Podcasts about irish smes

Back in 2017 when the Irish Tech News podcast was in its second year, one of my guests was Darya Yegorina  the founder of CleverBooks. In 2020 I caught up with Darya and did a written interview to see what happened since the podcast.Darya has recently launched a new venture Arventa, AI software designed in Ireland for Irish SMEs that helps to make business ops efficient and compliant, and to find out more about Arventa I caught with Darya .Darya talks about her background, Arventa, AI and more.More about Arventa:Arventa provides an all-in-one toolkit designed specifically for startups and freelancers. Our platform enhances productivity with tools for invoicing, proposals, CRM, time tracking, social media management, and compliance. Complementing, not replacing, accountants and accounting software, working seamlessly alongside them. Arventa's mission is to deliver an affordable solution tailored to meet the unique needs of micro businesses, helping them streamline their operations and achieve growth.

Artificial intelligence is no longer a future concept – it's rapidly becoming the operating system of modern business. From global tech giants to family-run farms in North Dublin, the ability to harness AI is quickly defining who scales, who competes, and who gets left behind.And yet, while the vast majority of Irish SMEs recognise AI's transformative potential, many remain stuck at the starting line – curious, but uncertain about how to turn that curiosity into practical, day-to-day advantage.So what's really holding businesses back? How big is the opportunity for Ireland if we close that gap? And what does it actually look like when small teams begin to think – and build – like software creators?In this episode, I'm joined by Karen Stolberg, Vice President of Google Customer Solutions for the UK and Ireland. We explore the real economic impact of AI, the psychological shift happening inside organisations, and a major new initiative from Google and Bank of Ireland that offers training for up to 10,000 Google AI certificates licences to Irish SMEs at no cost.From “vibe coding” and workflow automation to reclaiming entire workdays through AI fluency, this conversation is about unlocking capacity, competitiveness, and confidence across Irish business.If you've been wondering where to begin with AI, this is the conversation that cuts through the noise.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

How do AI search engines like Perplexity choose which sources to cite? Discover the structural differences between traditional SEO and Answer Engine Optimisation, plus the five-step playbook Irish SMEs can use to start showing up in AI-generated answers. BeaconSites City: Dublin Address: 77 Camden Street Lower Website: https://beaconsites.ie/ Phone: +353 1 234 6662 Email: info@beaconsites.com

Perplexity AI reaches over 100 million users across its products, and Irish SMEs can get cited using a six-category GEO framework. Learn how FAQPage schema, BLUF content, and earned media drive measurable AI visibility in 30-60 days. BeaconSites City: Dublin Address: 77 Camden Street Lower Website: https://beaconsites.ie/ Phone: +353 1 234 6662 Email: info@beaconsites.com

New research reveals 84% of AI citations come from third-party sources, not your own website. Discover why Irish SMEs are missing out on AI visibility and the practical steps to earn citations across ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI. BeaconSites City: Dublin Address: 77 Camden Street Lower Website: https://beaconsites.ie/ Phone: +353 1 234 6662 Email: info@beaconsites.com

Discover why brands cited in AI Overviews see 91% higher paid CTR and what Irish SMEs need to know about Answer Engine Optimisation in 2026. We break down the data behind declining click-through rates and the new benchmark for premium websites. BeaconSites City: Dublin Address: 77 Camden Street Lower Website: https://beaconsites.ie Phone: +353 1 234 6662 Email: info@beaconsites.com

New research from PayPal reveals that among SMEs surveyed in Ireland who sell online, 44% of sales come from outside Ireland. The findings also point to strong AI adoption, with one in four (25%) of those expanding internationally saying AI tools have made it easier to enter and operate in new markets. This survey commissioned by PayPal among SME owners surveyed in Ireland whose businesses sell online, finds that the majority (51%) are confident about their growth prospects for 2026. Central to this confidence is the rise of social commerce, with 78% reporting that they use social media channels for sales. More than half (56%) of business owners surveyed now feel that social media commerce is more effective than traditional ecommerce platforms for driving sales, while just over one in five (21%) expect it to be the main driver of business growth in the next 12 months. The study reveals that Instagram shopping (52%), YouTube shopping (52%), Facebook shops (51%) and TikTok shops (34%) are the leading social platforms for social commerce sales among Irish SMEs surveyed. According to the research, Irish SMEs are significant adopters of AI technology, with almost 8 in 10 (78%) business owners surveyed currently using AI in either business or customer processes. Driving innovation (62%), reducing finance administration (59%) and driving revenue growth (57%) are cited as the greatest benefits to business operations. Cross-border trade is an important revenue stream for Irish SMEs. Business owners expanding internationally believe it will help them to attract global talent (29%) as well as secure higher revenue/margin opportunities (25%). Among those already selling internationally, 80% expect overseas sales increase in the next 12 months. Digital payments continue to support Irish SMEs, with mobile payment apps generating the largest share of their sales, accounting for almost one-fifth (19%) of transactions on average. Four in ten Irish business owners offer mobile payment apps to customers, while digital wallets are also a popular form of payment among customers (36%). Jonas Breding, General Manager, PayPal Northern Europe comments: "Irish SME owners are operating in fast-moving and competitive environments. From AI adoption and the rise of social commerce to the introduction of new payment methods, business owners are continuously having to evolve to meet changing consumer expectations. The scale of this change also brings real opportunities for Irish businesses. On average, SMEs who sell online are generating 44% of their sale cross-border. "By leveraging digital channels, social commerce and ecommerce technology, we can see that Irish SMEs are well positioned to reach customers across the world. The businesses that will thrive are those that continue to invest in the right tools, removing friction from the customer journey and fully embracing international sales opportunities." See more stories here. 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.

