Irish Tech News Audio Articles

HyperPath, a recent spin-out from Tyndall National Institute, based at University College Cork, is addressing one of today's biggest mobility challenges: ensuring reliable, always-on wireless connectivity for systems on the move. HyperPath was founded on pioneering research conducted within Tyndall's Wireless Communications Laboratory by Dr Kariem Fahmi and Professor Holger Claussen, which solves the problem of continuous connectivity through an AI-powered software platform that seamlessly fuses and orchestrates multiple unreliable wireless networks into a single ultra-reliable connection. As cars and autonomous systems become more connected, uninterrupted communication is essential for safety and operational efficiency. However, current networks have limitations, such as cellular coverage gaps, satellite line-of-sight issues, and high costs, which can lead to service interruptions, safety risks, and reduced performance. HyperPath removes reliance on any single network, providing a stronger and more resilient connection: — For automotive manufacturers: Always-on connectivity to support advanced vehicle features, autonomy, and safety systems across urban, rural, and remote environments. — For satellite and virtual network operators: New opportunities to deliver hybrid services that combine satellite and terrestrial networks. The development of HyperPath's technology was supported through an Enterprise Ireland–funded Commercialisation Fund project, which enabled the team to translate their research into a market-ready solution. HyperPath also benefitted from Enterprise Ireland's Business Partners Programme and has secured Pre-Seed Start Fund investment, providing crucial support as the company moves into the next phase of growth. With this foundation in place, HyperPath is now entering a growth phase that will see the expansion of its engineering and commercial teams. The company's plans for high-value job creation will contribute to Ireland's growing deep-tech and semiconductor-adjacent ecosystem, adding further momentum to the region's reputation as a hub for advanced connectivity and mobility technologies. Dr Patrick Morrissey, Director of Innovation and Industry Engagement, Tyndall, said: "HyperPath represents the type of innovative, high-impact software company that complements and reinforces Ireland's rapidly scaling semiconductor ecosystem. Its success showcases the Semiconductor Strategy, Silicon Island, in practice, and aligns with Tyndall's mission to support companies that add capability, depth, and competitiveness to Ireland's national semiconductor landscape." Professor Holger Claussen, Head of Tyndall's Wireless Communications Laboratory and Professor of Wireless Communications at University College Cork and Trinity College Dublin, said: "With HyperPath, we solved the very hard technical problem to efficiently combine multiple unreliable wireless networks into an ultra-reliable and highly efficient link. We approach the theoretical maximum bonding performance, which currently no other existing link-bonding solution can do with variable wireless links." Ger Mc Namara, CEO, HyperPath, said: "We are at a pivotal point in time for resilient, on-the-move wireless connectivity, be it autonomous vehicles, mobile robotics, drone operations or emergency services. The challenges and business impacts associated with single wireless network use can no longer be tolerated. HyperPath is leading the way in delivering AI-optimised, resilient wireless hybrid connectivity"

The Dublin Smartphone Film Festival (DubSmartFF) returns for its 9th year on April 11th, 2026, at The Pearse Centre, bringing together Ireland's most distinctive and daring mobile filmmakers under one roof, and this year, the programme has something to say. Headlining the 2026 festival is the Irish premiere of Once Was Too Much, a new documentary from Dublin director Ray Hegarty that offers an unflinching window into the activism of Flames Not Flowers, a Dublin-based feminist collective dedicated to raising awareness of Gender-Based Domestic Violence and honouring the women who have lost their lives to it in Ireland. "We've always believed that mobile filmmaking democratises storytelling," says Festival Director Robert Fitzhugh. "This year, Once Was Too Much is the embodiment of that belief. These are Irish stories, Irish women, and a Dublin filmmaker using the most accessible tool available to give them a voice. That's exactly what this festival exists to amplify." The 2026 programme also includes the European Premiere of Squashbox, the award-winning short documentary from acclaimed South African filmmaker SJ Van Breda. The film, shot entirely on mobile devices across KwaZulu-Natal and Ireland, tells the story of SAMA-winning Maskandi duo Qadasi & Maqhinga, and made its world premiere at the Sydney Opera House in January, where it took home five major awards. Its European debut in Dublin is a testament to the global reach of mobile cinema. Now in its 9th year, DubSmartFF remains Ireland's only international film festival dedicated exclusively to mobile filmmaking. The 2026 programme features over 25 short films across categories, including Best Documentary, Animation, Music Video, and more Dublin Smartphone Film Festival Event Details The Pearse Centre, Dublin April 11th, 2026 12 pm – 5 pm Tickets from €16 — www. dublinsmartphonefilmfestival. com More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

Cryptocurrency: for iGaming in the Republic of Ireland Cryptocurrencies have finally crossed into the financial mainstream, with numerous industries now considering them to be a legitimate payment option. The online gaming sector was an early adopter of crypto, bringing them into the equation alongside other options such as debit cards and digital wallets. Established iGaming markets such as the Republic of Ireland offer an excellent insight into how crypto has become firmly embedded in the sector. Crypto Payments and the Evolution of iGaming Ireland is a renowned gambling market worth around $1.5 billion. Its success has been built on a willingness to embrace innovative technological developments. Many of the reputable platforms listed on Casino.com Ireland offer players the opportunity to make deposits and withdrawals via crypto. The recognised its speed and cross-border relevance. Crypto transactions are faster than traditional bank transfers handled by Irish legacy institutions, typically being processed within a few minutes. Operational costs are also lower. Privacy is another key reason why players and operators have adopted crypto payments. Crypto allows players to transact without sharing extensive, personal or financial details. Blockchain technology can be also used to prove that online casino games are fair, giving users much greater confidence in the game outcomes they experience. True Digital Ownership and the Rise of In-Game Economies The concept of true ownership of crypto in gaming has been a serious topic of debate for the industry in Ireland and the rest of the world. Developers generally control all in-game items, such as skins, weapons, outfits and other collectables. This model never sat well with players who invested time and money to assemble assets but never truly owned them. Blockchain technology has changed that dynamic. Through tokenisation and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), players can now trade, own and sell their in-game items across different marketplaces. The widespread use of blockchain technology has given rise to player-driven economies in which virtual goods have real-world value. According to Grand View Research, global gaming revenue will grow from $184 billion in 2024 to a projected $205bn this year. In-game purchases covering microtransactions, downloadable content, battle passes and subscriptions are projected to contribute to 61 percent of that total in 2026. Crypto enables these trades in an actual, open, tradable financial ecosystem. It appeals to the younger, digitally-versed audience who want flexibility and control. Players can now monetise their time and assets with crypto, transforming the gaming experience into something remarkably more. Play-to-Earn Models and New Incentive Structures The emergence of crypto has introduced entirely new gaming models, the most popular of which is play-to-earn (P2E). They are unlike traditional games, where rewards are based on in-game progression. The P2E model allows players to earn cryptocurrencies or tokens that carry real-world value. This model gained traction recently, with millions of users participating in blockchain-based games. The market was projected to achieve a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 21.3% and reach an estimated market size of $1110.88 million by the end of last year. It has found a particular niche in emerging markets, providing a dual-purpose experience. Players are gaming for entertainment and income. The P2E model encourages players to play for longer periods. Developers also benefit. Embedding the token economy helps build an ecosystem where users contribute to growth, creating a feedback loop as more players drive more value, which then attracts more participants. P2E is still taking shape, but it is prompting a serious rethink of expectations about what gaming can offer. Interoperability of the Metaverse, Community Governance and Decentralised Gaming Models Interoperability is another key reason for crypto's ...

Guinness Enterprise Centre (GEC), Ireland's entrepreneurial superhub, has announced that it has invested €50M in growing and enriching Ireland's largest start-up campus since it was founded 25 years ago. This investment has benefited 1,500 start-ups and makes the Guinness Enterprise Centre the largest non-state investor in facilities for early-stage start-ups in Ireland. Guinness Enterprise Centre is a non-profit organisation, founded in 2000 by Diageo, Furthr (formerly Dublin BIC), Dublin City Council, Enterprise Ireland, Local Enterprise Office Dublin City and the Guinness Workers Enterprise Fund. Once a warehouse attached to the famous Guinness brewery in Dublin's Liberties, the Guinness Enterprise Centre now encompasses a five-storey campus, hosting 160 start-ups who benefit from a vibrant ecosystem that provides access to investors, mentors, events and scaling programmes. The organisation reinvests all revenues into this ecosystem and its facility. In doing so, it has supported start-ups like video game development studio, Black Shamrock, which now employs almost 140 on site at Guinness Enterprise Centre. Other success stories include Astatine, which last year signed an €800M partnership with Aviva Investors to develop a renewables platform, and Circle Internet Group, a Goldman Sachs-backed payments technology company. Revenues at the Guinness Enterprise Centre reached almost €2.56M last year. The non-profit expects to exceed €3M in revenues in 2026 and by 2030, it expects to reach annual revenues of €4M. Over the next five years, the Guinness Enterprise Centre expects to reinvest €18M in revenues in its campus. Income is primarily generated through office and co-working space fees, which are kept below market rates to reduce barriers to entry for start-ups. Additional income is generated through conference and event space rentals, further supporting the Guinness Enterprise Centre's mission to support early-stage companies. Niamh Collins, Centre Director, Guinness Enterprise Centre, said: "Since the beginning, every euro we have generated has been reinvested back into our ecosystem. When a company pays rent here, they're not just securing desk space; they're funding the mentor network, the investor connections, and the programmes that will benefit them, along with future generations of entrepreneurs walking through our doors. This has a compounding impact and underlines why our non-profit status is so important to Ireland's start-up ecosystem. By tying our own success to the success of our start-ups, we breed more success." David Varian, Chairperson, Guinness Enterprise Centre, said: "Few European start-up campuses can point to a comparable level of long-term, self-financed reinvestment, and that distinction matters enormously in an era where entrepreneurial infrastructure is increasingly commercialised or state-dependent. What we have built is genuinely rare: a self-sustaining model that has weathered multiple economic cycles – the dot-com crash, the financial crisis, Brexit, a pandemic – while never wavering from our core mission. "Twenty-five years ago, Ireland had little formal start-up infrastructure and entrepreneurs often had to look abroad for resources and credibility. Today, Ireland is exporting start-ups globally, and the Guinness Enterprise Centre has been instrumental in that transformation." See more stories here. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. You can a...

With under two weeks left to go before the deadline for application, women entrepreneurs across Ireland are being urged to 'back themselves' and apply to Visa's She's Next programme for a chance to win one of five grants together with mentorship and resources to help their business thrive. Applications for Visa's She's Next Grant Programme will close on April 9th, providing five small Irish businesses with a total of €90,000 in business funding together with expert coaching from some of Ireland's most respected businesswomen, Aimee Connolly (founder and CEO, Sculpted by Aimee), Breege O'Donoghue (former board member, Primark) and Gráinne Mullins (founder, Grá Chocolates). Ines Obtinalla, Head of Marketing, Ireland at Visa, said: "While progress has been made, women entrepreneurs in Ireland are still facing barriers to funding and mentorship. Visa backs small businesses with big ambitions, and this programme will deliver the resources and expertise to power our five winners' next steps." 2026 Visa She's Next – What Winners Receive — Four women entrepreneurs will each receive €10,000; one overall winner will receive €50,000 — All winners will receive mentoring from three of Ireland's leading businesswomen: Aimee Connolly, Breege O'Donoghue and Gráinne Mullins — Individual and group pitch preparation sessions — Access to ongoing supports available through Visa's She's Next alumni network How to apply Visa's She's Next Grant Programme is open to small businesses and organisations in the Republic of Ireland that are majority owned by women, operating across all industries and sectors. To enter, applicants are asked to complete a short submission on visa.ie/shesnext by 9th April 2026. To date, Visa's She's Next Grant Programme has awarded €215,000 in funding and coaching to 20 women entrepreneurs in Ireland to help them take their next business step. Last year's winners were: — €50,000 grant recipient & overall winner; Claire Fullam – Remi Scalp Care — Marian Kennedy – Anewmum — Sinéad Ryan – Little Fitness — Denise Walsh – Curly Co — Lisa Kleiner – Nibbed Cacao More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

In this interview we catch up with serial innovator Andrew Sheehan, to learn more about his latest interesting venture SustainabilityExamples, see more about it here. Who are we talking to? Is it a logical journey to what you are working on now? My name is Andrew Sheehan, and my background spans accounting, marketing, and product. I originally trained and qualified as an accountant in 2013, but moved into marketing early in my career and have since spent nearly 20 years in marketing leadership roles across Ireland, the US, and the UK. More recently, I worked as a fractional CMO and product marketing consultant for scaling technology companies through my (now dormant) consultancy, ProductMarketing.ie. Through that work, I found myself increasingly drawn to purpose-driven and climate-focused businesses – seeing both the ambition they had and the challenges they faced in communicating and executing on that ambition. SustainabilityExamples with Andrew Sheehan The idea for SustainabilityExamples.com started back in 2021, when I kept coming back to the same question: why is it so hard for companies to see what good looks like in practice…and which solutions can actually help them get there? After several years of hands-on experience implementing a sustainability strategy with a previous employer, combined with working closely with GreenTech and other purpose-driven companies, that question turned into a clear opportunity. What are you working on now? I launched SustainabilityExamples.com in 2025 to help close that gap – making real-world climate action more visible, accessible, and easier to adopt and learn from. Since launching, we've already helped over 100 companies share their sustainability journey (progress, not perfection) while also showcasing the solutions enabling that progress. That's been incredibly rewarding and reinforces that this is a problem worth solving. As a qualified accountant in addition to 20 years of marketing experience, I recently went back to the classroom to study corporate sustainability before leaving my job and pivoting fully into the world of climate entrepreneurship to bring a rare blend of marketing strategy and storytelling to drive progress in this space through SustainabilityExamples.com. What is SustainabilityExamples.com? SustainabilityExamples.com is a corporate sustainability engagement platform – think of it as the "Product Hunt for Sustainability". The place to launch and discover examples of solutions and initiatives driving real progress, every day. At it's core, it's about making sustainability action visible, adoptable, and commercially rewarding. We're primarily speaking to founders and operators building GreenTech and CleanTech companies, as well as sustainability leaders driving the sustainability strategy inside mid-to-large organisations. They're all trying to answer the same questions: "What are other companies doing, who are they doing it with…and is it working?" The journey to building SustainabilityExamples.com came from seeing how fragmented and siloed that process is. Companies don't lack intent…they lack visibility into credible, verified and real-world examples they can trust and act on. We also recognise how terrifying it is for companies to openly talk about their progress out of fear of greenwashing and beyond. Companies can communicate with confidence among like-minded peers and stakeholders who value progress over perfection while instilling trust on the platform through built in verification and accountability tools. What are you currently working on now? Right now, we're focused on growing the platforms ecosystem – one companies solution is another companies initiative: Increasing the volume of high-quality corporate initiatives and case studies of solutions being shared for business leaders to learn from, champion, and adopt. Improving discovery features so business leaders can quickly find relevant, actionable examples of initiatives and case studies to impleme...

