Research & Innovation

OpenSky, Ireland’s leading GovTech transformation specialist which provides automated solutions to public sector bodies, has launched its new Research Projects Division. Headquartered in Naas, Co Kildare, OpenSky plans to invest in research and innovation projects through the new department, taking its spend in this area up to €1 million annually. The investment will go towards a dedicated team headed up by Tudor Pitulac, who recently joined the company as Manager of Research Projects.

It will also help the Research Projects Division to strengthen the technology expertise of OpenSky team members in Robotic Process Automation, Artificial Intelligence and Augmented Analytics, allowing them to explore new opportunities for customers and develop smart digital platforms with the best future-proofed technologies.

These software platforms and solutions will enable greater efficiency, enhance service delivery and support innovation for government agencies and service based enterprises. In turn, this will contribute to further employment opportunities in OpenSky and generate additional revenue for the organisation.

The new division aims to attract and deliver grant aided research projects through Horizon 2020, the biggest EU Research and Innovation programme, and is currently working on its first project called Carelink, a collaboration with the Telecommunications Software and Systems Group (TSSG). The goal of the project is to deliver a low cost, connected health solution which allows carers to monitor the location and proximity of their loved ones suffering from dementia, thus reducing stress and anxiety for both the carer and the patient.

OpenSky is part of a European consortium which is creating an adaptive wearable and cloud-based ecosystem to meet the unique needs of people with dementia and their carers. The project also develops intelligent IoT-connected services such as a smart-energy wireless sensor, an alert system and a training and information portal.

The establishment of the dedicated Research Projects Division within OpenSky is key to the company’s long-term plans which include continuing to increase revenue by 30% year-on-year and further expanding into international markets such as the UK and North America. Earlier this year, the organisation also announced the creation of 80 jobs.

Michael Cronin (pictured), Managing Director, OpenSky, said: “Our aim is to help create smart cities and communities globally, which are underpinned by digital government services, integrated transport systems and efficient environmental and resource strategies. This new Research Projects Division ties in with our objective to improve the way the nation works and create a digital government that works by delivering better citizen access and streamlining operations.

“In order to make this a reality and support our customer base, we have to continually invest in the best talent and utilise the latest technologies. We also have to ensure that we equip our team members with the skills, training and resources that allow them to build new expertise, which is central to transformation and innovation.”

Welcoming the announcement, Kevin Doolin, Director of Innovation at TSSG, said: “This is great news for OpenSky and for the research community in Ireland in general. Carelink is a strategic project for TSSG and we hope to build deeper collaborative relationships with OpenSky in the future.”

Gary McManus, Carelink project co-ordinator, said: “The Carelink team and I are delighted to work with OpenSky and continue our research in Carelink. This funding is invaluable to people with dementia and their carers as we work towards an intelligent monitoring solution to improve their quality of life.”