CyberSmart, a leading provider of cyber risk management for small businesses, has released findings from its third annual MSP Survey, revealing that economic pressures are pushing cybersecurity down the priority list for many Irish SMEs, even as cyber threats and supply chain risks continue to grow. The CyberSmart MSP Survey 2026 found that 42% of MSP customers are more concerned about operational challenges such as rising costs and inflation than cybersecurity risks, despite an increasingly hostile threat landscape. At the same time, AI-driven threats were named the top cybersecurity concern for MSPs (49%). The 2026 research, conducted by OnePoll, features insights from 100 MSP leaders across Ireland, spanning a range of industries and supporting customers with between 1 and 250+ employees. MSPs Remain Prime Targets for Cybercriminals Over three quarters (77%) of MSPs admitted to suffering at least one cyber breach in the last 12 months, with 59% reporting two or more breaches and 40% experiencing three or more incidents. The findings demonstrate that repeat attacks remain commonplace and that MSPs continue to represent valuable targets for cybercriminals due to their privileged access to customer systems and data. MSPs ranked AI-related threats as the biggest risk facing their organisation (49%), followed by inflation and spiralling costs (43%) and then ransomware/malware infections (40%). Operational concerns such as inflation have climbed sharply up the list of threats facing MSPs over the past year. This reflects the wider economic uncertainty affecting businesses across Ireland. Supply chain risk has also increased in prominence, with over half (52%) of MSPs and their customers reporting that they had experienced a cyber incident caused by or originating from a supplier or third-party vendor in the past year. Of those supply chain incidents: 48% affected only the customer 13% affected only the MSP 33% affected both the MSP and the customer This means that 46% of incidents involved the MSP directly in some way, underlining the critical role MSPs now play within increasingly interconnected supply chains. Economic Pressures Overtaking Cyber Concerns The research found that half of MSPs believe that their customers are now more vulnerable to cyber threats than they were 12 months ago. This is significantly less than their British counterparts, where 62% believe their customers are at greater risk. However, when asked about the biggest risks facing customers, MSPs said inflation and rising operational costs were viewed as a greater concern than ransomware, unpatched vulnerabilities or emerging threats. According to MSP respondents: 42% cited inflation and spiralling costs as customers' top concern 41% cited ransomware or malware infections 32% cited exploitation of unpatched or undisclosed vulnerabilities 30% cited emerging AI threats The findings suggest that many SMEs are focusing on immediate financial pressures and operational resilience ahead of cyber preparedness, despite the growing sophistication and frequency of attacks. Despite this, MSPs reported that the vast majority (92%) of their customers demonstrate average or above-average levels of cybersecurity awareness. For British MSPs, this awareness sat lower at 85%. Compliance and Continuous Monitoring Becoming Business Priorities Customer expectations of MSPs are also evolving, with 57% of customers now expecting support with cybersecurity compliance requirements in addition to traditional IT and security services. In response, 62% of MSP leaders say that they've increased spending when it comes to specialist regulatory and compliance support over the past year. However, the research also revealed significant gaps in supply chain oversight. Two thirds (66%) of MSPs do not continuously monitor supply chain risk, while 45% assess supplier risk only quarterly and 13% only annually. The percentage of those who do not continuously monitor is significantly higher than ...

Ireland's growing reputation as a global leader in digital healthtech innovation was highlighted at a major industry event which took place at Trinity Business School. Scaling Digital Healthtech in Ireland, hosted by the four Irish European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH),in collaboration with Enterprise Europe Network and Ibec, saw over 400 stakeholders from across the health and life sciences sector come together to hear from leading experts across government, industry and academia, alongside panel discussions and case studies showcasing real-world innovation and impact. Digital Healthtech represents the combination of smart connected devices and AI-powered digital health tools which are transforming the delivery of healthcare and creating opportunities for new disruptive products and services by Irish companies. The event marks the first in a series of national engagements designed to support Irish SMEs and public sector organisations in accelerating the development and adoption of digitisation and to increase the awareness of supports which are already available. Ireland has established itself as a hub for cutting-edge healthtech innovation, supported by a thriving ecosystem of technology companies, researchers and policymakers. The event explored both the opportunities and challenges associated with scaling digital healthtech solutions, including artificial intelligence integration, regulatory compliance, cyber resilience, and access to funding and European markets. Speaking at the event, Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation Niamh Smyth TD underlined the Government's commitment to advancing Ireland's digital health ecosystem. "Today highlights the strength of Ireland's digital transformation and its growing, innovative healthtech ecosystem. The Government recognises the importance of maintaining and building on this momentum. At the end of 2025, €23 million was announced through my Department and the Digital Europe Programme to extend the European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH) Programme to 2029. This investment will enable our hubs to significantly accelerate digitalisation among SMEs and public sector organisations, delivering over 3,000 engagements, 1,100 "Test Before Invest" projects, and more than 200 training courses nationwide. "As work progresses on the National Life Sciences Strategy, Ireland is well positioned to lead the future development of this sector. Bringing together industry, innovation, and expertise is essential to achieving our shared ambition: supporting Irish companies to scale globally while delivering meaningful benefits for patients and healthcare systems. "These efforts are reinforced by a wide range of supports designed to help SMEs grow and internationalise their digital health solutions. These include Enterprise Ireland, the National Enterprise Hub, Local Enterprise Offices, Ibec, Health Innovation Hub Ireland, the European Enterprise Network, and the network of European Digital Innovation Hubs operating across Ireland." Joe Healy, Head of Research and Innovation at Enterprise Ireland said: "Through the European Digital Innovation Hubs, we are supporting Irish enterprises of all sizes and stages to harness advanced technologies, build capability, and compete internationally. This event demonstrates the importance of connecting the network to drive uptake of the supports on offer and strengthening collaboration across industry, government and academia." Ciara Finlay, Ibec Senior Executive said, "Demographic shifts accompanied by the rise of chronic diseases, coupled with the recent impact of the greatest global health emergency in over a century have highlighted the importance of fostering better health system resilience across the world. Digital Health is a solution that can unlock some of the challenges ahead. The digital health segment is estimated to grow at over 17.4% between 2021 and 2027 to €426 billion. "The Medtech, digital health...