By David Stephen There is a recent report on NBC News, Iran fires missiles at remote U.K.-U.S. base, claiming long-range capabilities it previously denied, stating that, "Iran has fired missiles at the joint U.K.-U.S. Diego Garcia military base in the Indian Ocean, claiming the strike shows it is capable of longer-distance attacks than previously known." What is the impact of Iran War on AI Safety, Alignment? "The distance of the attempted strike could indicate that Iran has capabilities for long-distance attacks that it has previously denied, with the base the same distance from Iran as much of central Europe. It is unclear, however, if the missiles carried a payload or how far such an attack could truly reach, as neither missile reached its target." Iran is not as powerful as the United States militarily, but in this war, Iran is showing that it has the capacity to hurt. And it is still unclear, to what extent, as the conflict ploughs on. If Iran is able to hit specific targets in the Middle East, causing damages, losses and disruptions, it indicates that the protective coverage of a military superpower may not be as thorough, as sophisticated weapons become more ubiquitous. There are several nations in a number of continents that the United States can hit, and they would not be able to respond in any consequential way, which may result in them surrendering early enough. However, for Iran, that is not the case, given its military facilities and coveted geography of overseeing a chokepoint — the Strait of Hormuz. If precision missiles are leveling up countries that should not stand a chance against a superpower, what does it mean in an era of artificial intelligence? AI There are lots of governments and corporations that can now build AI base models, with capabilities of all kinds — positive or otherwise. This means that all the risks that major AI companies warn about can be obtained by some AI model of some country or company, even if they do not allow access [for public use.] So, it is possible to have private AI models [be able to] do many of the things [that are not allowed] under guardrails by the leading AI chatbots. It means those private AIs can suggest, recommend, refer, connect dots and do so much negativity, without any regulation or outrage. The datasets to build AI models are already public. The processors to build it are obtainable one way or the other. The architecture and deep learning libraries are public knowledge, so there is nothing that says it cannot be done, however intensive, so long the team has resources. Now, while there is often an outcry, when some AI model is misused in public, and then adjustments follow, it does not seem like there is a need to make any AI model safe or aligned to certain values, if it will not be used in public. So, the raison d'être, for AI safety and alignment are principally business prudent. Also, there is no safety architecture that means that an AI base model cannot be trained unless it is safe or aligned. Most safety and alignment are done, post-training. This makes it obvious that general AI safety and alignment may not exist. Is AI Safety and Alignment Futile? AI is already used in war and will continue to be a tool of combat. Humans have factions. Tensions will often flare sometimes resulting in conflagrations like the Iran war. Because there is no foundation training architecture for safety for AI, it cannot refuse to be used at war, as its decision [or its non-existent agency]. Also, there are ways to have misaligned and unsafe AI cause problems, if suddenly made accessible to the public, in some situations. The erstwhile rush towards benchmarks and evaluations may not be as necessary, since even lower tier AI can cause substantial damage when unsafe, unaligned and used as targets for certain outcomes. The whole AI safety interest has been largely driven commercially and now, it is shown that except some new innovation can match training with safety, track AI m...

refurbed, Ireland's leading online marketplace for refurbished goods, has launched an exclusive new partnership with GoPro, the global brand recognised for its versatile action cameras. As part of this collaboration, refurbished GoPro products will be made available exclusively via refurbed in Ireland, Denmark and Sweden. This is refurbed's first major consumer electronics (CE) brand partnership in the camera category, which shows the growth in demand for refurbished goods beyond smartphones and laptops. The partnership builds on a successful pilot phase, during which sales of GoPro products on refurbed increased by 195%, demonstrating strong consumer demand for high-quality refurbished cameras. This demand was particularly evident in Ireland last year. refurbed, now marking its 5th year in Ireland, saw an increased demand for refurbished cameras among its Irish consumers in 2025. Compared to 2024, there was a year on year growth of 329%. Refurbished devices typically cost up to 40% less than their brand-new counterparts, so customers are getting a high-quality product at a fraction of the price. From now on, customers in Ireland, Denmark and Sweden can purchase refurbished GoPro HERO9, HERO10 and HERO11 models exclusively through refurbed. All devices originate from customer and channel returns and are professionally refurbished by GoPro and its partners. The refurbishment process includes thorough inspection, functional testing, cleaning, and quality assurance, with key components such as batteries replaced where necessary. All products meet original performance standards, including full waterproof functionality. "With GoPro, we are expanding our offering into an exciting new product category and showing that refurbished can go far beyond smartphones," says Kilian Kaminski, Co-Founder of refurbed. "This partnership allows us to bring highly attractive, premium products to more consumers, while making them more accessible and sustainable at the same time. It also serves as a strong example of how brands can successfully collaborate with refurbished marketplaces." GoPro also emphasised the importance of the collaboration, stating: "We partnered with refurbed to make GoPro products available to more customers through a trusted refurbished marketplace, with a strong focus on quality and sustainability." The partnership underlines a broader industry shift, with more leading brands embracing refurbishment as a way to extend product lifecycles and reach new customer segments. See more stories here. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

Waterford's Walton Institute at South East Technological University (SETU) and IrelandQCI project consortium partners have worked with Q*Bird, the Dutch leader in quantum secure communication, to successfully deploy Ireland's first multi-node, entanglement-based Measurement-Device-Independent Quantum Key Distribution (MDI-QKD) network. The deployment forms part of the IrelandQCI project, the country's national quantum communications initiative and a key contributor to EuroQCI, the EU-wide federated quantum communications infrastructure. Operating over Ireland's existing fibre infrastructure, the telecom-grade network transitions quantum security from research environments into live national infrastructure. It safeguards research, education and critical systems while enabling interoperable quantum connectivity across Ireland and Europe. Importantly, it has been designed from the start with an expandable architecture in mind, so that any additional Q*Bird QKD Node can connect to the network with a single fibre link and then gain full quantum connectivity around the network. A major milestone for Ireland's national quantum infrastructure ''This multi-node deployment represents a major milestone for Ireland's national quantum infrastructure," said Dr Deirdre Kilbane, Director of Research at Walton Institute at SETU and Coordinator of the €10 M IrelandQCI project, which is co-funded by the European Commission and the Irish Government's Department of Communications, Culture and Sport. "By integrating Q*Bird's operational MDI-QKD Falqon® Series across research institutions, data centres and national networks, we are enabling secure, interoperable quantum communication while also creating a platform for other research institutions to join. It strengthens Ireland's sovereignty over critical communications and contributes directly to EuroQCI and Europe's federated quantum network vision." The hub-and-spoke architectural network comprises of four End Nodes, one Center Hub and one Quantum Optical Switch for a scalable metropolitan deployment and uses ESB Telecoms dark fibre for the quantum communication channel. The End Nodes are located in two Dublin data centres, Dublin City University and Trinity College Dublin, while the Center Hub is hosted at Asiera (formerly HEAnet), Ireland's National Education and Research Network. The collaborative expertise of Walton Institute at SETU, Asiera and Q*Bird were responsible for the successful deployment of the highly secure connection between the strategic Dublin city locations. The Q*Bird Quantum-Optimized Optical Switch enables dynamic, secure routing of qubits around the network, ensuring full multi-node connectivity of QKD keys, without relying on trusted intermediaries. Industry-grade security for research, education and critical infrastructure At the core of the network is Q*Bird's Falqon Series, enabling entanglement-based quantum key distribution over operational fibre networks. Detector-side exploits have been identified by security authorities, including Germany's Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), as the most critical attack vector in earlier QKD implementations. Q*Bird's devices completely remove the requirement to trust any measurement devices, thus establishing an architecture with a security model resilient against both present day cyber threats and future quantum-enabled attacks. This ensures long-term cryptographic protection for sensitive research data, governmental communications and critical infrastructure systems, while addressing harvest-now-decrypt-later (HNDL) risk scenarios. Interoperability by design, resilience by architecture The network's hub-and-spoke architecture of Q*Bird devices, along with the Quantum Optical Switch, enables precise synchronisation, dynamic routing and multi-node quantum key distribution. Designed for interoperability and compatibility with existing fibre infrastructure, it provides an open foundation for future integration with eme...

The second half of 2025 saw Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) under siege from persistent hacktivist groups. Threat actors such as Keymous+ and NoName057(16) maintained activity across the area, despite coordinated law enforcement operations designed to take down these groups. According to NETSCOUT's latest DDoS Threat Intelligence Report, over 8 million attacks were recorded globally, with 3,331,570 targeting EMEA, nearly twice as many as the next most heavily targeted region. Looking at the region in greater detail, additional findings from NETSCOUT's report revealed: — The top five targeted countries in EMEA were: Germany, Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa — Keymous+ conducted 249 DDoS attacks between February and September 2025. India, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, France and Morocco were among the nations most affected — Wireless telecommunications carriers retained their position as the most frequently targeted industry by threat actors, as the attack count rose to 1.3 million, around an eight per cent increase from the previous six months — Only 50 per cent of EMEA attacks in this time period contained a single vector, signifying the escalation in attack complexity as multi-vector tools become more frequently employed by adversaries Richard Hummel, director of threat intelligence at NETSCOUT, discusses how hacktivist groups and the democratisation of cyberattacks are driving attack activity in EMEA: "During the second half of 2025, pro-Russian hacktivist groups such as NoName057(16) and Keymous+ conducted sustained and coordinated DDoS campaigns, disrupting online services across organisations in the EMEA region. These attacks coincided with holiday traffic in Western and NATO-aligned countries, and primarily targeted the government, financial services and telecommunications sectors, reinforcing these groups' stance against nations they deem to be acting in opposition to Russia. The DDoS attack on France's national post office in December was a prime example of how European allies of Ukraine have become systematically targeted by hacktivists. "Further to this, AI integration into DDoS-for-hire services has been a major catalyst in democratising DDoS attacks in the region. The entry barriers for unskilled and novice actors continue to be demolished as conversational AI and illicit LLM tools are incorporated into the attack development process. By using simple language prompts, novice actors can launch sophisticated, multi-vector campaigns, with malicious LLMs like KawaiiGPT offering these services for free. "In response, enterprises across EMEA need to maintain increased vigilance. This necessitates organisations investing in automated detection and mitigation software and having access to the most up-to-date threat intelligence to safeguard themselves and combat against evolving, persistent DDoS threats." More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

Nearly nine in ten (89%) Irish SME leaders already use AI tools at work, saving them an average of 5.3 hours per week to reinvest that time in improving products and services (37%), planning (30%) and managing staff (28%). Commissioned by OpenAI for its first European SME AI Accelerator in Dublin today, the Opinium survey of 200 Irish SME leaders found that almost half (48%) use AI tools regularly, with over a third (38%) of users using them daily. Nearly two-thirds (63%) of Irish SMEs use ChatGPT, followed by Gemini (38%), Copilot (34%) and Claude (16%). SMEs use AI for everyday tasks like emails, admin and marketing, but use is broadening, with around a quarter using it for more complex tasks such as research (28%) and coding (24%). Advanced use cases are emerging, with around four in ten AI users (43%) automating tasks, while under one in three (29%) are using AI agents (advanced tools that can act autonomously). However, SMEs cited several challenges to unlocking AI's full potential, including data privacy and security concerns (32%), lack of training and education (31%) and the cost of tools and talent (23%). Over a third (37%) of SMEs have no formal AI policy in place. Nearly three in ten (27%) SME leaders say they are not confident in their ability to use AI effectively, and those lacking confidence are significantly less likely to adopt new use cases. This is despite almost two-thirds (63%) indicating they are likely to implement at least one new way of using AI tools in the next 90 days. Welcoming today's SME AI Accelerator, Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation, Niamh Smyth T.D. said: "AI can significantly improve productivity and strengthen the competitiveness of Ireland's SME sector. As we work toward the goals outlined in the recently published National Digital and AI Strategy, accelerating the uptake of digital and AI solutions across businesses is a key focus. Programmes like this play an important role in making sure companies of all sizes gain the skills and confidence they need to adopt AI quickly and effectively. This will help increase their competitiveness, boost productivity, and contribute to long?term, sustainable economic growth." Emma Redmond, Head of OpenAI Ireland, said: "The opportunity now is to close the gap between using AI to be efficient and using it to transform. That means upskilling SMEs with the tools and structures to confidently turn everyday usage into real results and ultimately revenue." Co-sponsored by OpenAI and Booking.com, in partnership with Retail Excellence Ireland, The Innovation Exchange and Dogpatch Labs, the AI Accelerator in Dublin sees over 120 SMEs experience hands-on AI training and advice from OpenAI Academy experts, on topics from increasing sales to managing operations. They learn how to design simple, business-ready ChatGPT workflows, especially around content generation, customer engagement, operations and even experience some light automation. Afterwards, SMEs anywhere in Ireland will have free access to the resources, 'how-to' guides and explainer videos on the OpenAI Academy online. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

Studio Ulster, a world-class virtual production facility today announced the expansion of the groundbreaking studio's team, hiring in roles across all divisions. With vacancies posted in technical, stage, and commercial roles, Studio Ulster is opening the doors to new possibilities for talented production crew in Northern Ireland. These new roles will enable Studio Ulster to meet the growing demand of Virtual Production services, a rapidly expanding area within media production in an already thriving Northern Irish film ecosystem. The Studio's most recent productions include 'No Way Off', a survivor thriller starring Maria Bakalova, David Wilmot, and Andrew Gower. No Way Off is written by Gaby Hull, and produced by Matthew James Wilkinson of the UK's Stigma Films, and Jamie Harvey. Laura Rister is executive producer through her company Esme Grace, which is financing the film alongside Head Gear Films, Northern Ireland Screen, OnSight and Altitude. Head Gear Films packaged the project, with Phil Hunt, Compton Ross and Charlie Kemball as executive producers. This follows the release of Titanic Sinks Tonight to critical acclaim in December, a docudrama for BBC produced by Stellify Media, the first production to shoot at the studio and one of BBC iPlayer's most popular historical documentaries in 2025. Studio Ulster is the result of a £72 million investment and partly funded through the Belfast Region City Deal. Developed by Ulster University in partnership with the Belfast Harbour Commission and supported by Northern Ireland Screen, the studio boasts large scale, virtual production facilities with the latest high-end equipment. It is designed to elevate the commercial studio capability for real-time visual effects across the UK and Ireland. It is one of five CoSTAR Screen Labs, part of a UK-wide initiative to lead global innovation in screen technologies all supported by £75.6 million of AHRC funding and £63 million of new industry investment. Roles are across the Commercial, Stage, Finance, and Operations teams and include senior positions including Virtual Production Producer, Bidding Producer, Strategic Engagement Manager as well as entry and mid-level roles across operations and finance. The immediately posted roles include the following: Strategic Engagement Manager – The Strategic Engagement Manager will provide senior level executive and project support to the CEO and executive team of Studio Ulster, a high-profile, publicly funded creative technology company and subsidiary of Ulster University. The post holder will operate as a trusted extension of the CEO's office, supporting governance, strategic coordination, stakeholder engagement, compliance documentation and the effective execution of complex, multi-partner activity across industry, government and academia. Virtual Production Producer – In partnership with key production, creative and technology leadership, this role creates and executes Studio Ulster and the client's vision for Virtual Production in line with the operations teams running and maintaining Studio Ulster's Volumes, as needed. Bidding Producer – The Bidding Producer is responsible for supporting the Commercial team in sourcing, assessing, and winning new projects; compiling detailed proposals while balancing available resources and creative project needs. Declan Keeney, CEO said: "This is a rare opportunity to join one of the most advanced virtual production environments anywhere in the world. Studio Ulster is not simply a workplace, it is a living, evolving creative technology ecosystem where world-class talent, cutting-edge research, and global production converge under one roof. "Demand for our facilities and services has exceeded our ambitious forecasts. As major productions and international partners look to Northern Ireland as a destination for next-generation content creation, we are scaling rapidly. We are now expanding our team to meet that demand and to ensure Studio Ulster continues to set...

