apply online to compete for expert feedback & validation, promotion and nearly $250,000 in prizes.
* Finalists are invited to pitch at one of over 20 networking events called Pitch Slams where they will deliver rapid-fire pitches to a panel of expert judges and an audience of local investors, entrepreneurs, executives and members of the media.
* After the Pitch Slam tour, the top-ranking startups will be named to the Innovate!100 list and will receive extensive promotion.
* A follow-on program called the Innovate! Connection Program offers the Innovate!100 finalists pre-qualified introductions to potential partners, investors and customers for a fee.

Via the Google Blog:

That’s why we are excited to announce Google Code Jam 2010 to the true die-hard coding fans. Google Code Jam, powered by Google App Engine, is our annual programming competition, where thousands of coders around the world attack algorithmic problems in several 2.5-hour online rounds. If you make it through the first four rounds, you’ll be flown to our on-site finals, to be held for the first time at the Google office in Dublin! Once there, you will compete with 24 other top coders for the $5,000 first prize — and the coveted title of Code Jam champion.?

All the important dates over on the blog. Should be an amazing event. Let’s show em all what we’re made of over here.

A video from recent Facebook Developer Garage in Dublin

Thanks to Jan at TouristRepubic for organizing video and pictures from event

We’re delighted to announce the First Facebook Developer Garage Ireland of 2010

Speakers include:

Gavin Barrett, Crowdstar
Charles Dowd, tickettruck
Declan Kennedy, Betapond
David Lenehan, Polldaddy
Sonia Flynn, Facebook

Thanks to The Science Gallery for hosting the event and Enterprise Ireland for providing support.

Date: Thursday, February 18, 2010
Time: 4:00pm – 6:00pm
Location: Science Gallery, Pearse Street, Dublin 2

Sign up on Facebook for event

Lots of Gaming related activity happening in Ireland at the moment

Havok founders, Dr. Steven Collins and Hugh Reynolds are rumored to have signed multiple deals with large gaming platforms and publishing houses, with their startup new game technology, which is trading as Kore

Tribal City Interactive based in Galway are working on social games for both Facebook and Twitter

Jolt Online, recently acquired by Gamestop, are hiring like mad

Crowdstar, one of the largest social gaming companies on Facebook, have an operation in Ireland (codename: CSI) , headed up by Gavin Barrett

IDA Ireland announced over 100 jobs at Dublin based Gala Networks Europe