In just weeks, the EU's Pay Transparency Directive comes into force — and for most Irish SMEs, it's landing faster than they're ready for.Only a tiny fraction of businesses believe they're prepared. Many can't evidence how pay decisions were made. And once the law arrives, there's no going back to fix the past.Today, we're shining a spotlight on what this really means for Ireland's 400,000 small and medium‑sized businesses — and, more importantly, what they need to do next.I'm joined by Fredericka Sheppard, Co‑Founder and Managing Director of HR consultancy Voltedge, to talk about what good looks like in practice — and by Crystel Robbins Rynne, CEO of HRLocker, who has real‑time insight into what's actually happening inside Irish SMEs right now.We'll cover pay structures, performance management, and recruitment — and give you practical insights on what to do next.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

Despite an energy shock, rising costs, geopolitical threats, rising inflation and probably rate hikes, 83% of Irish SMEs are still optimistic about the year ahead and plan to invest more. That's the somewhat surprising view of the latest Confidence tracker from Bibby Financial. Joe discusses these findings with Mark O'Rourke, MD of Bibby Financial Services.

The latest Vodafone Business Cybersecurity Report has revealed that despite 70% of SMEs expressing growing concerns over potential security attacks on mobile devices, more than 40 percent grant access to company resources to employees on the go without dedicated mobile security controls. This means many employees are accessing company emails, documents and apps out of office, increasing potential exposure to security and operational risks. To help reduce exposure to these risks, Vodafone Business recommends a small number of practical actions. Outdated devices that no longer receive security updates should be phased out, particularly where personal phones or tablets are used for work. Automatic operating system and app updates should be switched on across all work devices, and clear expectations should be set that any device used for work must stay up to date. Where possible, mobile security or management tools can help identify gaps, while clear and timely communication is essential when urgent security updates need to be applied. The findings form part of Vodafone Business's latest global cybersecurity threat research, drawing on insights from Vodafone's mobile security networks, partner intelligence, alongside primary research conducted in Ireland to understand how mobile-based threats are evolving for organisations of all sizes. More importantly, the report highlights the emerging risks linked to how mobile devices used for business and work are managed, rather than the devices themselves. As part of the Irish research, Vodafone commissioned a survey of 300 Irish SME's employing between 50-250 people to better understand the challenges facing mid-sized businesses in an increasingly digital economy. The research highlighted concerns among Irish SMEs, with seven in ten Irish businesses more worried about phishing, data leakage, malware and spyware risks than this time last year. With mobile-based attacks now accounting for over 42 percent of all cyber incidents, the need for greater awareness around workplace mobile safety in and out of the workplace continues to grow. The Vodafone Business Cybersecurity Report also reveals 20 percent of businesses don't proactively monitor for security threats. It highlights a growing need for greater awareness and security measures for employees, as personal devices often lack the enterprise-grade protections found on company-issued equipment. A hybrid smart device-driven world The report signifies the need for employers and employees to become more risk-aware when accessing private company documents. With almost one million Irish people working in remote or hybrid arrangements last year, and 5.54 million cellular mobile connections active in Ireland in late 2025, there is a growing need for heightened mobile security awareness training among organisations. It's estimated that almost a quarter of companies (23 percent) suffered a cybersecurity breach in 2025, highlighting the importance of educating both employees and employers around safer smart device use. Commenting on the findings, Joanna Gilfoy, Business Director at Vodafone Ireland, said: "With so many companies offering hybrid and remote working, employees are using their handsets to better manage their workload. Without enterprise software and sufficient mobile security awareness training, the risks this poses to companies are significant. Some of the top mobile security threats Vodafone has identified include phishing and smishing, mobile malware, operating system vulnerabilities and spyware, network attacks and SIM swap, along with identity hijacking. Irish companies must ensure their people are aware of the risks associated with mobile use inside and outside the workplace as they continue to navigate complex digital worlds. "At Vodafone Ireland, we continue to support Irish businesses not only with connectivity but with practical guidance, managed security capabilities and awareness programmes designed to help organisations s...

As highlighted in The Irish SME HR Report, many Irish SMEs are still relying on paper files, spreadsheets, and manual processes to manage HR. In fact, most spend one to two days per week on admin alone.That's a significant drain on time and resources. More importantly, it's becoming a real compliance risk. With new legislation, increased WRC scrutiny, and rising expectations around transparent record‑keeping, outdated processes make it harder for SMEs to stay protected.In Episode 3 of The HRLocker Room, HRLocker's CEO, Crystel Robbins Rynne, speaks with Yvonne Clarke, Head of HR Solutions at RBK Chartered Accountants, about how SMEs can simplify HR admin, reduce manual workload and build the solid foundations needed for a modern, compliant HR function.From time tracking and leave management to onboarding, probation, and documentation, Yvonne shares the most common issues she sees on the ground - and the practical steps SMEs can take to streamline processes and stay audit‑ready. Key TopicsWhy SMEs still rely on spreadsheets - and the risks this createsTime tracking, breaks & WRC record‑keeping: what SMEs must get rightHow to build a strong recruitment, onboarding & probation processAutomating HR admin: where to start and what to prioritiseChange management: communication, habit‑building & employee buy‑inAuto‑Enrolment: what SMEs need to prepare for in 2026Gender Pay Gap reporting: understanding the data and the narrativePay Transparency: what's coming and how to get aheadTo help your business ditch the spreadsheets and streamline HR admin, download our practical guide: How to Centralise your HR Documents.Would you like to know how HRLocker can help you with your people management in 2024? Click here to get in touch today! 

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.