Two students from University College Dublin have been announced as winners of the third annual EirGrid CleanerGrid Competition, following an event held in Dublin. Team members Peter McHugh and Rory Tobin from UCD's Master's of Energy Systems Engineering claimed first place for their data-driven model to reduce offshore wind dispatch down by optimally siting and sizing flexible energy storage systems, focusing on battery energy storage and hydrogen. With a top prize of €12,000 (€6,000 for the winning student team and €6,000 for the student's third-level institute), this year's theme asked students to explore "Opportunities and challenges in accelerating offshore wind potential." The award was presented to the winners by a panel of expert judges – Louise O'Flanagan, Head of Asset Management and Engineering at EirGrid, James Ives, CEO of XOCEAN, Dee Kehoe, Continuous Professional Development Director at Engineers Ireland, Dr. Brendan Cahill, Programme Manager for Innovation & International Research at SEAI and Dr. David Tosh, Lecturer in Terrestrial Ecology and Course Director at Ulster University. The CleanerGrid competition run by EirGrid, the operator and developer of Ireland's electricity grid, aims to foster innovation and creativity by encouraging students to showcase their skills in solving critical energy challenges, with a focus on sustainability, efficiency and clean energy technologies. Entrants were asked to present innovative, practical solutions that address both the opportunities and obstacles in developing Ireland's offshore electricity infrastructure. Among the ideas put forward by the three competing teams of finalists included the use of autonomous underwater vehicles and a dashboard to monitor wind turbine outages off Ireland's coast. These teams were selected from a strong field of thirty-two submissions, involving 115 students across nine higher-level institutions. Following the event, the students spoke positively of their experience. "Offshore is a relatively young industry in Ireland, so to be able to learn more about it has been really interesting. We might have done a lecture or two in our course before, but we understand the landscape much better now," said McHugh. "We started looking at the project back in October, so we had plenty of time to think about the prompt and decide what we wanted to do." Tobin added, "There is a big drive to increase the number of renewables on our grid, and our project looked to address how that can be achieved successfully with offshore. I really enjoyed the process, and energy is an industry I would be interested in working in, in the future." Congratulating all the teams on an engaging series of presentations, EirGrid Chief Transformation, Technology and Offshore Officer Liam Ryan said, "This is our third annual CleanerGrid completion and year-on-year it is fantastic to see the projects designed by third-level students. Offshore wind has the potential for transformative opportunities for Ireland and is essential for strengthening our energy security, reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and meeting our climate targets. Bringing students and young people with us on that journey is key. "Through our third-level institutions, these students are immersed in the latest cutting-edge innovations, and their research and fresh thinking are more valuable than ever, as we move toward delivering Government targets for a sustainable, resilient, renewable energy system. We extend our sincere thanks to everyone who participated in the competition and to the three teams who presented in today's final." More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now ...

Version 1, the global digital transformation and technology leader with its roots in Ireland, today opens its new Dublin headquarters and AI Studio at Four Park Place, marking a defining milestone in the company's three-decade journey to a 3,700-person, global technology organisation. The opening, attended by Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke TD and Minister of State for Trade Promotion, AI and Digital Transformation Niamh Smyth TD, represents a significant inward investment in Ireland's economy and positions Dublin as a global premier hub for enterprise AI innovation. Alongside the new headquarters opening, Version 1 announced 250 new jobs across its operations. The company also recently shared plans at the UK-Ireland Summit to add 400 jobs in Northern Ireland following engagement with Invest NI. These investments underscore Version 1's commitment to building and retaining critical AI skills locally and strengthening the competitive advantage of the markets it serves across Ireland, the United Kingdom, mainland Europe, India and North America. The new facility goes beyond a traditional corporate headquarters. The AI Studio has been designed as a space to harness the power of technology by co-creating solutions to complex problems alongside customers from all sectors. It will also be available to schools, universities and community groups in an effort to democratise technology, reflecting the company's view that AI must carry a social licence and be developed responsibly. Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke TD, said: "Version 1 is a blueprint for how Ireland creates, retains and scales world-class technology companies. This new headquarters represents significant inward investment in Ireland's economy and talent base and cements our position as a premier hub for AI and business transformation services at a time when nations are competing for AI leadership. The creation of 250 new jobs is a strong vote of confidence in Ireland's skilled workforce and innovation ecosystem, and I wish the team at Version 1 all the very best." Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation Niamh Smyth TD, said: "Ireland's ambition is to be at the forefront of responsible AI adoption. It is fantastic to see homegrown companies like Version 1 leading the way. Version 1's new AI Studio demonstrates what is possible when an Irish enterprise combines deep technical expertise with a genuine commitment to community partnership and skills development. This investment will benefit not only Version 1's global customers but also the broader Irish economy and society. I warmly welcome Version 1's announcement of 250 new jobs, a landmark commitment to Irish talent and a powerful signal of confidence in Ireland's growing AI ecosystem." Roop Singh, Chief Executive Officer of Version 1, said: "This is more than an office opening. It is a statement of intent. Thirty years ago, Version 1 was founded in Dublin with a commitment to making technology deliver extraordinary business outcomes and citizen welfare. That commitment has not changed, but the scale and ambition have. Our principal belief is that AI enhances human capability; it does not replace it. This studio is where we will prove that, working alongside our customers and communities to build AI solutions that are practical, governed and grounded in real business outcomes." Enterprise Ireland has worked very closely with Version 1 over a number of years to support its international growth journey. Kevin Sherry, Executive Director, Enterprise Ireland, said: "Version 1's continued growth and investment in Ireland is a powerful example of an Irish company winning on the global stage. The opening of this AI Studio positions Ireland as a serious centre for AI innovation and reinforces our ability to develop and retain world-class technology talent. Supporting Irish-owned companies to achieve greater scale is a priorit...

Newcode is establishing a presence in Dublin as part of its international expansion, following a seed funding round of more than €5.7 million backed by Alliance VC, The LegalTech Fund and other major investors. The company, which already has operations in Oslo, Sweden, Finland and New York, is positioning the Irish move as a significant step in growing its provision of AI-powered solutions across Europe, with plans to hire 30 people in Dublin. Speaking about this latest development, Maged Helmy, co-founder and CEO, said: "As we expand our international footprint, we're excited to establish our presence in Ireland, starting with 30 new hires planned in the first year as we scale and invest in one of Europe's most dynamic technology and professional services markets. With operations already across Denmark, Oslo, Sweden, Finland, Palo Alto, and New York, Dublin is the natural next step in our growth." Newcode enables firms and enterprises to run intelligent, auditable, and context-aware workflows across their legal operations. The company is pitching its agentic AI platform as a digital co-worker for legal teams that sits between a firm's systems, data and applications. Lawyers describe the workflow and define the outcome, and Newcode's AI agents handle the reasoning and execution required to deliver the work. The company says that approach sets it apart from more conventional legal AI tools. Agentic AI refers to autonomous systems that can think, plan, and act independently to achieve complex, multi-step goals with minimal human supervision.

Photo credit : Steven Sim Unstoppable women. We build. We lead. We win, at Techstars Startup Weekend By Billy Linehan Techstars Startup Weekend Women Dublin 2026 took place from 20–22 March at Baseline Community in Dublin, bringing together more than 70 participants for an intensive 54-hour startup programme focused on building early-stage ideas. This was my first visit to Baseline Communities, an independent enterprise workspace in Dublin. The event was opened by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Ray McAdam. It followed the standard Techstars Startup Weekend format. Participants pitched ideas, formed teams, developed concepts with mentor support, and presented to a judging panel at the end of the weekend. Early-Stage Ideas Focus on Real Problems The range of ideas this year was broad but grounded in identifiable problems. Teams were working on concepts spanning electric vehicle support tools, mental health applications, ADHD support platforms, and solutions linked to local and agricultural needs. Latifat Abisola Olagoke, working on a mental wellness application, described the value of the weekend in moving from idea to execution: "I was excited for my idea to be selected and to have the chance to really flesh it out and pitch it." Dwiparna Pal, a software engineer developing a platform to connect entrepreneurs and investors, highlighted both the intensity and the energy of the format: "There's a lot I'm taking away from this, particularly what can be done within a short space of time. The energy here is very high." Mentoring and Practical Input Mentoring plays a central role in the Startup Weekend model. Structured input over a short period allows teams to test assumptions, clarify their value proposition, and improve how they communicate their ideas. In this case, teams were generally open to challenge and willing to iterate quickly. Participants also heard from experienced contributors across the ecosystem, such as leaders of female entrepreneurship initiatives including Máirín Murray of TechFoundHer, and Denise McQuaid of Awaken Angels. AI, Judging and Emerging Themes Volunteer Deirdre McCarthy observed that hackathons now face a new challenge: "All hackathons now face the AI challenge, whereby participants can produce really impressive sounding business plans and visually appealing pitch decks. The judges challenge was to delve a little deeper to determine whether the projections were realistic and could withstand some well-informed questioning." In this case, the judging panel brought experience across sustainability, design, innovation and technology, which was evident in the depth and focus of the questions. The strongest teams used this process well, demonstrating domain knowledge and adding substance beyond what was presented in their initial pitches. A number of recurring themes emerged across the weekend. Several teams addressed challenges linked to an always-on, resource-constrained environment, including burnout, ADHD support, mental and physical performance, and behavioural patterns such as impulsive spending. Others focused on structural issues such as housing constraints and overtourism. Alongside these challenges, teams also identified new opportunities, including gender-specific health approaches, support tools for electric vehicle maintenance, and personalised, AI-enabled financial services. Winning Teams Announced in Dublin The winning teams reflected a mix of technical and social problem-solving. First place went to EV Toolkit, developed by Lisa Ruttledge, Victoria Miller, Ciara Close and Claire Cui, a platform designed to support independent mechanics with the tools, data and diagnostics required to repair electric vehicles without relying on main dealerships. Second place was awarded to Buddy Bee, a peer-support platform aimed at helping adults with ADHD achieve meaningful goals through structured accountability and community support. Third place went to Spherio, an AI-driven platform offering per...

Guest post by Adam Spearing, VP of AI GTM, EMEA at ServiceNow Organisations in Europe are under pressure to adopt AI at speed, all the while operating in a highly complex and ever-changing regulatory and risk environment. Even now, the EU's AI Act is shifting the landscape for organisations operating in the region, with Article 72 of the AI Act coming into force and creating new regulations on the monitoring of high-risk AI systems. For these organisations, scaling AI safely in this complex regulatory environment is a constant challenge. They face the risk of fragmenting systems, as well as losing visibility of how AI is used or introducing unmanaged risk. The real opportunity is not to be found in buying new yet disconnected AI tools, but when AI is embedded directly into secure, governed workflows from the very start. For those facing regulation headaches, integrating governance tools into a workflow alongside data is becoming increasingly vital. Forward-thinking companies are even adopting a predictive approach when it comes to AI, anticipating risks and regulatory changes and mitigating them before they occur. Building AI that lasts Taking a more thoughtful, measured approach pays off when it comes to AI. Companies who hold back from 'rushing in' to AI and adopt a more thoughtful approach can actually accelerate faster over the medium to long term. Imagine it as something like an 'AI factory' – business leaders need to qualify which processes will benefit, assess the 'right' level of AI, then deploy that within governed workflows. An important part of that is 'qualifying out' which processes are not suitable due to AI due to factors such as risk. Having a data model and AI integrated deeply into governed workflows means that governance can scale without fragmenting. In today's world, this is crucial. The EU AI act has made it urgent to find a path between embracing AI too rapidly and feeling paralysed by fears around risk and compliance. Over-cautious companies are set to fall behind, but rushing blindly into AI carries the risk of creating governance debt: organisations without adequate governance cannot demonstrate compliance, and will not be able to scale and reap the benefits of AI. Many organisations are still stuck in this gulf between responsiveness and responsibility: business leaders need responsiveness from generative AI, delivering insights rapidly, but also must keep regulators happy by behaving responsibly. Having workflow-native AI means that requirements such as transparency and oversight in the EU AI Act become architectural, with governance built in, rather than bolted on, after the fact, to disparate AI tools. Combatting future risk As I see it: reactive AI governance is a hindrance; proactive AI governance is an accelerator to business value. The next challenge is operationalising this through what I call 'governed acceleration'. With new AI regulations emerging in different regions and adherence reaching across borders, forward-thinking organisations are turning to AI tools themselves to be prepared for this evolving governance landscape. Chosen correctly, the right AI technology can help organisations stay ahead of the systems that govern AI, by enforcing compliance, for example. This means that the right technology choices deliver a self-reinforcing, circular advantage. Governance is growing in importance, with the role of the CIO now encompassing issues such as model training, algorithmic bias and organisational culture. As a result, a clear governance structure is key. There should be a single, well-defined owner of AI governance, be that the legal department, the chief data officer, the CIO or a chief AI officer. This person or team takes responsibility to implement consistent frameworks around third-party AI tools, assessing and managing risks and regulatory compliance. This enables organisations to innovate quickly and confidently, while maintaining control. When governance becomes invisible W...

As rising fuel prices and ongoing energy volatility puts pressure on margins, businesses are turning to data driven strategies to improve efficiency and control costs. New findings from Geotab Inc., a global leader in connected transportation, video and asset tracking solutions, show how organisations are reducing fuel waste, cutting idling by up to 30%, reducing collisions and accelerating electrification. These insights come from Geotab's fifth annual Sustainability and Impact Report. In the report, Geotab examines how organisations across five continents are using connected vehicle data to lower emissions, reduce fuel costs and improve road safety. "Fuel volatility is a reminder that sustainability is a business strategy," said Neil Cawse, Founder and CEO of Geotab. "When integrated with a pragmatic focus on short-term value, sustainability measures can drive both efficiency and profitability. Every operational improvement is an immediate, measurable step toward resilience and growth." Real-World Impact: How Global Fleets Are Using Data to Decarbonise Across industries and geographies, organisations are already translating fleet data into measurable environmental and financial outcomes. In 2025 alone, Geotab-connected electric vehicles travelled more than 870 million miles (1.4 billion kilometres), as fleets used data to make more informed decisions about vehicle efficiency, driver behavior and electrification strategy. Postal & Logistics (Belgium): bpost SA saved €1.6 million in fuel costs — equivalent to 1 million liters of diesel — by using EV data from Geotab to right-size its 10,000-van fleet and optimize charging schedules as it targets 100% CO2 neutrality by 2030. Construction & Infrastructure (UK): Tarmac reduced idling by 30% within three months, achieved 25% improved fuel economy, and cut speeding violations by 50%. Public Transit (Italy): Autolinee Federico achieved a 20% fuel reduction and approximately 40% decrease in violations and fines through driving behavior optimization and tachograph compliance. Wholesale Distribution (U.S.): Richards Building Supply projected $195,000+ in annual savings from a 90-day pilot with Geotab Vitality, with a 41% improvement in safe driving behavior and 8% reduction in collision risk. Municipal Government (U.S.):The City of Carmel, 2025 Geotab Innovation Award Winner for Sustainability, used a custom dashboard to validate emissions reductions from a biodiesel fuel pilot program. As fleets face pressure from energy costs, emissions regulations and operational risk, many are turning to connected vehicle data to identify efficiency gains and guide long-term electrification strategies. "Geotab's greatest contribution to sustainability is helping the transportation industry optimise operations. Everyday we see businesses reduce fuel use, cut emissions and make more strategic choices around electrification using data and AI insights. But sustainability is a collective effort, so we must also hold ourselves accountable. This report highlights both the progress of our customers and the steps we are taking as a company to reduce our own impact," added Cawse. Geotab's Sustainability Progress Alongside customer impact, the report also outlines Geotab's own progress. CDP Climate Change score improved to B, reflecting strong performance in environmental policies, risk disclosure, and industry collaboration. EcoVadis Silver Medal sustainability rating, placing Geotab in the top 15% of companies assessed. Reduced Scope 2 emissions by 42.5% year-over-year (location-based) — an 87.5% reduction from the 2019 baseline. Reduced Scope 3 emissions by 14% through supplier engagement and the adoption of primary activity-based data, providing a more accurate reflection of its true value chain impact. First Climate-Related Disclosure Report published, voluntarily evaluating climate risks and opportunities under different future climate pathways. Product Carbon Footprint baseline established for the G...

