Culture is Identity: Reflections from the Inter-Celtic Business Forum
A shared ambition across the Celtic nations
An early start this morning, attending the Inter-Celtic Business Forum here in the Isle of Man. Representatives from Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, Brittany and the Isle of Man came together with a shared ambition: strengthening cultural and economic ties across the Celtic nations.
What struck me most? A simple but powerful idea: Culture is Identity.
And when you listen closely, you realise identity shapes how we innovate, how we collaborate, and how quickly we act.
It was especially good to hear from Ireland, an acknowledged world leader at storytelling, authentic branding and celebrating its language on the world stage, something that has driven its economic transformation over the last 15 years. A big lesson for the Isle of Man.
Standout reflections for the Isle of Man
1. Agility matters. Ireland's approach to innovation felt familiar. The ability to influence policy and move at pace is a real advantage for smaller independent nations. It's something we should recognise and lean into.
2. Scale can slow you down. Voices from Wales and Cornwall highlighted the challenge of operating within larger decentralised systems. A useful reminder that being small can be a strength, not a limitation.
3. Untapped potential is everywhere. Cornwall's geothermal energy already powers 10,000 homes, and they sit on significant lithium reserves, yet progress is slowed by permissions and government hundreds of miles away. Opportunity doesn't always equal execution.
4. We are on a precipice with AI. One line I'll be reusing: "The democratisation of knowledge is taking the tools of innovation away from specialists and putting them into everyone's hands."
5. Digital sovereignty and IP are rising priorities. Who owns the data? Who controls the infrastructure? These are no longer abstract questions. They're strategic.
6. AI + public service + business = real impact. From Ireland's integration of tools like Microsoft 365 plus Anthropic across public services, to companies like Infocom achieving 70% growth without reducing headcount. This is what practical adoption looks like.
The bottom line
This is about collaboration. Sharing ideas. Learning faster together.
And finally, agritech partnerships through University College Dublin show what's possible when academia, industry and innovation align. The Celtic nations have always been connected by more than geography. Now the question is whether we can turn that cultural connection into economic momentum.