Leading digital bank Monzo has released the second edition of 'The Monzo Money Pulse', a research-led series exploring how Ireland feels about money. Following its pulse check on savings, Monzo now examines the hidden economic and emotional toll financial admin takes on Irish small business owners. The research, surveying 500 Irish SME owners, reveals that on average, they spend 2 hours and 43 minutes per week on financial admin. With their time valued at an average of €61 per hour, this equates to approximately €165 per week, or over €8,500 per year in lost time per business. Scaled nationally, this amounts to an estimated €2.1 billion per year in lost productivity. "The Monzo Money Pulse found that financial admin is swallowing Irish SMEs' time, with 55% of owners citing expense management as the most time-consuming task.[2] Chasing payments from customers and suppliers (38%), and tax planning as a close follow", said Elaine Deehan, Monzo's Irish Country Manager. "We're removing that friction with a range of plans that include automated tax pots, invoicing and many different methods to pay and get paid. We're turning complex admin into a few simple taps. Businesses can join the waitlist to sign up for an account soon at monzo.com/ie/waitlist." The Stress of Success SMEs form the backbone of the Irish economy, employing around 1.6 million people, or 68% of the business workforce. Yet financial management imposes a heavy emotional toll on them, with 94% of SME owners surveyed, reporting that it makes them feel stressed, with business owners more than twice as likely as sole traders to feel "very stressed." The burden is so significant that 55% of owners who handle financial admin personally would sacrifice playing or watching sports for a month to avoid a year of financial admin. Others would trade away their favourite takeaway (43%) or social media (25%) just to offload the task. Freeing up this time through better banking tools would be transformative: 56% of owners would reinvest that energy into customers or clients, 32% would focus on growth, and 47% would prioritise time with family and friends. Time and Translation Tax Financial admin is a significant time sink for SME owners d, with 47% of those surveyed losing three to four hours weekly and another 36% spending up to two hours. Because 92% of owners surveyed handle these tasks personally, the operational drain is constant: 9% are distracted from core business daily, 40% weekly, and 33% monthly. This burden is compounded by a massive "complexity gap" with 41% of owners feeling they need a translator to understand bank products, terms, or communications.[6] 58% claim untangling a box of cables is easier than managing their finances and over half (55%) even believe predicting the Irish weather is more straightforward than navigating business banking. Frustrations vs Fixes Sharon Malone, CEO and Founder of Finerty said, "Managing financial admin is a stressful, time-consuming part of running your own business. I was spending 5 to 7 hours a month stuck doing manual VAT calculations, categorising and managing receipts, and processing payments through fragmented systems. I recall my early days as an Entrepreneur trying to set up a business bank account, it took weeks and it felt like there wasn't much help or support available". "With Monzo I was able to open an account within 10 minutes and for the first time ever, we have all our payments, merchant services, receipts, invoice management, and transaction categorisation in one place. It has drastically reduced the time and stress I previously spent on admin, giving me more time to focus on growing the business which is exactly how I want to spend it." Sharon's experience echoes the frustrations from SME owners with three quarters (76%) saying it's important that their bank reduces the financial admin of running their business. Monzo Business will soon be offering a range of plans from Lite (free), to Pro (€7/pm) to Team (...

Irish small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) overwhelmingly believe artificial intelligence (AI) can benefit their business, yet most are still struggling to translate that opportunity into action, according to new research released today. The study, commissioned by Google in partnership with Amárach Research and based on a survey of 400 Irish SMEs, shows that while 80% believe AI can positively impact their business and 65% expect it to drive growth in 2026, adoption remains limited. The findings indicate a significant confidence and capability gap. The main barriers preventing greater AI adoption include fear of making mistakes (30%), lack of skills (27%) and cost (24%), with many business leaders unsure of where to start (16%). More than half (57%) believe they are behind competitors in adopting AI, while 50% are concerned their business could be left behind without it. The research also highlights that micro-businesses, longer-established firms and non-exporters are most at risk of falling behind, underscoring the need for targeted, practical support that meets SMEs' varying needs. The research is being launched today at an event hosted by Google Ireland at The Foundry as part of Local Enterprise Week. In partnership with the Local Enterprise Office (LEO) network, Google also announced the launch of AI Works for Ireland, a series of complementary, face-to-face regional events aimed at equipping SMEs with practical AI skills for business. The series begins today in Dublin, followed by events in Galway (April 30th), Cork (14th May) and Monaghan (28th May). Each event will feature insights from Google AI experts on how SMEs can use AI to drive growth, creativity and efficiency, alongside dedicated AI workshops offering support for founders and business leaders. As part of the initiative, Google and the Local Enterprise Office network are providing up to 10,000 AI scholarships to workers across Ireland. Delivered through Coursera, the Google AI Professional Certificate offers practical training across more than 20 real-world AI business use cases, from data analysis and content creation to customer communications. This research and initiative follows the release of the government's National Digital and AI strategy, which includes key pillars to empower people, workers and businesses to develop cutting-edge skills and foster digital and AI literacy, alongside growing a digitally innovative and competitive enterprise sector within Ireland. Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation, Niamh Smyth, TD, said: "AI has the potential to boost productivity and enhance competitiveness across Ireland's SME Sector. As we advance the ambitions of the recently published National Digital and AI Strategy, a key priority of my department is to fast?track enterprise adoption digital and AI technologies. Initiatives like this one, delivered in partnership with Google and the Local Enterprise Offices, are vital in ensuring that businesses of all sizes, in every region, have the skills and confidence they need to adopt AI at pace." Vanessa Hartley, Head of Google Ireland, said: "Irish SMEs are clear about the opportunity AI presents, but this research shows many are being held back by uncertainty rather than ambition. AI Works for Ireland is about closing that gap – providing practical, trusted support that helps businesses move from awareness to action, and from experimentation to real impact. At Google, we are committed to helping people and businesses across Ireland build the skills they need to succeed in an AI-powered economy. Through initiatives like this, we want to ensure SMEs have access to high-quality training, tools and expertise that empower them to grow, innovate and compete with confidence." Kieran Comerford, Chair of the Local Enterprise Offices, said: "Local Enterprise Week is all about helping businesses and entrepreneurs improve and showing them the resources available to them....