Fexco, a global leader in payment solutions, has announced that its Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) is now available to acquirers and merchants worldwide through the Visa AcceptancePlatform. Through this collaboration, acquirers connected to the Visa Acceptance Platform can now enable DCC using Fexco's proven technology and Visa's in house cross-border solutions. DCC allows cardholders to see the transaction amount in their home currency at point of sale and online checkout, helping them better understand the cost of their purchase before transaction is completed. The integration is designed for scale and efficiency, supporting more than 200 acquirers globally by integrating Fexco's DCC solution, the Visa Acceptance Platform and Visa's CyberSource payment gateway. It enables acquirers to add DCC with minimal complexity, while creating opportunities to support international spend and enhance the payment experience for international customers. For cardholders, the solution provides greater clarity and choice when paying abroad or online. Sean Crowe, CEO of Fexco Financial Services, commented: "This partnership with Visa marks a significant milestone for Fexco and the payments industry. By combining Fexco's expertise in DCC with Visa's global acceptance infrastructure, we are delivering a first-of-its-kind integration that empowers acquirers and merchants to offer enhanced customer experiences while driving growth." Andre Machicao, Senior Vice President, Visa Acceptance Solutions added: "Cross-border commerce continues to grow, and consumers increasingly expect clear and predictable payment experiences wherever they choose to pay. By combining Fexco's expertise and Visa's world?class FX and treasury capabilities across multiple markets and currencies, we are extending Dynamic Currency Conversion across the Visa Acceptance Platform, giving acquirers and merchants a straightforward way to meet these expectations while supporting global commerce." See more stories here. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

Guest post by Julian Lighton author of Navigating Your Next: Discover the Career You Want and the Path to Get There. There has been much debate since Paul Graham's provocative 2024 article coining the term 'Founder Mode' about its benefits vs 'Manager Mode' and how they impact success in the scaling transition. My own view is that a more balanced mindset and skills set is required – an entrepreneurial leadership approach. Navigating successful growth I've spent over twenty years working with over a hundred VC and PE backed early stage and scaling businesses in both tech and other industries, including some of the most successful businesses in their categories, such as Gainsight, Renaissance Learning, Corsair Gaming and SnapNurse. Based on this experience, the transition between founder and scaling is the single most important test of a CEO's adaptability and leadership. Most leaders underestimate how personally challenging it is and how much they need to change as they climb the staircases of growth. Here are five changes in mindset and skillset that are key for successful growth and building companies that are built to last: From identity as founder to identity as leader: From "I do it" and "I decide" to "We do it" and "We decide." The founder's initial motivation—often deeply personal—must now become collective. Why does the team care? Why should they go the extra mile? If you can help your people answer "Why do we want this?" (know why) and help them see themselves in the company's success (care why), you unlock discretionary effort and loyalty that no compensation package alone can buy. The CEO's job becomes less about being the smartest person in the room and more about building teams that can make great decisions without you, without constant intervention. The focus shifts to hiring and retaining great people and letting them be responsible, setting very clear direction (the what not the how), building culture, and putting in place the right incentives and feedback loops. It's about shifting from heroics to scalability. From implicit to explicit: Scaling requires clarity. Being implicit – carrying everything in the CEO's head does not scale. Scaling requires clarity about roles and responsibilities; plans that everyone can understand and follow – communicating simply and exactly what is required, why it matters, and who will do what; governance and decision making; metrics and more important than all of that clear culture. A study by Columbia Business School found that when you add more than 20% new joiners, priorities, and values get diluted and team cohesion and psychological safety can break down. Without clear definition and communication about who is responsible for what, teams become inefficient, drop balls, and experience internal friction. This undermines performance and accountability, trust and collaboration erode and performance suffers. From who got you here, to who will get you there: People who worked when your organization was smaller often break when you try to scale. No amount of ambition or capital can compensate for the wrong team members with the wrong skills or a lack of alignment. Scaling exposes weaknesses in team leadership, skills, and coordination. Ask yourself: do you have the right people in the right seats for this stage of growth? Are your team leaders and teams aligned, and does everyone understand the goals and the urgency? Invest in hiring and developing talent density in teams. Ensure the team's incentives (care why) and goals are in sync with the business's direction (know why). From measuring, to measuring what matters: What really drives success at what stage of growth? Ruthless prioritization is essential. In scaling organizations, it's common for teams to focus on metrics that were appropriate for the previous stage (staircase) of growth e.g. product adoption vs revenue; new business vs repeat business; revenue vs profits. But without visible progress markers and regular, discipl...

Minister of State with special responsibility for Employment, Small Businesses and Retail, Alan Dillon has welcomed the publication of the Fourth Progress Report on the National Space Strategy for Enterprise 2019–2025, highlighting another year of strong growth and international success for Ireland's space sector. Welcoming the report, Minister Dillon said: "Ireland's space sector continues to grow in scale and international reputation, driven by the strength of our innovative enterprises and our long-standing partnership with the European Space Agency. Ireland's €170 million commitment to ESA programmes to 2030, agreed at the Council of Ministers in November 2025, will support the continued expansion of space-focused enterprises in the years ahead." The report confirms significant progress across the Strategy's objectives . with 15 of the 19 priority actions now completed and the remaining actions progressing as part of the Government's commitment to developing a strong, innovative and economically sustainable space-active industry in Ireland. Ireland's Space Sector continues to grow Government investment in the Irish space sector increased significantly in 2024, with €32.17 million allocated to programmes with the European Space Agency (ESA). This represents a 43% increase since the launch of the Strategy in 2019. The investment delivered strong returns. In 2024: Irish companies and researchers secured 55 ESA contracts valued at €24.56 million, 116 Irish companies were actively engaged in ESA programmes by year end, a 66% increase since 2019, and surpassing the Strategy's original goal of 100 companies. Ireland's industry capability was further strengthened through targeted skills development initiatives. During 2024, Space Industry Skillnet delivered 1,088 training days to 389 participants across 102 companies, supporting the continued growth and competitiveness of Ireland's space-focused enterprises. Irish companies also maintained a strong international presence throughout the year, participating in key global trade events forging new partnerships, and strengthening Ireland's reputation as an agile and innovative contributor to the global space economy. Together, these achievements highlight Ireland's expanding footprint in the global space economy and demonstrate the success of strategic collaboration with the European Space Agency in driving enterprise growth and innovation. Concluding Minister Dillon said: "As we look to the next phase of Ireland's space strategy, we do so with ambition and confidence. Our companies, researchers and innovators have shown that Ireland can lead in this rapidly evolving sector, and the Government will continue to back that ambition with investment, partnership, and a clear strategic vision for the years ahead." Work on the fifth and final progress report under the current Strategy is now underway. Preparatory work has also begun on the next iteration of the National Space Strategy for Enterprise, beginning with a preliminary scoping exercise. This process will include public consultation and extensive stakeholder engagement, helping to shape the future direction of Ireland's enterprise-led activities in the global space sector. The progress report can be accessed here: National Space Strategy 2019-2025: Fourth progress report See more breaking stories here.

Barryroe National School in Bandon, Co. Cork, has done it again, taking home the top prize at the Engineers Ireland STEPS Young Engineers Award for the second consecutive year. The national competition, which saw over 12,000 primary school students register in 2025, challenges children to dream up engineering solutions that can make life better in their communities. More than 270 volunteer engineers, trained through the STEPS programme, visited participating 3rd and 4th classes nationwide to support students' ideas. This year's winning creation, Sole Extenders, is an ingenious shoe prototype with a built-in hydraulic lift designed to help people safely reach high shelves without the need for stools or ladders. Developed by team The Engines – third-class pupils Saoirse Twomey, Willow Frankish, Jack Kelly, Edward Casey, Byron Hourihane and Cathal O'Regan – the device aims to reduce injury risk and boost independence. Drumcrave National School in Stragelliff, Co. Cavan, was named runner-up for its forward-thinking project, TTS Community Water Supply. Created by Tech Titans – Amber Kelly, Evan Lee and Rían McManus Kearns – the team impressed judges with a timer app that tracks household water usage, connects to real-time local water-supply levels, and alerts users to shortages. Designed to raise awareness, reduce bills and encourage more mindful water use, the project showcases how young engineers can empower entire communities to adopt more sustainable habits. Left to right: Runners-up of the Young Engineers Award winners 2025-2026, Evan Lee, Amber Kelly, Rián McManus Kearns of Drumcrave National School in Stragelliff, Co. Cavan Praising this year's entrants to the STEPS Young Engineers Award, Damien Owens, Director General of Engineers Ireland, said: "Engineering is about applying science to real-world problems and designing solutions that help people. It is wonderful to see the students at Barryroe National School excel once again with such a creative. Congratulations to all of this year's entrants for their imagination, teamwork and dedication. The future of Irish engineering is indeed in good hands." The winning and runner-up schools receive an engineering workshop from Designer Minds, and all finalists receive a trophy, medals and framed certificates. All participants receive a certificate of achievement and an online show. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

The Walton Institute at South East Technological University (SETU) is marking 30 years of ICT research and innovation and five years as a recognised research institute, highlighting three decades of collaboration with more than 800 partners worldwide on projects worth over €485 million. Marking this milestone in the same year that Ireland assumes the EU Council Presidency underscores the importance of research institutes such as Walton in contributing to European innovation, technology development and cross-border collaboration. For thirty years, the Walton Institute for Information and Communication Systems Science has played an important role in advancing communications and digital technologies. Since its establishment as the Telecommunications Software and Systems Group (TSSG) in 1996, the institute has secured more than €155 million in competitive research funding while working with partners across industry, government and academia. Professor Marie Claire Van Hout, Vice President for Research, Innovation and Impact, SETU, says "Walton Institute plays a central role in SETU's research and innovation ecosystem and in strengthening Ireland's international research presence. Its work demonstrates how a technological university can connect research excellence with regional innovation and global collaboration.'' Led by Executive Director Dr Kevin Doolin and Director of Research Dr Deirdre Kilbane, Walton has built a strong international reputation for both fundamental research and applied innovation. Since its designation as a Research Institute in 2021, it has strengthened industry collaboration and grown its research capacity across several strategic technology domains. Dr Kevin Doolin, Executive Director, Walton Institute, SETU, joined the team in 2004 and has seen the growth of Walton over the years. "What began as a telecommunications research group in Waterford has grown into an international research institute working with organisations across Europe and beyond. Our focus has always been on turning research into practical outcomes that support industry innovation and economic growth in the region." Today, the institute comprises more than 80 students, postdocs, research scientists and engineers, and maintains an active collaboration network across 60 countries. Its work spans several key technology areas, including artificial intelligence, future communications networks, quantum communications, smart energy, digital health, smart cities, agri-tech and immersive technologies. Walton is particularly recognised for its expertise in AI systems, advanced communications networks and digitalisation, supporting organisations to adopt new digital technologies and move research outcomes from the laboratory into practical use. Strengthening Ireland's research, infrastructure and innovation ecosystem Walton continues to play an important role in national innovation programmes supporting digital transformation across industry and public services. This includes the Enterprise Ireland ICS Technology Gateway and the ENTIRE European Digital Innovation Hub, where researchers work with SMEs, public sector organisations and multinational companies to test and deploy emerging digital technologies. The institute also maintains strong engagement with European research initiatives. Walton researchers currently participate in 20 strategic European research clusters, contributing to discussions that help shape technology policy and research priorities at the EU level. In 2025, the university was recognised as Ireland's leading technological university for Horizon Europe funding, securing almost €13 million to date, along with over €11.5 million for the EuroQCI Initiative. As Ireland prepares to lead the Council of the European Union, this level of participation demonstrates the contribution Irish research institutes make to Europe's digital and innovation agenda. Building talent and global careers from the south east The success of the Walton I...

EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum has completed a €2 million investment upgrade of its visitor experience, with a strong focus on cutting-edge AV technology and immersive digital storytelling. This is the most significant transformation since the museum opened, further cementing its status as a world-class cultural attraction and a global leader in storytelling. The new galleries, opening on 26 March 2026, expand the exhibition footprint by 2,000 square feet and introduce a suite of new digital installations and interactive systems. Visitors will now experience newly expanded galleries with more immersive, multi-sensory storytelling, exciting new technology, and a deeper emotional connection to Ireland's emigration story. "EPIC is a digital-led experience, so we spend plenty of time and energy checking out the latest AV technology," said Luke Smith, Director of Technology at EPIC. "Whilst our technology has served visitors well to date, we wanted to add a new level of interactive and immersive experiences. Our new galleries use cutting-edge technology to deliver great storytelling and emotionally rich experiences. I am really looking forward to seeing how our visitors react – and I believe they will be surprised and delighted." Advanced AV Systems Powering the New Galleries At the heart of the new Welcome Gallery is a custom-built interactive installation featuring approximately 9 square metres of Absen microLED, with a 1.2mm pixel pitch. The display is integrated into a bespoke table exhibit and paired with over 250 metres of programmable LED neon tubing, creating a dynamic, immersive light sculpture. "Using microLED instead of conventional screens allows for tailored layouts, bezel-free display and wider viewing angles," Smith explained. "Combined with the LED lighting, it creates a significantly more engaging experience that surrounds the visitor from the moment they arrive." Sensor-Driven Interaction in 'Isle of the Senses' The new Isle of the Senses gallery introduces Nexmosphere LiDAR sensors, enabling highly precise, proximity-based triggering of audio and visual experiences. "These sensors are more configurable and precise than infra-red or camera-based systems," said Smith. "They integrate with BrightSign media players and allow us to deliver highly responsive, personalised interactions." The same system is used to activate modern interpretations of Pepper's Ghost illusions, blending a 19th-century theatrical technique with contemporary sensor technology and custom programming. Ireland's Largest Interactive LED Floor A key centrepiece of the upgrade is a 28 square metre interactive LED floor, the largest of its kind in any Irish museum or attraction. Featuring a 1.92mm pixel pitch, the floor allows visitors to interact with animated vessels representing 1,500 years of Irish emigration – from early sailing currachs to modern aircraft, transforming EPIC's iconic Sea and Sky sculptural installation into an immersive, multi-media experience "Our visitors will walk across the floor and interact with ships and planes as they travel," Smith added. "There are also a few surprises built into the experience – including a hidden 'Easter egg' for those who look closely." Technology Partnerships All hardware was supplied and configured by Rockbrook, Ireland's leading museum AV technology provider. Interactive and digital content was developed by Glasgow-based studio ISO, one of the world's foremost digital experience design teams. A Digital-Led Museum Experience "EPIC has always used technology in a surprising and immersive way to bring Irish emigration stories to life," said Aileesh Carew, CEO. "This upgrade raises the bar for visitor experiences all over the world, combining design, technology and storytelling in a way that is both innovative and deeply human." Alongside the gallery upgrades, EPIC has also launched a new museum app to support accessibility and multilingual engagement, further extending its audience-first, digi...

On Friday morning last, it popped up on my Facebook page (that I rarely visit) that this day was World Storytelling Day. My head immediately flooded with stories that my mother used to tell us when we were children. Mostly, I remember sitting around an open fire. We did not have much money, and my father was away in England working, as there was no work to be had in Ireland. Sitting by the fire, trying to eke out heat from the remaining coal and sticks. My mother use to wrapping potato skins in a damp newspaper and banking the back of the fire to keep it going for longer. My mother was a Republican, and her father fought in 1916 and ended up, after the rising, in Frongoch concentration camp in Wales. However, we still had a picture of the Queen Elizabeth hanging on our wall. At the time, I took it for granted. When I was older, I inquired as to why we had the picture of the Queen on our wall. Her reply was that the Queen gave your father a job when no one in Ireland could. Hard times When I was growing up, it was always hard times, not that I ever noticed, as my mother somehow managed to keep my sister and me well fed and warm. Does anyone remember sheets made from flour sacks or old army (FCA) coats for bed blankets? Now I realise that when we three were sitting close to the open fire seeking heat, and my mother Celia was telling us stories of her younger days, it served two purposes. The stories reminded her of good times from her youth. It was years later when I realised how lonely she must have been without my dad. Harder Times Every night she would relive her youth, which involved hard work from an early age, and going to dances. (She loved to dance). Her father died when she was only a child, leaving her mother to raise seven children. Also, there were always ghost stories! The one I remember best, and curiously, the story my daughter remembers best, as in later life she told all her stories to my daughter. When she was still a child, my mother was sent to live and work for an uncle a long way from her family home. Ghost Story "One morning, on her way back to the farm, driving the pony and trap up a long laneway after delivering milk to the shops in the nearby town, her attention was drawn to the local hearse approaching in the distance. As the hearse approached, she could see the coachman whom she would have known and the four black horses with plumage on their harness. When she got to a wider part of the lane, she pulled in to let the hearse pass – but it never did. On approaching the farm gate, her uncle was waiting and opened it for her. She told him to keep an eye out, as the hearse was coming up the lane behind her. He replied that the hearse driver must be lost, or new, as no one along the lane has died recently. The following morning, the uncle whom my mother loved dropped dead while shaving himself to get ready to go to morning mass." Stories are what make us who we are. By Executive Coach Andrew Keogh of Aristo.ie More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

