Celebrating all-island collaboration
October 2025 saw more than 230 delegates from over 25 countries descend on the island of Ireland for the 28th TCI Global Conference, a flagship event facilitating cluster, all-island collaboration, shared economic ambition, and global connectivity.
The conference was hosted by InterTradeIreland, in partnership with Invest Northern Ireland and Enterprise Ireland as part of the Shared Island Enterprise Scheme, funded by the Government of Ireland.
As the key delivery partner for the event, over a period of 14 months, Morrow Communications was privileged to work with various partners to help design and deliver this international event. Licenced by TCI (The Competitiveness Institute), the conference will undoubtedly leave a lasting economic legacy on cluster development and collaboration across the island.
Building a global economy
Themed around ‘Building a Global Economy’, the three-day event showcased the thriving innovation and cluster ecosystem across the island to an international and home audience.
Delegates had the opportunity to learn from international best practice shared by world-leading experts and international thought leaders, and participate in interactive cluster tours, showcasing the current innovation ecosystem across the island. Dedicated workshops, aimed at local policymakers and cluster managers, also provided participants with practical tools to develop sustainable and high impact cluster programmes.
Core growth sectors for the island of Ireland highlighted in the event through technical tours and presentations included Maritime and Offshore Wind, Cybersecurity and Fintech, Health and Life Science and Advanced Manufacturing. This included cluster organisations such as NI Maritime and Offshore (NIMO), Marine Ireland Industry Network, CyberIreland, NICyber, The Fintech Corridor, HIRANI, Connected Health & Wellbeing Cluster, ATIM and MEGA.
Collaboration in action
Given a core factor of successful clustering is collaboration, the TCI Global Conference, was designed to foster engagement, insights and knowledge sharing.
Our team did just that, providing professional expertise and direction on how best to promote and deliver a complex yet engaging programme of business and social events, technical logistics, and meaningful content across 3 days. We were also mindful of ensuring the messaging remained on point while helping nurture new connections to help achieve a lasting legacy for the future of clustering across the island of Ireland.
Our Events team ‘lived and breathed’ the conference planning for over 14 months, including attending a learning experience at the 2024 TCI Conference held in Chihuahua, Mexico. Headed up by our experienced Events Director, Jane Watson, she and her team left no stone unturned, working with our creative design and video production colleagues, as well as with our extensive supplier network across Ireland to deliver an impressive package of support. Our friend Susan Hayes-Culleton, The Positive Economist compered the event, bringing her usual flair and passion to the main stage sessions.
The Dublin Royal Convention Centre, located in the heart of the city’s cobbled streets was the host venue, with other social events taking place in The Church, a unique cultural experience set in a deconsecrated historic venue and the jewel that is the Guinness Storehouse at St James’s Gate. Cluster tours took place across Portlaoise, Dundalk, Dublin, Belfast and Newry ensuring an all-island showcase of clustering best practice.
Our production team was also on-site to capture this collaboration in action, featuring the Taoiseach Micheál Martin, as well as interviews with Ministers from multiple Departments, including the First Minister of Northern Ireland, Michelle O’Neill. We also interviewed keynote speakers from across Europe, as well as cluster experts and the delegates themselves to showcase the impact and spotlight the benefits and significance of the conference for the island of Ireland.
Check out the TCI Global Conference highlights video to find out more:
Creating a living legacy
Clustering on the island of island has a key role in helping both administrations deliver on Programme for Government objectives to create a sustainable, highly innovative and competitive economy. The 28th TCI Global Conference has marked a significant step forward in improving the future prosperity and economic development across the island by using clusters and cluster initiatives, and its legacy will live on.
The President of TCI Network, Dr Mirjana Prica, herself heading up a Food Cluster in Australia stated “The 28th TCI Global Conference has been an unmissable knowledge-sharing event between cluster practitioners from across the world, highlighting how the collective power of many can address complex challenges, build competitiveness and create inclusive ecosystems.”
More recently, the impact of the Irish Government backed Shared Island Enterprise Scheme continues to boost the capability of home-grown companies being able to compete on a global scale. The €20m Shared Island Sustainability Capital Grant scheme announced by Economy Ministers Dr Caoimhe Archibald MLA and Minister Peter Burke TD will support six companies across NI and Ireland in the decarbonisation space, each involved in disruptive technologies in high growth sectors such as Agri-tech, Advanced Manufacturing and Energy.
At Morrow Communications, we have a proven track record of delivering expert support across all these areas, from event design and delivery to content curation and stakeholder engagement. Our team were privileged to play our part in helping raise the profile of clustering as a catalyst for change and growth – something we are passionate about.