Ireland's National Competence Centre in Semiconductors (I-C3), a significant milestone in Ireland's commitment to semiconductor innovation and European collaboration under the European Chips Act, invites startups and SMEs to lead the future of chips innovation. I-C3 will focus on startups and SMEs by providing access to essential resources, including funding pathways, training, design tools and pilot line facilities. Its mission is to empower Ireland's startups and SMEs in the semiconductor sector with hands-on access to design, production, funding and training to accelerate innovation and growth in Ireland's semiconductor sector. National Competence Centre in Semiconductors for Startups Commenting on the launch, Peter Burke TD, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment said: "As a hub for the semiconductor ecosystem, my Department is delighted that I-C3 will ensure that opportunities as part of the Chips for Europe Initiative are accessible for businesses of all sizes within the industry, along with bringing greater diversity of expertise and depth of innovation to the knowledge base of the semiconductor ecosystem in Europe. I-C3's launch is another significant milestone in the delivery of Silicon Island: Ireland's National Semiconductor Strategy. "With this launch, my Department is very excited about I-C3's ability to empower Irish SMEs to scale internationally, drive innovation across the semiconductor ecosystem and create high-value jobs. I-C3 will also facilitate the development of skills and talent, and build on our strengths by enhancing the relationship between infrastructure, industry, and RD&I capability to ensure Ireland leads in advanced manufacturing and chip design." Co-ordinated by Tyndall National Institute and supported by the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (DETE) through Enterprise Ireland, with co-funding secured from the European Union under the Chips Joint Undertaking (Chips JU), I-C3 is a consortium comprising Tyndall National Institute, a research flagship of University College Cork (UCC), MCCI, MIDAS Ireland, NovaUCD, and University College Dublin. The new I-C3 Competence Centre is one of 30 being established across 27 EU countries to strengthen Europe's semiconductor ecosystem. The initiative builds on Ireland's vibrant and extensive semiconductor industry comprising over 130 indigenous and foreign subsidiary companies, employing over 20,000 people, part of a 175,000-person strong broader ICT sector with overall exports of €13.5 billion worth of products annually. Multinational leaders such as Intel, Apple, Qualcomm, AMD, and Analog Devices have long invested in Irish R&D. I-C3 aims to further elevate Ireland's global standing in semiconductor innovation. Professor William Scanlon, CEO, Tyndall, said: "I?C3 plays a key role in delivering Ireland's Semiconductor Strategy, Silicon Island, and it is fantastic to see the centre operational and actively supporting Irish start?ups and SMEs to accelerate and scale their businesses. I?C3 is helping companies across all sectors that use semiconductor technologies to secure investment, access specialist training, and connect to European pilot lines." Joe Healy, Divisional Manager, Research, Innovation and Infrastructure at Enterprise Ireland said: "With the support of I-C3, Ireland is set to double the number of people employed in semi-conductor startups and SMEs by 2030. The centre will act as a catalyst for innovation, collaboration, and growth, ensuring that Irish stakeholders, from academia to industry, can fully participate in the Chips for Europe Initiative." About Tyndall National Institute Tyndall is a leading European deep-tech research centre in integrated ICT (Information and Communications Technology) materials, devices, circuits and systems and a research flagship of University College Cork. Tyndall is Ireland's largest Research and Technology Organisation (RTO) specialising in both electronics and photonics. Tyndall works...

Irish SMEs may be unknowingly breaching GDPR and failing to meet Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) record-keeping requirements due to widespread gaps in how HR documents are stored, accessed, and governed. That is, according to new findings published from the Irish SME HR Report, by Ireland's leading people management platform, HRLocker. The report, based on responses from professionals working on HR in organisations employing 20–249 people, reveals that document disorder has become one of the most significant, yet preventable, compliance risks facing Irish businesses. Two-thirds breach GDPR due to insecure HR data storage Under Articles 5 and 32 of the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), employers must ensure the integrity, confidentiality, and security of employees' personal data. Yet 66 per cent of SMEs continue to store HR documents in insecure systems, including general cloud folders (32 per cent), local hard drives (11 per cent), paper files (11 per cent) and email threads (9 per cent). The Data Protection Commission has already investigated SMEs for similar failures. In a recently published case, an employer mishandled sensitive employment information during a data breach, prompting an official complaint and regulatory intervention. The DPC found that the organisation had not implemented adequate safeguards to protect employee data, providing a clear example of the real?world consequences of poor HR document governance. Under GDPR, failures of this kind can result in administrative fines of up to €10 million or 2 per cent of global turnover, as well as compensation claims from affected employees. More than half failing to comply with data protection regulations The report highlights that 59 per cent of SMEs lack accurate, formal version control, risking breaches of GDPR Article 5(1)(d), which requires organisations to maintain accurate and up?to?date employee records. Further, 56 per cent do not have a current retention policy for HR data, despite the GDPR storage limitation principle and obligations under the Data Protection Act 2018. Mid-sized SMEs (50–99 employees) are the least compliant, with over one-third (39 per cent) lacking any retention policy at all. Without version control or retention schedules, SMEs cannot demonstrate compliance during WRC inspections or GDPR investigations, leaving them exposed to enforcement action, compensation claims, and costly remediation work. More than one in three risks undermining accountability requirements There is a clear lack of auditability in the sector, with 26 per cent of SMEs reporting that they do not maintain an audit trail for HR document access and changes. A further 27 per cent are unsure whether one exists, meaning more than one in three lack robust processes. This lack and uncertainty place organisations at risk of breaching GDPR Articles 24 and 30, which require employers to demonstrate accountability and maintain clear records of processing activities. In the event of a data-access request, breach investigation, or WRC inspection, the absence of an audit trail can lead to immediate compliance failure. Non-compliance carries real financial and operational consequences Governance gaps fuelled by document disorder also undermine compliance with core Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) record-keeping obligations, including requirements to maintain accurate, accessible, and up-to-date records on: Working hours Annual leave and public holidays Contracts and terms of employment Payroll and remuneration Disciplinary and grievance procedures Under the Workplace Relations Act 2023, missing audit trails, outdated files, or scattered storage systems can result in fixed-payment notices of up to €2,000 per offence, in addition to compensation awards to employees and orders to rectify records at the employer's expense. These costs come on top of business disruption during follow-up inspections and reputational damage that undermines employee trust. A preven...