Millions of mobile, broadband, and TV customers will once again see their bills rise from 1 April due to annual price rises from some of Ireland's biggest telecom providers. The move toward 'annual' price increases began in 2022, with telecom providers using an inflation-linked formula to set yearly price rises. This has meant that households have seen the cost of their broadband and mobile plans soar by hundreds of euros over the last four years. Although inflation-linked pricing is being replaced with an annual flat-rate rise for newer customers (after mounting concerns from Comreg), these mid-term hikes can still cause a price shock. The changes to monthly bills may seem small, but the cumulative cost over multiple years can really add up – especially for households with more than one contract on the go. So what do the price rises mean for customers? Based on a typical family with 1 SIM-only contract, 1 Bill Pay contract, and a 1GB broadband & TV bundle, the increase since 2023 could have amounted to over €600 if they had stuck with the same supplier and hadn't switched when their contract ended. To combat this year's hikes, Switcher.ie has put together some money-saving tips on how to futureproof against annual price rises and cut your costs. 1. Switch to another discounted plan when your contract ends Plan ahead and start your broadband bargain hunt before your contract ends. Use comparison websites with an eircode checker to quickly find the cheapest options in your location. Ensure you factor in the price after the promotional period, as well as crucial features such as speed, contract duration, and any rewards or perks. 1. Bundle your broadband, TV & mobile Combine your broadband, TV and mobile services into a single package to reduce your monthly expenses. Many Irish households rely on streaming services like NOW and Netflix for sports and entertainment. Bundling broadband & TV, and adding your mobile SIM-only plan can lead to significant savings compared to individual plans. 1. Haggle for a better deal If you really don't want to leave your current provider, tell them you're thinking of leaving before jumping, and they may just pull out all the stops to keep you. Use comparison sites to find cheaper options and ask for a price match. You might get a lower price, but it's not guaranteed. 1. Switch to SIM only Save money with a SIM-only deal. If your phone contract is up and you're still happy with your phone, shop around for the cheapest SIM-only plan and try the smaller, no frills providers (they use the same networks as the bigger brands). Unlike bill-pay contracts, which include the cost of a new device, SIM-only deals just charge for calls, texts, and data, offering huge savings and flexible, shorter contracts. Eoin Clarke, Telecoms Expert at Switcher.ie comments: "Households will face a bundle of price hikes on April Fools' Day. Once again, some telecom giants are pushing up prices, with a few SIM-only contracts surging by over 15%. This year, more providers have moved towards a flat rate annual increase, which means that customers know what to expect – but it doesn't necessarily make it less costly. SIM-only customers could be stumping up an extra €2.50 per month, even on budget plans, due to flat-rate annual price rises. Even if your monthly price rise seems small, if you have several contracts running and you haven't switched over the last 3 or 4 years, you may now be paying up to 30% more than you did in 2023 just to keep in touch with friends and family, surf the internet or stream TV. The good news is that providers are, as ever, jostling for new customers, leading to some healthy discounts, welcome credits and great perks. Our advice is – don't delay and switch providers when your contract ends. The best deals are always offered to newcomers, so take advantage of any introductory discounts and bill credits. If peace of mind is more important or you're not keen on switching too often, remember: the cheap...

According to a recent survey by bunq, Europe's second-largest neobank, more than a third of Irish users say they are more honest about money with AI than with other people, pointing to a shift in how people seek financial guidance. The study, which surveyed 1,000 Irish respondents, shows that 36% of consumers feel more comfortable opening up to AI about their spending, while a further 37% say they are just as honest with AI as they would be with another person. This growing openness suggests that AI is becoming more than just a practical tool; it is emerging as a judgment-free space where users feel more comfortable confronting their financial habits. "People often start using AI in a very practical way, before they trust it emotionally. That psychological distance — almost like opening up to a stranger on a train — can make it easier to be honest about money, which in turn brings the real benefit: saving more of it. Over time, as people test the advice and see what works, the relationship shifts. It starts to feel like a thinking partner rather than a calculator," said Dr Nick Hobson, behavioural scientist and Consulting Director at Influence at Work. "And that opening up may travel further than the AI conversation itself. It works like a sort of social gym. It offers a low-stakes space to rehearse the tricky conversations, asking for a raise, setting financial boundaries with family, without the fear of judgment that comes with the real thing. Once people experience what honesty about their finances actually produces, the barrier to having those conversations with other people gets lower. The practice spills over, and they show up to the human conversation a little more prepared, and a little less afraid." This sense of psychological safety is translating into real-world impact. Nearly half (49%) of Irish users have already used AI to support a personal finance decision, with many turning to it in moments of financial stress. For many, the results are tangible. One in three respondents says AI helped them save money in the past year, with more than a quarter of those reporting savings of over €500. Joe Wilson, Chief Evangelist at bunq, said: "It's a dynamic time. People are increasingly turning to AI for help with everyday decisions – and it only works when it's genuinely built around their lives. Whether it's understanding your money or making more informed choices, the value comes from reducing friction, not adding more noise. The real impact happens when AI moves beyond being just another feature and becomes something people actually rely on, because it consistently makes things easier." As users grow more comfortable opening up to AI, trust remains closely linked to established financial institutions. Two-thirds of respondents say they trust AI tools developed by their bank more than generic chatbots, highlighting the role of institutional trust in turning curiosity into action. Internationally, Ireland is emerging as one of the stronger adopters of financial AI. Irish users are already ahead of those in the UK and the United States when it comes to integrating AI into everyday financial life. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

Social entrepreneurs supported by Social Entrepreneurs Ireland are up to 50 per cent more likely to succeed than those without our backing. That's according to Social Entrepreneurs Ireland, as it opens its Ideas Academy and Impact Programme for applications. Since 2004, the not-for-profit has supported over 630 social entrepreneurs across the country who are driving solutions in areas such as mental health, housing, the environment and education. Speaking at the launch of this year's programme, which remains open until 20th April, Director of Development at Social Entrepreneurs Ireland, Michelle Noone, said: "We know the impact that our programmes have on people and communities across the country, and in 2025, an independently verified report demonstrated how Social Entrepreneurs Ireland contributes to the success and growth of social enterprises across Ireland, with employment, sales, and future funding increased by up to 50 per cent and innovation boosted by up to 80 per cent. "There is a wealth of incredible ideas out there, and we encourage budding social entrepreneurs and those with more established solutions to social issues to apply for our Ideas Academy and Social Impact programmes, to bring their concepts to the next level." The Ideas Academy is a three-month programme designed to provide budding social entrepreneurs with the knowledge and tools needed to move from a concept to a tangible pilot. The Impact Programme is a nine-month programme that supports experienced social entrepreneurs to scale up tried-and-tested solutions to tackle Ireland's biggest social challenges. Programme participants receive mentorship and peer support. Impact Programme alumnus and internationally recognised designer, Kim Mackenzie-Doyle, founded The B!G Idea to prepare young people for the fastest-changing world in history. The free all-Ireland programme bridges classrooms and industry, equipping thousands of students with creative problem-solving skills, mentors, and confidence to turn their challenges into opportunities, shaping their futures and those of society. Carlow-based Mackenzie-Doyle said: "With The B!G Idea, I saw an opportunity to support young people right now, while fostering and developing the next generation of social entrepreneurs in the longer term. "Social Entrepreneurs Ireland has been invaluable in developing The B!G Idea, from the tailored mentoring, expert training and financial support received from the Impact Programme in 2022, through to my current participation in another Social Entrepreneurs Ireland programme. "Anyone who has a vision and can demonstrate the impact of their idea should consider applying for The Impact Programme." Social Entrepreneurs Ireland has partnered with energy company DCC plc since 2011. Since the partnership began, Social Entrepreneurs Ireland has received over 3,500 applications from all across Ireland. Donal Murphy, Chief Executive Officer at DCC plc, said "DCC plc is proud to support Social Entrepreneurs Ireland again in 2026. Over 660 social entrepreneurs have been directly supported over the duration of the partnership. In addition, Social Entrepreneurs Ireland alumni have created 463 jobs and generated €39.8m in income, so we know that this partnership works! "We look forward to helping this year's successful applicants to develop and refine their ideas to affect positive change across Irish society." Social Entrepreneurs Ireland will hold information sessions for interested individuals and organisations on 31st March. Register and apply for the Ideas Academy and The Impact Programme at https://www.socialentrepreneurs.ie/our-programmes/. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast e...

Landmark Technologies, an Irish provider of IT and cybersecurity services, has announced the results of new research which reveals that 38% of office workers in Ireland wouldn't be able to do their jobs without the help of artificial intelligence (AI). The survey found that over half (55%) believe their job will significantly change due to AI, while 43% are concerned thatAI will make their role redundant. To combat this, 64% of office workers are actively learning AI skills to stay relevant in their roles. The research, carried out by Censuswide on behalf of Landmark, surveyed 1,000 employees in the Republic of Ireland on their AI concerns and behaviours as it becomes ever more prevalent in Irish workplaces. A majority (87%) of office workers say they use AI tools for work and, of these, almost half (48%) use them daily. The research suggests that, as adoption of AI continues to increase, so too does the associated risk. Of those who use AI tools, a quarter (25%) use them to summarise contracts or legal documents, 23% leverage AI tools to make decisions without human oversight, and 18% analyse confidential company data. In the past 12 months, one-in-ten (10%) employees have entered confidential company data into an AI tool, such as ChatGPT, that wasn't approved by their employer. Some 18% of employees completed a work task using an AI tool without checking it for accuracy, while 11% sent AI-generated content to a customer without reviewing it. Nearly half (48%) say they trust AI-generated content for critical work decisions. With the AI boom showing no signs of slowing down, Landmark's research points to a need for organisations to ensure that the correct processes are in place. Nearly a quarter (24%) of employees say their organisation does not have an AI usage policy, while just two-thirds (66%) have received training on safe AI usage. However, due to its increasing proliferation, nearly half of office workers (49%) believe AI fatigue will set in and see organisations returning to more traditional ways of working. Some 47% believe that we are currently experiencing an AI bubble, and it will burst. Ken Kelleher, Managing Director, Landmark Technologies commented: "Two-in-five Irish employees now say AI is essential to doing their job, which is a remarkable shift in a very short space of time. It points to the crucial role AI is playing in Irish workplaces through automation, time savings, and enhanced decision-making. Yet our research shows many organisations have not kept pace with this change. The human element remains vital, and businesses need to prioritise AI training and upskilling to align with evolving technological demands and stay competitive. "With employees sharing confidential data on unapproved tools and using AI outputs without checking them, strict oversight is needed. Employers must ensure stringent processes are in place to protect not only their own business data and operations, but those of their customers too." See more stories here.

Cavan County in the Republic of Ireland may seem like an unlikely place for entrepreneurs to flourish, but nothing could be further from the truth. Technology specialist John Hyland's innovative ClubSpot app has transformed how grassroots sports organisations operate on a daily basis. The platform bears operational similarities to the Ireland betting apps listed on BettingTop10.ie, which are effectively a one-stop shop for bettors to fuel their passion. By bringing sports betting, online casino games and other verticals under one umbrella, gambling operators have made the sector far easier to navigate. Hyland has applied the same ethos to ClubSpot, and his efforts have helped the company quickly become a major player in a hugely competitive industry. The Metamorphosis of ClubSpot While recuperating from an injury during his time at University College Dublin, Hyland shifted his gaze to a question many people had previously taken seriously. Why did only a small set of fans contribute financially to their teams, while thousands more remained emotionally attached yet commercially distant? His research into Cavan's GAA organisation revealed a clear imbalance, showing that a small circle of committed backers sustained the structure, leaving the wider fanbase untapped. Hyland's vision was far-reaching – if engagement could be increased, inflow could accompany it. That idea metamorphosed into a digital site created to bring structure to sports at the local level. ClubSpot did not think of reinventing sports organisations, but focused on the systems that surrounded them. Membership registration, communication channels, fundraising efforts and compliance processes were brought into one space. The early days were lowkey, with Gowna GAA Club becoming the first client. This was a testing ground where theory met reality and of the results were immediate. The club made more income through the platform in seven days than it had in the previous year. Growth then followed, although not without pressure because demand outpaced development capacity in the first months, a familiar issue for start-ups. However, the foundation did not fold, with clubs recognising the value of reducing administrative burdens on volunteers while opening new sources of revenue. From that small beginning in Cavan, a framework began to take shape that would extend far beyond its original setting. Scaling from Rural Ireland to a Global Stage Many people are under the misapprehension that all business in Ireland must pass though Dublin. ClubSpot has gone against that school of thought with quiet defiance. From its headquarters in Stradone, the organisation has extended its presence into the United Kingdom, United States and Australia, creating a user base that now exceeds half a million. This growth has not been in isolation, as support from Enterprise Ireland provides both validation and practical assistance, which open doors to international markets and connect the company with potential clients. Trade missions, particularly those linked to sporting events overseas, helped accelerate expansion. The Irish government's broader vision for sports technology has also played a role. The creation of an international sports diplomacy strategy by Helen McEntee in the United States showed a recognition that sport can act as a cultural bridge and an economic driver. Events linked to baseball, American Football and golf have tightened ties between Ireland and the US, making a fertile ground for organisations operating at the intersection of sport and technology. ClubSpot has placed itself within that space, with the platform extending beyond Gaelic sports into soccer, rugby, basketball and athletics, giving a unified system adaptable to different cultures. The company's decision to prioritise long-term development over rapid exits has informed its trajectory. Funding came largely from individuals rather than venture capital firms seeking early returns on investment. This approach...

More than 80 secondary school students from across the Midlands have completed an immersive week exploring the future of engineering, advanced manufacturing and technology through the #Dreambig2026 programme, an industry-led initiative led by the ATIM Cluster of advanced manufacturing companies, designed to inspire the next generation of STEM talent. Dreambig is a programme developed by the ATIM (Advanced Technologies in Manufacturing Cluster), a Technological University of Shannon initiative. Through their company visits and hands-on workshops, students visited 18 advanced manufacturing and engineering companies spanning sectors including medical technology, robotics, construction innovation, materials science and precision engineering. Students also engaged directly with engineers and innovators and participated in hands-on robotics and coding workshops at Irish Manufacturing Research in Mullingar and Technological University of the Shannon, Athlone Campus. Students see first-hand how industry is embracing DREAM (Digitalisation, Robotics, Engineering, Advanced Manufacturing, and Materials) and showing young people that you don't need to go far to discover world-class opportunities in the Midlands. The Advanced Technologies in Manufacturing (ATIM) Cluster is an industry-led manufacturing cluster funded by Enterprise Ireland and hosted at the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS). It was established to accelerate innovation, competitiveness, and sustainable growth across Ireland's manufacturing sector. Caitriona Mordan, Cluster Manager of the ATIM Cluster, said the programme is about much more than technology. "At its heart, #Dreambig is about aspiration, helping young people imagine ambitious futures for themselves and showing them that world-class careers in science, engineering and innovation can be built right here in their own communities. Dreambig is a powerful example of what happens when companies, educators and local partners come together through a cluster. By working collectively, we create more opportunities for young people than any organisation could achieve alone. DreamBig gives students the space to connect directly with innovative manufacturing companies, discover their talent, and see a future for themselves in the Midlands." Now in its third year, the programme continues to grow with increasing participation from both schools and industry. Professor Vincent Cunnane, President of Technological University of the Shannon, said: "Dreambig is proof of what happens when a university, industry, and schools come together around a shared purpose: showing young people that modern manufacturing is creative, high-tech, and full of opportunity. Through this partnership with the ATIM Cluster and regional employers, Dreambig is building a connected pathway from the classroom to higher education to high-impact careers right here in the Midlands. That's core to our mission as a technological university, and it's exactly what the national agenda for access, participation, and regional development demands. TUS is proud to be at the centre of that journey, because the earlier we back a young person's dreams, the bigger the impact for them, for their community, and for the region." Across the Midlands, companies are designing products, developing technologies and delivering solutions used around the world, demonstrating that world-class innovation can thrive in regional Ireland. By connecting students directly with these businesses, #Dreambig aims to nurture ambition, confidence and curiosity while showing young people they can pursue cutting-edge careers without leaving their communities.

