When we started Úll, we pitched it as a conference for developers and designers for the Apple platform. Úll means apple in Irish … get it? Over the past few years it has become clear that developers and designers are not the only people who get a lot out of Úll.

That’s not to say that Úll is not primarily a technology conference. It is. But there’s a reason that the tagline has evolved from “a conference for iOS developers” to “a conference about great products”. Apple, as a company, is teaching the world new ways of operating, of out-innovating itself, of delighting customers.

Úll is an exploration of what we can learn from Apple: a company whose heart lies at the intersection of technology and the liberal arts.

This is why we invite families, particularly encouraging significant others not just to come to the meals, but to join the conference sessions. It’s why we sign up the best coffee shop in Ireland to serve its own filter blend. We put an emphasis on live music and encourage attendees to sing, dance and play together. We believe that technology by itself is interesting, but technology combined with the arts is exciting. We want to create an environment where everybody is hungry to learn new things.

You will meet developers at Úll, and perhaps that’s your bag, but our goal is to bring together people who are passionate about learning new things, about encouraging strong relationships with people who are actually building real things, and who leave the conference wanting to do their job better, whatever that job is.

With all that said, we deeply appreciate new perspectives. There’s no minimum skill level required to attend Úll, and we have already seen in the last few years how diverse perspectives lead to more interesting conversations, more engaging debates and a more valuable conference for everyone.

To those who have been before, if you know anyone who would enjoy Úll and add a fresh perspective, please share this post with them. If you haven’t been before and you’re excited about any of this stuff, we’d love to have you.