From start-ups to multinationals, up to 1,000 tech workers are to take part in the first-ever charity tech treasure trail on Dublin’s streets to raise potentially hundreds of thousands of euros for a new renal and neurological outpatients facility at Temple Street Children’s Hospital.

Techies4TempleStreet will bring together all strands of the tech community on 2 October at the RDS, including 1,000 executives from companies including LinkedIn, Digital Realty, Philip Lee Solicitors, Deloitte, Homestay, Xilinx, Airbnb and William Fry.

Divided into 100 teams, the tech workers will use their brains and technology like smartphones to complete intellectual challenges and unearth thousands of euros worth of prizes as they traverse the city.

Upon their return to the RDS there will be food, beer and prize-giving as well as networking and recognition for Dublin’s smartest techie.

The event will also mark the first gathering of the Captain’s Club, an exclusive circle of team captains, company founders and senior executives who will continue to meet regularly to discuss issues affecting the tech industry.

‘The expert care in this unit is a lifeline for children all over Ireland but the truth is these facilities let our patients down’

– DENISE FITZGERALD

Founded in 1872, Temple Street is an acute paediatric hospital serving some of Ireland’s sickest children. The hospital cares for more than 145,000 children per year and more than 50,000 of these children attend the emergency department every year, making it one of the busiest in Europe.

“Over the next two years we need to raise up to €5m in order to build a new renal and neurology outpatients unit,” explained Denise Fitzgerald, CEO of the Temple Street Foundation.

“The expert care in this unit is a lifeline for children all over Ireland but the truth is these facilities let our patients down.

“The funds raised from this event will help us make huge strides towards achieving our goal.”

Speaking with Siliconrepublic.com, one of the members of the organising committee for Techies4TempleStreet, Diane Hodnett, said the intention is to make it a bi-annual event but also to encourage other digital hubs in Ireland like Cork, Limerick and Galway to hold similar events around the country.

“It isn’t just about the tech companies but getting the wider tech community involved,” Hodnett said.

Temple Street Hospital image Flickr/DubhEire