The first Innovate for Ireland national centre, 'Decarb-AI: AI-Powered Pathways to Climate Resilience' has been announced today. Created in partnership with AIB and Research Ireland, the €5.7m Decarb-AI national centre will aim to harness the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate Ireland's transition to a climate-resilient, low-carbon future. Decarb-AI will welcome 30 iScholars across three intakes. Eight iScholars – from China, Ghana, India, the UK, France, Ireland and Kenya – have already commenced their research. All of these iScholars will undertake fully-funded, four-year PhDs under the supervision of leading academic researchers from Irish higher education institutions, which are: University College Dublin (lead institution), Trinity College Dublin, Dublin City University, Technological University Dublin, University of Limerick, University of Galway (via the Irish Centre for High-End Computing – ICHEC), and University College Cork. The iScholars' research at Decarb-AI research centre will focus on using cutting-edge AI to advance climate mitigation and adaptation across Ireland, with key focus areas including: — AI-optimised renewable energy systems and data centre sustainability — Machine learning for water quality forecasting and peatland restoration — Earth-observation and biodiversity modelling for land-use policy — AI-supported sustainable finance tools for SMEs — Transparent AI decision-support systems for real-time decarbonisation planning The launch of Decarb-AI is a major milestone for the Innovate for Ireland programme. It follows on from the programme's successful launch in early 2025, which saw the recruitment of the first cohort of 11 iScholars working in a variety of research disciplines. iScholars are outstanding researchers with entrepreneurial qualities and a passion for sustainability. Yvonne McCarthy, Head of Sustainability Research, AIB, commented: "Tackling climate change requires both ambition and innovation. AIB is proud to partner with Innovate for Ireland on Decarb-AI, an initiative that brings world-leading researchers together to accelerate Ireland's transition to a low-carbon economy. By supporting the development of AI-driven tools for energy and sustainable finance, we're helping to unlock some of the solutions that will ensure that businesses and communities can make meaningful progress on decarbonisation that allows them to thrive." Dr Diarmuid O'Brien, CEO of Research Ireland, commented: "By combining advanced AI research with real-world climate challenges, Decarb-AI has the potential to generate solutions that are both scientifically rigorous and nationally impactful. This initiative will train the next generation of interdisciplinary leaders and strengthen Ireland's credentials in climate research innovation." Andrew Parnell, Lead PI and Professor of Data Science for Weather and Climate at University College Dublin, commented, "AI is the catalyst required to solve the multi-objective problems inherent in climate resilience. Through Decarb-AI, we are fostering a research environment where advanced data science meets urgent environmental necessity through our new iScholars. Our focus is on creating scalable, academically rigorous, and industry-ready outputs ranging from peatland restoration to sustainable finance. We must ensure that Ireland remains at the global forefront of excellence in AI and sustainability." Dr Simon Boucher, Chief Executive, Global Innovators Ireland, commented: "The opening of the Decarb-AI national centre is an important step towards realising the Innovate for Ireland vision of establishing Ireland as a world-leading hub for sustainability innovation and helping to address the world's most pressing challenges." Applications for a second cohort of researchers to Decarb-AI will be invited from ambitious candidates with backgrounds in AI, data science, engineering, environmental science, ecology, geography, finance, and related fields who want to bui...

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An international team of astronomers, led by a PhD student at University of Galway, have made the groundbreaking discovery of a second planet in the same system where they discovered another planet last year. Detected at an early stage of formation in the disc around a young star, the young planet named WISPIT 2c is estimated to be about 5 million years-old and most likely ten times the mass of Jupiter. The star, WISPIT 2 is located in the constellation of the Eagle, a prominent equatorial constellation visible in the summer northern hemisphere (July-November) along the Milky Way. The study was led by PhD student Chloe Lawlor from the Centre for Astronomy at the School of Natural Sciences and the Ryan Institute at University of Galway, in collaboration with PhD student Richelle van Capelleveen, Leiden Observatory, Netherlands and postdoctoral researcher Guillaume Bourdarot, Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Garching, Germany. This major find for the field of astronomy makes WISPIT 2 only the second-known young (and still forming) multi-planet system. WISPIT 2 may resemble the young Solar System with now two gas giant planets embedded in its multi-ringed dust disk. This includes the now confirmed planet WISPIT 2c and the planet WISPIT 2b, which was discovered last year by the same research team (led by Richelle van Capelleveen at Leiden Observatory and Dr. Laird Close from the University of Arizona). The new planet is a very young gas giant based on the temperature and its radius from the atmosphere spectrum. It is twice as massive as the previously detected WISPIT 2b and orbits four times closer to its host star, which makes it incredibly difficult to detect with ground-based telescopes. The study has been published in Astrophysical Journal Letters. The presence of this second planet was detected using the European Southern Observatory's (ESO's) Very Large Telescope in Chile's Atacama Desert. By linking several telescopes together to act as one giant instrument, the research team was able to observe regions very close to the star. The team detected carbon monoxide gas, a chemical that is commonly found in the atmospheres of young giant planets. Carbon monoxide leaves a strong and distinctive chemical signature in telescope data, providing the crucial evidence needed to confirm the planet's existence. Chloe Lawlor, PhD student, Centre for Astronomy, School of Natural Sciences, University of Galway, said: "After the initial discovery of WISPIT 2b, which I was also involved in, we suspected there might be another object in the system. At first, we weren't sure if it was a planet or a very large dust clump. We very quickly made follow-up observations using the Very Large Telescope Interferometer, an incredible setup where multiple telescopes can be connected to form a large virtual telescope. This allowed us to take what we call a spectrum, which is essentially a chemical fingerprint, revealing the elements and molecules in an object's atmosphere. "Carbon monoxide is one of the key signatures we are looking for in young giant planets. When we saw it clearly in the data, that was when we knew we had something significant. There was definitely an element of disbelief. I didn't expect to be the one to find a second planet in the system. When I sent the spectrum to my supervisor Dr Christian Ginski, it was a huge shock and upon further examination, he confirmed I'd found a planet! "WISPIT 2 will become an important laboratory to study planet formation." To uncover the hidden planet, the research team used the European Southern Observatory's (ESO's) Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI), which captured an image of the object and allowed also for the first study of its atmosphere. The team specifically used the recently upgraded instrument GRAVITY+, which allows the light from all four of the eight metre telescopes of the ESO to be combined. This challenging technique using cutting-edge instrumentation was fun...

On March 5th, 2026, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD, and Minister for Education and Youth, Hildegarde Naughton TD announced that almost €6 million in funding would be used to support thirty-two projects designed to engage the public in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) through the Research Ireland Discover Programme. The Research Ireland Discover Programme is a national initiative to widen participation in STEM. This year's projects will engage with people of all ages, from early childhood through to adulthood, through creative, community-embedded, and inclusive approaches to STEM engagement. Research Ireland Discover Programme awards NCI NCI's STEM for All: Multiple Inclusive STEM Engagements for Families, Communities project, led by Professor Paul Stynes, Dean of the School of Computing, has been awarded €60,000.00 in funding. About the project The STEM for All project builds on Research Ireland funded programming, supporting STEM identities, skills, and aspirations of children and families facing significant socio-economic challenges in Dublin's Inner City by creating multiple, accessible, inclusive opportunities for disenfranchised families to gain confidence, competence, and a sense of belonging in STEM, and the research and innovation world Professor Paul Stynes, Dean of NCI's School of Computing, shares, "This funding allows us to further advance our research into inclusive STEM education, building a stronger evidence base on what works in engaging children and families from underrepresented communities. As Principal Investigator, it enables us to evolve and scale our programmes in a way that is both research-informed and community-driven, strengthening pathways into STEM from an early age through to future study and careers. It also reinforces NCI's role in leading impactful, inclusive research that connects education, community engagement, and long-term societal outcomes." NCI's Early Learning Initiative (ELI) is a grassroots public purpose project addressing systemic inequalities; empowering at-risk children to discover their STEM identities through creative, engaging experiences that encourage scientific thinking. STEM is embedded across ELI's early intervention programmes: STEM Play & Learn (home visits, ages 4–6), weekly Coding Clubs (ages 7–12), Senior Coding Club (ages 13–16), STEM events for families. Local advocacy, accessible family learning, and parent engagement are central to inclusive education, building science capital, and resilient communities. Recognising parents' profound role in shaping children's learning outcomes and aspirations, ELI's programming expands, incorporating insights from their 2024 Parental Attitudes to STEM and Digital Technology research, including findings from in-depth case studies exploring long-term STEM engagement in disadvantaged families. To deepen impact and engagement several new elements will be introduced: Think Like a Scientist pilot, an initiative aimed at bridging a gap in children's scientific understanding through inquiry-based learning; bespoke parent technology clinics; and STEM 101 sessions demystifying core concepts, giving parents tools to support their child's learning. In parallel, ELI is developing longitudinal analysis framework exploring how sustained participation in the STEM programmes influences young people's aspirations and progression to third-level education. Brigina O'Riordan, Assistant Director of ELI's Community Services Programmes, shares, "This funding will enable children and families in Dublin Inner City to engage in high quality, accessible, and engaging STEM learning experiences, building confidence, curiosity, and awareness in the scientific method. This programme is intentionally designed to promote access, inclusion, and diversity, with strong participation from underrepresented groups, supported by NCI as a safe and welcoming community space." Researc...

UGREEN have launched a new series of Thunderbolt 5 compatible devices and have sent us their Revodock Maxidok 17-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station to take a look at. This dock is jam-packed with ports, specs and features which allow you to connect and charge all of your devices, store data externally and transfer it between connected devices at blistering speeds. As this is a Thunderbolt 5 device, it caters to the higher end of the laptop and display market, but it is also backwards compatible and still works extremely well when connecting to devices with standard USB-C. If your devices support Thunderbolt, though, the convenience and speed at which you can transfer data is so fast it seems unbelievable at times! What's in the Box Along with the dock, UGREEN include everything you will need to get up and running. There is a 240-watt external power adapter to power everything. It comes with 3 different cables with plug tops to suit the main world regions. There is a heat sync for an NVME drive and a screwdriver included for installation. UGREEN Revodock Maxidok 17-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station Design and Specs We have reviewed many UGREEN products over the years and have always been impressed with their build quality and design. With the Revodock Maxidok, though, UGREEN have really upped their game, and everything about this product has a really premium look and feel. Starting with the box, the hinged opening presents the dock front and centre of the packaging and feels more reminiscent of what you would see with a fancy watch, and it's a good indicator of the effort that has been put into the overall product. All of the accessories included are also of high quality and well packaged. Moving on to the Revodock Maxidok itself, the premium material vibe continues. The steel chassis feels solid and is finished in a two-tone space grey type colour and copper, which is diagonally split along the sides. The front face of the device has the power button, 3 x USB-C ports, a micro and full-size SD card slot, capable of 312MB/s transfer and a headphone jack. The bottom of the device has a hatch and bay for an M2 NVMe drive, with the back of the device having the remainder of the ports. These include: 2 x Thunderbolt 5 Downstream ports, 1 Thunderbolt 5 Upstream port, 1 x DisplayPort, Audio In & Out ports, 3 x USB-A ports capable of 10Gbps and a 2.5GbE Ethernet port. The device can also supply 240 watts to charge devices and power peripherals, and you can keep everything secured to your desk with a Kensington lock. Some of the other headline features include: All-in-one expansion: 17 ports for data, video, networking, storage, and charging. Ultra-fast data transfers: Supports up to 120Gbps unidirectional bandwidth and 80Gbps bi-directional bandwidth Built-in NVMe PCIe Gen4 x4 M.2 slot: Open and edit 4K assets and large files directly, with no waiting around for copying or loading. More affordable than upgrading internal device storage. Flagship multi-display support: Supports three independent displays (Windows), two independent displays (Mac), as well as single 8K@60Hz or dual 6K@60Hz outputs. Built-in 2.5GbE network port: Transfer large files such as 4K footage quickly and reliably. No need to worry about flaky WiFi connections. 24/7 stable performance: Advanced thermal engineering keeps performance stable even throughout 24/7 high-load testing, with the surface remaining under 40°C. Day-to-Day Use For a high-spec device such as the Revodock Maxidok, there are a number of consumers out there who have the right equipment chain and workflow process that will make this device seem like a "must buy", but it is also a really useful device to have outside of these scenarios. The first people who will clearly benefit from a device like this are people who are in the Apple ecosystem and mainly do their day-to-day computing on a laptop or tablet. Apple devices have been Thunderbolt compatible for some time, and as they release new d...

The Irish Tech News Podcast is now 10 years old ,and over the years we have covered a wide variety of tech topics over 1700 episodes. To celebrate this milestone I have a very special guest, Alexia Cambon appearing on the podcast. Alexia, is a senior director of research at Microsoft and I caught up with her at the recent Microsoft AI Summit in Dublin. Alexia talks about her background, AI in the work place, intelligence work, writing for AI, copilot, and more. More about Alexia Cambon: Alexia leads research for the Future of Work & M365 team as a Senior Director at Microsoft, working to identify emerging research opportunities and delving into customers' most pressing workforce challenges. She co-leads Microsoft's cross-company research initiative examining AI's impact on productivity and performance, and is a seasoned presenter and speaker with a passion for storytelling and creative thinking. Alexia's areas of focus include AI, hybrid work design, and organisational culture. She has written for HBR and The Guardian, and has been featured in NPR, Forbes and The Times (UK). See more podcasts here. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

Ireland's European Climate Pact Ambassadors will this week be attending the Pact's Annual Conference in Brussels, held this year under the theme of 'Together in Action'. Together with Ambassadors from other member states, Ambassadors Dr Laura Kirwan and Martin Brocklehurst will be showcasing their work in driving grassroots community climate action throughout Ireland. As a Sustainability Lead at Nutritics, an Irish-headquartered global leader in food data technology, and an expert in eco-friendly food systems, Dr. Kirwan has drawn on her extensive experience to create a sustainable menu for the event using the "Footprint" software, a digital tool allowing for the analysis and creation of eco-friendly dishes. An experienced thought leader on the role of food in fighting climate change, Dr Kirwan previously spoke at COP29, and served as a delegate at last year's UN World Food Forum. Joining Dr Kirwan will be Martin Brocklehurst, whose work as an Ambassador centres on the role of citizen science in driving grassroots climate action, advocating for citizen science as a key part of implementation plans for major global environmental resolutions. A veteran of climate action, Brocklehurst has spent over four decades involved in environmental efforts in the public sector, as well as with academic and NGO clients on major EU projects. The Annual Conference represents a landmark moment in the European climate calendar, bringing together over 500 citizens, policymakers, businesses and community leaders from all 27 EU member states to connect in a shared celebration of the collective action needed to drive Europe's transition to a climate-neutral future. See more stories here.