Are Irish SMEs Ready for AI? Insights from the Ground The conversation about AI and small business has moved on. It is no longer about whether Irish SMEs should pay attention, but about the level of AI adoption in Irish SMEs. Of course, many are already using these tools day to day. The more interesting question now is what is actually happening, and what is getting in the way. I spoke with four people who work directly with small businesses on digital adoption and AI: John O'Shanahan of Lean BPI, digital strategist and lecturer Aisling Hurley of TBF.ie, Eoin Costello of the Dargan Institute in Dun Laoghaire, and Sandra Reynolds, programme manager for digital supports at LEO Dublin City. AI Adoption, Most SMEs Are Using AI, But John O'Shanahan sees AI being used across many of the small businesses he works with. "People that are digital are generally using AI to some level. Most of them are using it to rewrite emails, rewrite documents and give me ideas." He compares it to how businesses use Excel. Most people use a fraction of what is possible, not because the tools are hard to access, but because the foundations underneath them are not ready. "To get advantage out of AI, you should really be putting your Digital in from the foundations. If you have good data in your business, you can use AI to analyse it. But if the data isn't structured, AI can't do anything with that." The Right Sequence Matters The order of things is important: understand your processes first, digitise properly, then bring AI in. Otherwise, as O'Shanahan puts it, you are digitising inefficiency. When businesses get the sequence right, the results can be significant. He points to "Profix, a Cork-based construction services firm, where careful digital improvement over a decade brought quotation turnaround from three days to ten hours, then to three hours. With their AI now integrated into the process, it takes around 1.5 hours with further reductions possible as their AI model is optimised." A quotation process that once consumed days of skilled staff time now runs in hours, freeing capacity that feeds directly back into the business. "Everyone agrees the best AI output is AI plus human. The human part needs to have domain knowledge." That point about domain knowledge is central to everything O'Shanahan says. Your expertise in your own field, he argues, will matter as much as your knowledge of the AI tool itself. The Strategic and Ethical Gaps Aisling Hurley works with rural SMEs and teaches digital strategy. She sees businesses picking up AI tools without thinking carefully about what they are taking on. "Leadership needs to set guardrails. AI is not just another productivity tool. It changes how value is created." Many firms are experimenting with Microsoft Copilot or ChatGPT without a clear approach to governance, data security or longer-term strategy. For Hurley, the ethics of AI adoption are not an afterthought. They are part of the conversation from the start. "There's a difference between attending an AI workshop and embedding AI strategically in a business." Rural SMEs Face Additional Pressures In rural areas, the challenge is compounded. Connectivity constraints, limited access to local expertise and thinner professional networks create barriers that urban businesses do not face to the same degree. Hurley also raises the question of digital sovereignty, and it is worth taking seriously. European businesses, including Irish SMEs, are increasingly dependent on AI tools and cloud platforms owned and operated in the United States. That dependency has a political dimension that is becoming harder to ignore. The current US administration has already shown it is willing to cut off digital services to individuals on political grounds. For businesses that have built workflows and operations around these platforms, the question of what happens if access is restricted or withdrawn is one that very few have thought through. Pace of Change Is Underestimated ...

Guest post by Crystel Robbins Rynne, CEO, HRLocker Irish SMEs are no strangers to pressure. They are the backbone of the economy, the employers of local communities, and the innovators driving Ireland's next wave of growth. Yet beneath that resilience lies a quieter, more pervasive anxiety. It surfaced clearly in HRLocker's recent research. As revealed in our Irish SME HR Report 2025, three-quarters (74%) of Irish SMEs fear they would fail a surprise Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) inspection. That figure is not about negligence. It is about confidence. Or more accurately, the lack of it. And it signals that the compliance burden on SMEs has reached a tipping point. The Confidence Gap: Why Good Businesses Still Feel Exposed Most SMEs want to do the right thing. They want fair contracts, accurate time records, transparent policies, and safe workplaces. But intent alone does not create compliance readiness. The reality is that many SMEs are operating with: Outdated or inconsistent employment contracts Patchy training records Manual time tracking that does not reflect modern hybrid work Policies stored across inboxes, desktops, and filing cabinets HR processes that rely on one overstretched person remembering everything This is not a failure of leadership. It is a failure of bandwidth. When regulations evolve quickly, inspections become more rigorous, and hybrid work adds new layers of complexity, SMEs often lack the internal infrastructure to keep pace. The result is a growing sense of audit anxiety. A fear that something important has slipped through the cracks. The Emotional Toll of Compliance Uncertainty Compliance is not just a legal obligation. It is an emotional one. For founders and HR leads, low confidence shows up as worry about reputational damage, fear of fines or enforcement actions, stress around documentation gaps, and sleepless nights before audits. When compliance becomes a source of dread, it drains energy from the work that actually grows a business. Innovation, culture, and customer experience all take a hit. Why Technology Is the Turning Point The good news is that the confidence gap is not inevitable. It is structural, and structural problems can be solved. HR technology is transforming compliance from a reactive scramble into a proactive and predictable process. The shift is significant. 1. Audit readiness becomes automatic. Modern HR platforms centralise contracts, policies, training records, and time data in one secure system. Version control, digital signatures, and automated updates give SMEs clarity about where they stand. 2. Gaps surface before they become liabilities. Dashboards highlight missing documents, expired certifications, or overdue reviews. Issues can be addressed long before an inspection. 3. Hybrid work becomes compliant by design. Accurate time tracking, remote attendance logs, and digital leave management remove the guesswork from flexible work arrangements. 4. Documentation becomes a strength, not a stressor. With everything stored, searchable, and timestamped, SMEs can demonstrate compliance with confidence rather than hope. 5. Leaders reclaim headspace. When the administrative burden lifts, founders and HR teams can focus on people, culture, and strategy. The Irish Context: Why Local Matters Ireland's regulatory landscape is unique. WRC inspections, GDPR obligations, and the rapid shift to hybrid work have created a compliance environment that is both demanding and fast-moving. The pace of change has been extraordinary. In the past three years, Irish employers have navigated statutory sick leave, auto-enrolment pensions, the right to request remote and flexible working, gender pay gap reporting, and domestic violence leave, with pay transparency requirements now on the horizon. Parental leave entitlements have also expanded. Each change, even when welcome, adds another layer of documentation, policy updates, and process adjustments. For SMEs that are already stretched thin, k...

Annual venture capital funding into Irish tech SMEs fell for the first time last year since 2018, according to the Irish Venture Capital Association (IVCA) VenturePulse report, published today in association with William Fry. Funding in 2025 was down by 23% to €1.1 billion. Funding in the fourth quarter fell by 46% to €291.4 million. "It's been a roller coaster year for Irish SMEs looking to raise capital," commented Caroline Gaynor, chairperson, IVCA. She said that there had been an undoubted Trump effect after uncertainty caused by tariffs led to the worst second quarter for ten years. "In addition, the fourth quarter saw a 71% retreat from the Irish market by international investors from €470m to €132.4m. This may be due to hesitation and uncertainty by US VC firms due to a number of factors, including an 'America first' focus, negativity from across the Atlantic about Europe, and the impact of a weakening dollar." However, despite these headwinds, the IVCA chairperson said that she remained positive about Irish entrepreneurs looking to raise capital in 2026. "The Government's Seed and Venture Capital Scheme 2025-29 (1) has a record allocation of €250 million, and we should see the benefits kicking in shortly. In addition, progress is being made on the Government's important enterprise scaling fund (2) as well as other policy measures to mobilise capital to Irish SMEs." She added: "Current geopolitical events have highlighted the need for us to be more self-reliant, have more access to local capital, and not be dependent on overseas investors to fund our indigenous tech sectors." Sarah-Jane Larkin, director general, IVCA, said that the fourth quarter highlighted the weakness of not being able to tap into local private capital. "A major reason for the 46% decline in fourth quarter funding was the 71% fall off in international investment." She added, "Another reason for the decrease in international funding may be that US investors may be overly focused on local AI opportunities, and certainly, the amount of money being invested there is sucking up a lot of venture capital. Unicorn status is being achieved by early-stage start-ups in generative AI in the US much quicker than in the past." Ms Larkin said that the decline in overseas funding in 2025 is reflected in the 33% fall in larger deals in the €30m + category to €540.8m. In the fourth quarter, this category fell by more than two-thirds (69%) to €111m. Funding in the €10m–€30m range for the year overall also fell, by 14% to €269.4m. The IVCA data suggests that transactions for smaller rounds held up reasonably well in 2025. Funding in the €3m-€5m category rose by 39% to €113.8m. There was a small decline (3%) in the €1-€3m range to €102.2m. Seed funding, or first rounds raised by SMEs, dropped by 5% to €141m. The top five deals in quarter four were quantum computing company, Equal 1, which raised €30m; Shorla Oncology (speciality pharmaceuticals, €25m); Aerska (biotech, €17m); Fresco (smart kitchen platform, €15m) and Luminate Medical (healthcare technology, €14m). Life science companies attracted most funding in 2025 in Ireland, raising €461m or 40% of the total. This was followed by software with €156m (14%); cybersecurity €136m (12%); AI and machine learning €104m (9%) and fintech €96m (8%). 186 deals were completed in 2025, down from 217 the previous year, a fall of 14%.

Irish small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are increasingly aware of the growing risk posed by AI-driven cyberattacks, though most are not using available and affordable defences, and many are now looking for practical, affordable ways to strengthen their digital defences, Vodafone Ireland said at the Small Firms Association's SFA Connect event in Naas, Co. Kildare. Addressing over 450 business leaders at the event, Lynsey Sweeney, Head of SME Sales Strategy at Vodafone Business, shared research showing that 94% of SMEs feel unprepared for AI-powered cyber threats, while 28% believe a single ransomware attack could seriously threaten their business. "SMEs understand the risks; what they need are solutions that are simple, effective and fit their reality," said Sweeney. "Cybersecurity doesn't have to be complex or costly. With the right support, small steps can make a big difference in protecting a business." Despite strong awareness of cyber risks, adoption of basic protections remains low. Only 21% of SMEs currently use multifactor authentication, while more than half store sensitive data without encryption, leaving many exposed to issues that can be addressed quickly and affordably. Sweeney said that while digital transformation can feel daunting for smaller organisations, progress is often achieved through practical improvements rather than large-scale change. "For SMEs, we fully understand that time and certainty matter," she said. "Technology should remove pressure, not add to it. Choosing the right tools, whether that's strengthening security or automating routine tasks, can free up time and help businesses focus on growth." "Digital transformation isn't about doing everything at once. The most successful SMEs focus on the right next step. Start small, build confidence and scale over time. Vodafone Business reports that Businesses that embrace digital tools can achieve up to 26% higher revenue growth – and that's a real competitive advantage." "This is where the right partner makes a difference," Sweeney added. "Measures like multifactor authentication, encrypted backups, regular updates and staff training are proven, accessible ways to reduce risk, and they don't require in-house IT teams." With over six in ten Irish businesses as customers, Vodafone Ireland is investing €100 million per year in its network to expand and enhance services nationwide, ensuring businesses have secure, resilient connectivity they can rely on. The company, which serves over 2.4 million customers and holds the largest share of Ireland's mobile market, continues to see solid growth across its small business mobile and business broadband customer bases. During her address, Sweeney outlined four foundations for digital efficiency for SMEs: automating everyday processes, building a secure digital foundation, using technology to deliver more personalised customer experiences, and empowering teams through upskilling. Vodafone Business continues to support Irish SMEs with practical connectivity and digital solutions designed to improve efficiency, strengthen security and support long-term growth. Over 2,000 people work with Vodafone Ireland across its Dublin headquarters and 80 retail stores nationwide. This year, Vodafone will move to its new headquarters on St Stephen's Green as the company marks 25 years in Ireland. The company has recently made significant investments in innovation as the first telco to launch Real Time Text, and through the recent trial of a new mission-critical communications service with Government. See more stories here.