The ISPE Ireland Affiliate flagship event, INSPIRE, will take place on Thursday 14th May 2026 at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork. More than 600 attendees from across Ireland's thriving pharmaceutical and life sciences sector are expected to gather for a day of collaboration, insight, and opportunity. INSPIRE will bring together industry leaders, innovators and emerging talent, with a strong focus on shaping the future of pharmaceutical manufacturing, digital transformation, and workforce development. A key highlight of the event is a large-scale trade exhibition featuring over 60+ vendors, showcasing the latest technologies, services, and solutions supporting the life sciences industry. Attendees will have direct access to cutting-edge innovations and technical expertise. Alongside the exhibition, ISPE Ireland will host a dedicated Careers Fair in partnership with NIBRT (National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training). This initiative aims to connect students, graduates, and professionals with leading employers, supporting the continued growth of Ireland's talent pipeline. The event will be hosted by well-known Irish media personality Anna Daly, guiding attendees through a dynamic programme of keynote speakers, panel discussions, and interactive sessions. A special highlight will be a motivational keynote address by comedian and broadcaster Dermot Whelan, who will share a unique perspective on performance, mindset, and resilience in today's fast-paced industry. The day will also offer extensive networking opportunities throughout the day, culminating in an evening BBQ and live entertainment session. Guests will have the unique opportunity to step pitch-side for a game or two alongside well-known Irish sports stars, adding a fun and memorable close to the day while encouraging even more informal networking. Speaking ahead of the event, Carolann Power, ISPE Ireland Affiliate said: "As one of the organisers of ISPE Ireland Inspire, we've placed a strong focus on creating networking opportunities alongside a dynamic trade show. This event will bring together professionals and providers in one space, making it easy to build connections, explore new technologies, and have the conversations that drive real progress across the industry." INSPIRE is free to attend, with registrations expected to fill quickly due to high demand. Tickets are available on Eventbrite by searching ISPE IRE INSPIRE 2026. Follow all updates through the ISPE Ireland LinkedIn Page. See more stories here. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

HubSpot, the agentic customer platform that helps organisations grow better, has announced plans to launch an investment of €40.35 million in an AI-native R&D programme in Ireland focused on foundational AI systems engineering. HubSpot is supported by the Irish government through IDA Ireland. The programme will advance AI R&D across three core domains: AI Platform & Ecosystem, Product & Infrastructure, and AI-Native Go-To-Market Transformation. This multi-year investment anchors high-value AI systems development in Ireland and further establishes Dublin as a strategic global hub for HubSpot's AI engineering. Anchoring foundational AI systems in Ireland The programme is focused on foundational AI systems: the core infrastructure, platforms, and capabilities that will power HubSpot's AI-native growth for years to come. Key areas of work include: AI platform & ecosystem: Scalable AI platforms, tools, and interfaces to enable faster, safer deployment of AI across HubSpot's product suite and partner ecosystem. Product & infrastructure: Embedding AI into HubSpot's core infrastructure and product layers to improve performance, reliability, and customer value. AI-native go-to-market: Reimagining how HubSpot builds, ships, and supports products in an AI-native way, from internal workflows to customer-facing experiences. This work will support HubSpot's long-term goal of reaching 500,000 customers by 2028, building on its current base of more than 288,000 customers in over 135 countries globally. "This is a strong vote of confidence in HubSpot's AI-native R&D vision," said Rich Archbold, GM and SVP Business Systems, Security & BizTech at HubSpot. "With support from IDA Ireland, we can anchor more of our most advanced AI systems engineering in Ireland and accelerate the multi-year AI-native transformation of our platform. "Ireland is at the heart of that strategy, and the depth and ambition of the engineering and AI talent here gives us the confidence to take on some of our most complex technical challenges. The work we're doing will shape the foundations of our platform for years to come and unlock new ways for our customers to grow in an AI-native world." Ireland as a global AI systems engineering hub HubSpot has built a significant and growing presence in Ireland, with approximately 1,300 employees nationwide, including over 350 R&D employees. While 63% are based in County Dublin, 37% work across the rest of Ireland, giving HubSpot a national footprint with representation in almost every county. This hybrid workforce model, combining in-person and remote roles, enables HubSpot to access AI and engineering talent across the country, while contributing to regional economic participation beyond Dublin and strengthening Ireland's position in global AI development. Minister Peter Burke, Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment said: "HubSpot's decision to invest over €40 million in a new AI native R&D programme is a strong endorsement of Ireland's position as a global leader in advanced technology and innovation. The company's long term commitment will create new opportunities for talent across the country and support the continued evolution of our innovation ecosystem. I wish HubSpot every success as they embark on this next phase of growth." Michael Lohan, CEO, IDA Ireland added. "I want to congratulate HubSpot on the launch of their AI-native R&D programme. Artificial Intelligence is a key growth driver called out in IDA Ireland's strategy and it's encouraging to see R&D projects focussing on this area. This significant investment is a great vote of confidence in the engineering and innovation capabilities available in Ireland." See more stories here. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/ir...

By Joe O'Regan, founder of Intrinsic CFO, fractional CFO to some of Ireland's most exciting startups and the current Chair of ACCA Ireland. There isn't a founder on the planet who wakes up one morning and thinks, "Today is the day I need a CFO." The realisation is always a more gradual one. The importance of Financial Leadership Numbers become more opaque to interpret. Revenues could be rising, but cash flow feels squeezed. Hiring decisions start to carry more weight. Investment conversations begin to surface. Overall, the business is moving forward, but the financial picture is becoming more complex rather than clearer. It's at this stage that bookkeeping and compliance no longer suffice for what the founder(s) need. They need financial leadership to scale up. And crucially, someone who understands not just their numbers, but how those numbers compare to other companies at a similar stage and in a similar sector. The CFO myth It's a commonly held belief that only the likes of Fortune 500 or large companies can afford a CFO. However, financial strategy becomes critical long before a company reaches enterprise size. For small and mid-sized companies, the services of a full-time CFO are not necessarily required. That said, having access to a fractional CFO on a part-time basis can make all the difference. In a nutshell, the role of a fractional CFO is to bring senior-level financial expertise to the business minus the full-time cost. Yes, spreadsheets will be present, but the real role is translating financial data into decisions that shape growth, resilience and long-term sustainability. Generally, founders don't lack ambition. But while revenue targets may be clear, that clarity doesn't always follow through into other areas of the business. The ambition is seldom matched with a structured financial roadmap. If profit margins, cash runway, funding requirements and the purpose behind spend are vague, this can be the death knell for a growing startup. A good fractional CFO doesn't just report the numbers. They challenge assumptions, join up the dots between strategy, sales, hiring and funding, and help ensure that every major cost supports a clear commercial objective. Managing cash flow before it manages you In the world of start-ups and scale-ups, "exit" or "profit" are the words everyone wants to hear. "Cash flow" just doesn't have the same allure. But cash flow is the kingmaker when it comes to growing your business. A company can be profitable on paper and still struggle to meet short-term obligations. Or just a few late payments could derail operations. That's before unexpected expenses or seasonal fluctuations create pressure. This is also where an experienced fractional CFO adds value beyond the ledger. They can help founders understand when to use non-dilutive funding such as grants. And, just as importantly, when not to. Grants can be powerful at the right stage, particularly for innovation, R&D or market expansion, but they should support strategy, not distort it or distract the team from customers. Fundraising is another area where early financial leadership pays dividends. Investors may be interested in your product or service, but they're really paying attention to how the economics function in your business. Clear financial models, realistic projections and transparent reporting build credibility. Even companies not actively seeking investment benefit from operating with this level of discipline because it strengthens internal decision-making as well as external perception. A fractional CFO also saves the founder time to do what they do best. While no one doubts their commitment, it's no use to the business for a founder to burn the midnight oil wrestling with spreadsheets. With the right financial leadership in place, founders can focus on customers, product and team with the knowledge that the financial engine is being actively managed and challenged. Why tech companies feel it sooner Growing companies across...

By Joe O'Regan, founder of Intrinsic CFO, fractional CFO to some of Ireland's most exciting startups and the current Chair of ACCA Ireland. There isn't a founder on the planet who wakes up one morning and thinks, "Today is the day I need a CFO." The realisation is always a more gradual one. The importance of Financial Leadership Numbers become more opaque to interpret. Revenues could be rising, but cash flow feels squeezed. Hiring decisions start to carry more weight. Investment conversations begin to surface. Overall, the business is moving forward, but the financial picture is becoming more complex rather than clearer. It's at this stage that bookkeeping and compliance no longer suffice for what the founder(s) need. They need financial leadership to scale up. And crucially, someone who understands not just their numbers, but how those numbers compare to other companies at a similar stage and in a similar sector. The CFO myth It's a commonly held belief that only the likes of Fortune 500 or large companies can afford a CFO. However, financial strategy becomes critical long before a company reaches enterprise size. For small and mid-sized companies, the services of a full-time CFO are not necessarily required. That said, having access to a fractional CFO on a part-time basis can make all the difference. In a nutshell, the role of a fractional CFO is to bring senior-level financial expertise to the business minus the full-time cost. Yes, spreadsheets will be present, but the real role is translating financial data into decisions that shape growth, resilience and long-term sustainability. Generally, founders don't lack ambition. But while revenue targets may be clear, that clarity doesn't always follow through into other areas of the business. The ambition is seldom matched with a structured financial roadmap. If profit margins, cash runway, funding requirements and the purpose behind spend are vague, this can be the death knell for a growing startup. A good fractional CFO doesn't just report the numbers. They challenge assumptions, join up the dots between strategy, sales, hiring and funding, and help ensure that every major cost supports a clear commercial objective. Managing cash flow before it manages you In the world of start-ups and scale-ups, "exit" or "profit" are the words everyone wants to hear. "Cash flow" just doesn't have the same allure. But cash flow is the kingmaker when it comes to growing your business. A company can be profitable on paper and still struggle to meet short-term obligations. Or just a few late payments could derail operations. That's before unexpected expenses or seasonal fluctuations create pressure. This is also where an experienced fractional CFO adds value beyond the ledger. They can help founders understand when to use non-dilutive funding such as grants. And, just as importantly, when not to. Grants can be powerful at the right stage, particularly for innovation, R&D or market expansion, but they should support strategy, not distort it or distract the team from customers. Fundraising is another area where early financial leadership pays dividends. Investors may be interested in your product or service, but they're really paying attention to how the economics function in your business. Clear financial models, realistic projections and transparent reporting build credibility. Even companies not actively seeking investment benefit from operating with this level of discipline because it strengthens internal decision-making as well as external perception. A fractional CFO also saves the founder time to do what they do best. While no one doubts their commitment, it's no use to the business for a founder to burn the midnight oil wrestling with spreadsheets. With the right financial leadership in place, founders can focus on customers, product and team with the knowledge that the financial engine is being actively managed and challenged. Why tech companies feel it sooner Growing companies across...

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) has announced that it awarded more than €20 million in Government funding to 34 new national energy research awards under the SEAI National Energy Funding Programme in 2025. This comprises of 25 Research, Development and Demonstration (RD&D) projects and 9 Energise Fellowships. Funding for these awards is provided by the Government of Ireland through the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment. The RD&D projects funded by SEAI span small, medium, and large-scale initiatives across critical energy areas including offshore wind, bioenergy, district heating, green hydrogen, sustainable transport, forecasting, smart buildings, carbon capture, and environmental and climate targets. The Energise Fellowships Programme supports early-career and mid-career researchers, building national research capacity, strengthening the Irish energy research ecosystem, bridging the research to policy gap and accelerating the development of future research leaders. The 2025 Energise Fellowships are supporting research across areas including energy poverty alleviation, offshore renewable energy, carbon capture, energy efficient buildings, biofuels, and green hydrogen. In 2025, SEAI collaborated with three co?funding partners in the RD&D call, each supporting strategically important research themes: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine – co-funding research on sustainable feedstocks for anaerobic digestion Climate Change Advisory Council – co-funding the development of low?emission and equitable transport strategies Met Éireann – co-funding a project on renewable energy forecasting in Ireland's changing climate SEAI acknowledges the value of these partnerships in scaling up national research impact and supporting evidence-based climate and energy policy. The 2025 SEAI National Energy Funding Programme awarded grants to project leads in several of Ireland's leading universities, technological institutions, and public-service and private-sector research organisations nationwide. These include University College Cork, University of Galway, Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, University of Limerick, Maynooth University, Technological University of Shannon, TU Dublin, Munster Technological University, Atlantic Technological University, Teagasc, the International Energy Research Centre (IERC), Tipperary Energy Agency, HeatGrid Ireland Ltd and Dowmann Limited. The programme will benefit a broad selection of organisations across all projects and fellowships with 16 receiving funding as leads or partners and 29 as collaborators. Speaking on today's announcement, Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment Darragh O'Brien, TD said: "I am delighted to see the award of these 34 innovative energy research projects and fellowships. Ireland recently reached a landmark of 8GW of renewable energy. The best way to deliver long term energy independence and affordable costs for Irish households and businesses is to continue to deploy home-grown renewable energy at scale. Recent events in the Middle East have reiterated the importance of reducing Ireland's dependence on imported fossil fuels. These projects will explore important areas of research, that in turn can enhance the delivery of sustainable, secure, and affordable energy for all." William Walsh, CEO at SEAI, added: "These projects have the potential to transform Ireland's energy system. From floating wind, to using AI to enhance the efficiency of renewables, this research is on the cutting-edge of technology and international best practice. "Reducing our reliance on fossil fuels will mean a cleaner, healthier, more resilient and competitive future for our country. It will reduce our energy bills and put our country on a more secure footing. At SEAI, we fund the research that will make that vision a reality. Congratulations to the teams awarded this funding and thank you for the significant contribution you have made, and...

According to a recent survey by bunq, Europe's second-largest neobank, more than a third of Irish users say they are more honest about money with AI than with other people; pointing to a shift in how people seek financial guidance. The study, which surveyed 1,000 Irish respondents, shows that 36% of consumers feel more comfortable opening up to AI about their spending, while a further 37% say they are just as honest with AI as they would be with another person. This growing openness suggests that AI is becoming more than just a practical tool, it is emerging as a judgement-free space where users feel more comfortable confronting their financial habits. "People often start using AI in a very practical way, before they trust it emotionally. That psychological distance — almost like opening up to a stranger on a train — can make it easier to be honest about money, which in turn brings the real benefit: saving more of it. Over time, as people test the advice and see what works, the relationship shifts. It starts to feel like a thinking partner rather than a calculator," said Dr. Nick Hobson, behavioural scientist and Consulting Director at Influence at Work. "And that opening up may travel further than the AI conversation itself. It works like a sort of social gym. It offers a low-stakes space to rehearse the tricky conversations, asking for a raise, setting financial boundaries with family, without the fear of judgment that comes with the real thing. Once people experience what honesty about their finances actually produces, the barrier to having those conversations with other people gets lower. The practice spills over, and they show up to the human conversation a little more prepared, and a little less afraid." This sense of psychological safety is translating into real-world impact. Nearly half (49%) of Irish users have already used AI to support a personal finance decision, with many turning to it in moments of financial stress. For many, the results are tangible. One in three respondents say AI helped them save money in the past year, with more than a quarter of those reporting savings of over €500. Joe Wilson, Chief Evangelist at bunq, said: "It's a dynamic time. People are increasingly turning to AI for help with everyday decisions – and it only works when it's genuinely built around their lives. Whether it's understanding your money or making more informed choices, the value comes from reducing friction, not adding more noise. The real impact happens when AI moves beyond being just another feature and becomes something people actually rely on, because it consistently makes things easier." As users grow more comfortable opening up to AI, trust remains closely linked to established financial institutions. Two-thirds of respondents say they trust AI tools developed by their bank more than generic chatbots, highlighting the role of institutional trust in turning curiosity into action. Internationally, Ireland is emerging as one of the stronger adopters of financial AI. Irish users are already ahead of those in the UK and the United States when it comes to integrating AI into everyday financial life. See more stories here. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

Orchard Thieves has announced the launch of the Orchard Thieves Creator Marketplace to support emerging Irish creators through what the brand has called the 'Foxpack' – a creator platform built to explore a more culturally driven approach to brand collaboration. Developed in partnership with THINKHOUSE and powered by the agency's creator marketing capability, The Love Network, the Foxpack marks a shift away from traditional creator campaigns towards a scalable, structured and culturally embedded model of collaboration. The Foxpack builds on Orchard Thieves' Be More Fox brand platform – celebrating instinctive creativity, cultural awareness and the ability to spot the moments others miss. The Foxpack invites creators who embody this mindset: culturally sharp, creatively bold and plugged into the social moments shaping culture. From pre-drinks and house parties to festivals, the Foxpack will engage emerging Irish creators with paid opportunities, skill development, guidance on content production and brand partnerships. Moving beyond traditional influencer marketing, rather than working with the "same faces in the same ways", Orchard Thieves is building what it describes as a living community of emerging creators known as the Foxpack. For Orchard Thieves, the ambition is cultural relevance over superficial reach, prioritising authentic storytelling, real communities and creator relationships over polished ad-replication. Research from System1 shows that creator-led content consistently outperforms traditional brand advertising in driving attention and emotional engagement. Jim Geraghty, Marketing Manager at Orchard Thieves Cider said: "As the #1 GenZ cider brand, Orchard Thieves has always been a brand rooted in social culture and real shared moments. With the Foxpack, we're investing in authentic partnerships with emerging creators who shape culture, not just follow trends. It's about supporting new talent while building a more disruptive, future-focused approach to creator marketing." Dave Byrne, Head of Creative at THINKHOUSE said: "Orchard Thieves has always been a future focused brand, working with up and coming creators to deliver campaigns that really land with audiences. The Foxpack now gives us the chance to discover the next generation of creators and work with them to make content that connects with cider fans all over Ireland." The Foxpack has been designed as a scalable community enabling Orchard Thieves to collaborate with a diverse creator pool throughout the year. The launch will be supported by two hero brand ambassador creators, alongside a broader recruitment phase inviting emerging Irish talent to apply via a dedicated microsite. By expanding its creator network, Orchard Thieves is exploring new ways brands in Ireland can collaborate with the next generation of creative talent. Find out how to join The Foxpack today, visit: https://www.orchardthievescider.ie/join-the-foxpack See more stories here.

The Schooldays.ie Teachers of Ireland Survey 2026, which gathered responses from 1,838 teachers across Early Years, Preschool, Primary, Secondary and Special Education, provides one of the most comprehensive snapshots of the profession in Ireland today. The research found that nearly three quarters of teachers describe themselves as either extremely proud or very proud to be teachers, highlighting the enduring passion many educators feel for their work despite the daily challenges of the classroom. At the same time, the findings reveal growing concerns about workload, resources and whether teachers' voices are being heard by policymakers. Richard Murphy, Owner of Schooldays.ie, said the survey aims to give teachers a platform to share their experiences and perspectives; "This research provides a valuable snapshot of the teaching landscape in Ireland today and highlights both the dedication of teachers and the challenges they face. By listening to their voices, we can help inform future discussions about education policy and the supports needed for both teachers and students." Teachers motivated by desire to make a difference According to the survey, the primary motivations for entering the profession are rooted in purpose rather than lifestyle. 41.1% cited a love of learning and education. 28.1% of teachers said they chose the profession because of a desire to make a difference. 24.2% said they were inspired by a teacher from their own schooldays. Interestingly, factors often associated with teaching — such as job stability or summer holidays – were far less influential in motivating people to pursue the profession. Commenting on the findings around teacher motivation and commitment, Dr Declan Fahie, Director of School Placement, Deputy Director of the Professional Master of Education (PME), UCD, said: "I am not surprised by the findings that, despite the daily challenges of navigating an ever-evolving educational landscape, the vast majority of teachers remain deeply committed to both their profession and to the pupils they teach. "Contrary to popular belief, long summer holidays were not a significant motivation for entering the profession; rather, more intrinsic factor – such as a love of learning and a desire to make a difference – were far more influential. Emphasising the vital role teachers play in young people's lives, almost a quarter of respondents reported that they were inspired to teach by a teacher from their own schooldays." Teachers going above and beyond The survey also highlights the level of dedication within the profession. More than three quarters (75.8%) of teachers say they go above and beyond their contracted hours every day, with a fifth (21.1%) doing so a few times a week. When asked what gives them the most satisfaction in their role, 55.4% of teachers said seeing students progress was the most rewarding aspect of their job, followed by supporting children emotionally and building relationships with families. Teachers also reported that the profession strengthens a range of essential skills including patience, communication, emotional resilience and problem-solving. Almost all teachers stated they were proud of their profession with nearly 40% of teachers stating they feel extremely proud to be a teacher, while a further 33.8% said they are very proud. Concerns over senior cycle reforms and resources The survey also examined teachers' views on the introduction of Continuous Assessment Components as part of Senior Cycle reform. While many teachers see potential benefits in reducing pressure on a single final exam and recognising a broader range of student strengths, concerns remain around the practical implementation of the new system. However, concerns remain. In response to what their biggest concern is about the move towards continuous assessment, a third (32.9%) said consistency and fairness across schools, over a quarter (25.9%) said increased workload for teachers, 22.4% pointed to time and r...

Employers need to dramatically change the way they are delivering learning and development if they want to engage and retain Gen Z employees as they enter the modern workforce, a new report has found. The Irish research report, prepared by the Learnovate Centre in Trinity College Dublin for WorkJuggle, is called Learning in the Age of TikTok: How Gen Z is Shaping the Future of Learning and Work. It investigated the learning and professional development requirements of Gen Z, which usually refers to those born between the mid-1990s and early 2010s, making them the youngest generation currently entering and establishing themselves in the workforce. The research found that effective learning and development (L&D) for Gen Z requires a fundamental shift from traditional, passive training models to a dynamic, purpose-driven and highly relational approach that delivers regular feedback. Three core area differences between Gen Z and previous generations are highlighted in the report: they want to know why they are learning something, they want 'bite-size' pieces of micro-learning and they really value human-centriclearning. Purpose. Gen Z don't want to just learn something for the sake of it, especially if they feel it is not relevant to them. They want to know why they are learning. It has to be something that is meaningful to them and to their roles. The data overwhelmingly shows Gen Z requires learning to be anchored in purpose. Multi-format content. The research highlighted a significant contraction in learner's attention spans. Accustomed to the speed and variety of digital platforms, Gen Z demands micro-learning — short bite-sized information in video, image or text format. Human-centric support. Despite their digital fluency, Gen Z highly values authentic mentoring and feedback from others. Mentorship is important to them as is peer-to-peer learning. Gen Z are digital natives and represent the first generation to have grown up fully immersed in digital technology with their formative years shaped by smartphones, social media and on-demand access to information. However, they show a strong preference for meaningful in-person interactions at work and consider face-to-face communication highly important and are more engaged if training is delivered by people and in person. Mentoring and opportunities to learn collaboratively are crucial. Regular updates, engagement and feedback are also important to Gen Z. The research also shows that while social media plays a significant role in the lives of Gen Z, with TikTok one of the most widely used platforms, Gen Z's relationship with platforms is complicated. The report – quoting previous international research – highlighted that nearly half had reported that they wished TikTok, Snapchat and X were never invented. But one key impact of TikTok has been to establish short-form video as a dominant form of content delivery. As part of the report, a survey of Gen Z employees was conducted which found that the three main barriers to learning for this generation are: lack of time, content that is too long and content that is not engaging. It also found that the benefits and perks that matter most to them are: work-life balance, competitive salary and career growth opportunities. Workplace culture and values is also critical including issues like diversity, transparency, mental health supports, flexibility and autonomy. The Learnovate Centre/WorkJuggle report was compiled from a survey of Gen Z employees, qualitative data from interviews with key L&D professionals as well as a review of existing literature. WorkJuggle Founder Ciara Garvan says: "The data overwhelmingly indicates that Gen Z requires learning to be anchored in purpose. The survey of Gen Z employees highlights that this cohort places a high importance on values and purpose and demands to understand not just what they are learning, but why it is relevant to their personal career trajectory, the company's mission, and any broader s...

Auxilion, the leading Irish digital services provider, has announced a €1.5m investment in the expansion of its Advisory Services practice, accelerating its market growth strategy. Following increased regulatory complexity, demand for Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) expertise has driven interest in cloud-based, automated solutions for Irish businesses, fuelling Auxilion's investment. With heightened market demand, the company is forecasting customer revenues to increase by €5m in 2026. This growth will be driven by a strengthened digital services portfolio, with the practice offering in-depth strategic guidance covering digital readiness, strategic project portfolio management, GRC expertise, in addition to IT service operations and resilience. To facilitate the growing needs of the practice, Auxilion will build out its associates model hiring an additional 12 people by the end of 2027. Eleanor Dempsey, who was recently appointed Director of Advisory Services, will lead the growing practice. Underpinned by high-quality technical expertise, the expanding Advisory Services practice will enable clients to accelerate digital initiatives, strengthen operational resilience, boost compliance and achieve measurable business outcomes. The expansion supports Auxilion's three-year strategy*, which includes a €10 million investment to evolve and enhance the company's digital services offering, broader business capabilities, and digital technology portfolio. In the past twelve months, the company has recruited over 30 new employees to bolster its commercial operations, leadership team and digital capabilities. Eleanor Dempsey, Directory of Advisory Services, Auxilion, said "Investing in our advisory practice reflects our commitment to helping clients achieve digital readiness while effectively managing risk and compliance. By delivering proactive, targeted, and continuous risk management solutions, we enable businesses to confidently navigate their digital journeys, unlock new opportunities, and drive sustainable growth". Patrick Jordan, CEO, Auxilion, said: "As organisations accelerate their digital transformation, the need for strong governance, risk and compliance frameworks has never been greater. In an increasingly complex global landscape – marked by regulatory change, cybersecurity threats, and economic uncertainty – GRC is becoming the foundation that enables companies to operate with confidence and scale safely." "Digital transformation is not just about adopting new technologies – it requires a foundation of strong governance, effective risk management, and embedded compliance. For Auxilion, this investment positions us to meet growing market demand while supporting our customers with the capabilities to build digital readiness while unlocking new opportunities for innovation and growth." See more stories here. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

The broadband market in Ireland is now flooded with providers all offering a myriad of deals. We know it's hard to find the perfect deal that suits your needs, but we're here to help. We've teamed up with Switcher.ie, the free and impartial price comparison and switching service, to find the best broadband deals available every month. Check back regularly to stay informed of the latest deals and offers, and visit the Switcher.ie website to order one of these great packages. Best Broadband Deals Virgin Media's 500Mb Broadband – 24 Month plan offers fantastic value. Enjoy unlimited broadband with speeds up to 500Mb for just €35 per month. Plus, new customers who sign up via Switcher.ie before 23/03/2026 will receive €105 off their Virgin Media broadband bill. New eir customers can take advantage of eir's Fibre Broadband, Talk – 24 Month Discount plan, which offers compelling value. This two-year contract, priced at €34.99 per month, includes unlimited broadband with speeds up to 500Mb and unlimited off-peak local and national calls. Additionally, customers signing up before 31/03/2026 will receive a €100 credit on their eir broadband bill. If you're on the lookout for speeds of up to 1Gb, check out Vodafone's 1 Gigabit Full Fibre Broadband for something a little faster. Available exclusively via Switcher.ie, this plan offers a 12 month discount. Priced at €35 per month, you'll get unlimited broadband with speeds of up to 1000Mb, great for larger households who need ultra-fast speeds for gaming, work, and entertainment. Plus, sign up before 30/03/2026 and get a free €50 One4All gift card. For those interested in a broadband and TV package, Virgin Media's 500Mb Broadband with Basic TV – 24 Month Discount plan includes unlimited broadband with speeds of up to 500Mb, and a mix of over 30 TV channels, all for €50 per month for 24 months. Plus, sign up before 23/03/2026 and get €105 off your Virgin Media broadband bill. If you're after a greater variety of TV channels, take a look at Virgin Media's 500Mb Broadband with Loaded TV – 24 Month Discount plan. For €52 per month for 24 months, you'll get unlimited broadband with speeds of up to 500Mb, and over 100 TV channels. Sign up exclusively via Switcher.ie before 23/03/2026, and get €105 off your Virgin Media broadband bill. eir's Fibre Broadband with TV Plus, Talk – 24 Month Discount plan is available at €49.98 per month. This plan includes unlimited broadband with speeds up to 500Mb, unlimited off-peak local and national calls, and access to over 50 TV channels. A significant benefit is the inclusion of Amazon Prime, which allows eir TV customers to enjoy exclusive deals, fast and free delivery, as well as a range of popular TV shows and movies. Sign up before 31/03/2026 and get €100 off your eir broadband bill. (If you've come across this article after some of these deals may have expired, check out our main Broadband Deals category page to find the latest offers)

200 students from Secondary schools from across Ireland will come together on March 25th for the third annual 'Ideas Made Real' Transition Year final, a national STEM event that highlights the creativity, innovation and problem-solving skills of transition year students as they present projects developed over the course of the academic year. Taking place at the Explorium Science and Sport Centre in Dublin, the event marks the culmination of the Ideas Made Real programme, an initiative by Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) that introduces secondary school students to modern manufacturing, engineering and innovation. Launched in September 2023, the programme blends STEM learning with practical application, encouraging students to work collaboratively to design and develop solutions to real-world challenges. 'Ideas Made Real' is designed not only to build technical skills but also to foster confidence, creativity and collaboration. By connecting students with industry mentors and exposing them to advanced manufacturing technologies, the programme provides valuable insight into potential career pathways and helps bridge the gap between education and industry. The Transition Year students, alongside their teachers, judges, IMR staff and programme sponsors, will attend the final, where student teams will present prototypes, posters and 3D-printed components developed through projects such as the 3D Printing Challenge. Throughout the day, projects will be assessed by a panel of internal and external judges drawn from industry and academia, including IMR representatives Tamara Wierks (Director of Learning & Development at IMR), Barry Kennedy CEO of IMR, Gustavo Cainelli (Precision Engineering Learning & Business Development Specialist) and John Enright Director of Manufacturing Technology, alongside external judges Luana Raggi (Senior Instructional Designer at Novartis Ireland, Audrey Madden of Keogh's and Michelle Lambert of Fastrack into Information Technology (FIT) before an awards ceremony recognises the most innovative and impactful work. The event is structured to give students the experience of a professional exhibition environment, beginning with a welcome and orientation session, followed by a series of judging rotations in which teams present and defend their ideas. After a period of deliberation, the event will conclude with an awards ceremony celebrating the effort, ingenuity and teamwork demonstrated across the programme. Speaking about the event, Barry Kennedy, CEO of IMR, says, "Events like the Ideas Made Real Showcase highlight the incredible creativity, curiosity and problem-solving ability of young people across Ireland. At IMR, we are passionate about nurturing the next generation of innovators by giving students the opportunity to help solve real-world challenges with emerging technologies. It's inspiring to see the level of ingenuity and teamwork on display, and this programme plays an important role in building the skills, confidence and ambition in our students who will shape the future of the Irish manufacturing industry." The event reflects the diversity and reach of the initiative, with schools travelling from across the country to participate. Alongside the technical achievements on display, the showcase highlights personal stories of perseverance, teamwork and problem-solving, underscoring the broader impact of the programme on student development; having created a wearable claw device to assist individuals with limited hand mobility, particularly people with Parkinson's disease, dementia, and elderly users. Speaking ahead of the event, IMR Programme Coordinator Emma Treacy said that the showcase represents an important milestone for students. "Ideas Made Real offers students the opportunity to bring an idea from concept to prototype and present it to industry experts, which gives participants a real sense of achievement and a clearer understanding of how their skills can translate into future careers an...

Activ8 Solar Energies has announced the commissioning of a major rooftop solar installation at the Tayto Snacks production facility in Ashbourne, Co. Meath, representing an investment of over €1.17 million. The project marks Tayto's largest renewables investment to date and a significant step towards onsite renewable energy generation. The system now supplies approximately 10% of Tayto's annual power demand and is expected to generate around 667 MWh annually. This will reduce carbon emissions by an estimated 146.17 tonnes of CO? per year. The project comes as Irish manufacturers face rising electricity costs, grid constraints and tightening climate targets, accelerating a shift towards onsite generation as businesses seek greater control over energy supply. "This project demonstrates what's possible when iconic Irish brands take decisive action on sustainability," said Ciaran Marron, CEO of Activ8 Energies. "On-site generation is increasingly becoming core infrastructure for manufacturers. We're proud to support Tayto Snacks in building long-term energy resilience while reducing carbon exposure." John O'Connor, Managing Director at Tayto Snacks commented: "This investment marks a major step forward in strengthening our energy resilience while reducing our carbon footprint. Generating over 667 MWh of clean electricity onsite each year, this installation directly supports Ireland's climate ambitions and reinforces our long-term commitment to sustainable manufacturing". The rooftop system comprises 1,734 solar panels and uses Activ8's ATLAS Duo N-Type bifacial solar panels, designed to maximise efficiency and reliability in Irish weather conditions Representing Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), Declan Meally, Director of Business, added: "This project showcases Irish businesses leading the way in renewable energy. Generating 10% of the site's energy from rooftop solar here at Tayto Snacks is a significant achievement, and SEAI is proud to support it. Activ8, working in partnership with SSE, has delivered a strong model that more businesses should follow." The initiative was supported by grant funding from SEAI under the Non-Domestic Microgeneration Grant (NDMG) scheme. Planning and development for the project began in December 2024, with onsite works commencing in March 2025. The system is now fully commissioned and operational. See more stories here.