Starting a business is one thing — sustaining it for 15 years is another. Catherine Kiveney joins Ronan to reflect on a journey that began with no roadmap and evolved into multiple businesses, changing client expectations and a growing role in Ireland's tourism and events economy. Thousands of people leave Laois every day for work — but where do they go, and what skills go with them? Ronan speaks with Angela McEvoy of Laois County Council about a new commuter survey designed to shape local jobs, investment and economic strategy. Getting noticed is one of the biggest challenges facing Irish SMEs. Jo Gilfoy of Vodafone Business introduces the See Your Business Pitchside initiative — and why ambitious Midlands businesses should seize the opportunity to put their brand in front of millions at the 2026 Six Nations. After 45 years in business, Eamonn Brackens Menswear in Portarlington is closing its doors. Ronan will talk to Bernie Bracken about the story behind the store, its place in the community, and what comes next.

Global politics is hitting Irish businesses where it hurts—John Finn of Treasury Solutions breaks down what EU–India trade talks, Mercosur tensions and tariffs could mean for Irish SMEs in 2026. Gillian Peters of Pragmatica introduces a new LOETB-backed programme turning sustainability into practical, profit-smart action for small businesses. HR expert Caroline Reidy shares why AI is reshaping graduate hiring and what it means for career starters and employers alike. And Mullingar's Noel McIntyre of Motion Picture reflects on winning national acclaim—and how great photography can power great storytelling.

Auto‑enrolment, pay transparency, gender pay gap reporting - Irish SMEs face major changes. Hear expert insights and get practical steps to stay compliant.Navigating New Employment Laws, Auto‑Enrolment & Pay Transparency for Irish SMEs with Louisa Meehan and ISME's Neil McDonnellEpisode OverviewIrish SMEs are facing one of the busiest periods of legislative change in years. From auto‑enrolment and minimum wage increases to pay transparency rules, gender pay gap reporting, and new leave entitlements, it's a growing list. For many business owners, it's becoming harder to keep up, harder to stay compliant, and harder to feel confident that everything is covered.In this episode, HRLocker's CEO, Crystel Robbins Rynne, sits down with HR consultant Louisa Meehan and Neil McDonnell, CEO of ISME, to break down what's changing, what SMEs need to know, and how to prepare without feeling overwhelmed.Key topicsWhy 74% of SMEs feel unprepared for WRC inspectionsThe real compliance challenges behind new employment lawsAuto‑Enrolment: What SMEs need to know Pay Transparency: What's coming and why it's complicatedGender Pay Gap reporting: What the numbers really meanThe bigger picture: childcare, flexibility, and cultural changeWhat SMEs should prioritise in 2026Would you like to know how HRLocker can help you with your people management in 2024? Click here to get in touch today!

The role of artificial intelligence in business and next year's economic outlook for Irish SMEs will be the key topics at the annual Business Networking Morning hosted by Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Clare later this week. The event takes place at the Future Mobility Campus Ireland in Shannon this Friday (28th November) from 10am to 1pm. The half-day gathering brings together entrepreneurs, startups and small business leaders from across Clare to discuss innovation, share knowledge and make new contacts before the festive season. Alan Morrissey was speaking with Theresa Mulvihill, LEO Clare's Senior Enterprise Development Officer, and President of AI Ireland, Mark Kelly, who will deliver the event's keynote address on how AI can transform not only startups but also established businesses. Photo (c) Local Enterprise Office

Ireland's foremost digital marketing event, 3XE Digital, returns this November 26th with a bold new focus on the transformative power of Artificial Intelligence. 3XE AI will take place on Wednesday, November 26th at The Alex Hotel, Dublin, bringing together hundreds of marketers, social media professionals and business leaders to explore how AI is reshaping marketing strategy, creativity and performance. Delegates from top Irish brands including Chadwicks, Kepak, Chartered Accountants Ireland, Sage, The Travel Department, Finlay Motor Group, Hardware Association, and many more have already booked to attend this dynamic one-day conference designed to inspire, educate and empower. The event will be co-chaired by Anthony Quigley, Co-Founder of the Digital Marketing Institute, and Sinéad Walsh of Content Plan. Attendees will hear from leading voices in AI and digital marketing, discovering how to harness new technologies to deliver smarter, more efficient, and measurable campaigns. Key Highlights: Expert speakers from: Google, OpenAI, Content Plan, Women in AI, AI Certified, The Corporate Governance Institute, and more will share their wealth of knowledge on how clever use of AI can significantly improve all digital marketing and social media strategies and campaigns and continue to change how we do business and can massively increase sales. Topics include: ? Winning with AI in Business with Christina Barbosa-Gress, Google ? AI-Powered Operations for Irish SMEs with Denis Jastrzebski, Content Plan ? Education for Unlocking AI's Potential with Ian Dodson, AiCertified ? Practical and Responsible AI with Boris Gersic, Corporate Governance Institute ? The Compliance Edge in the AI Era with Colin Cosgrove, Movizmo Coaching Solutions ? Unlocking AI's True Potential in Business with Naomh McElhatton, Irish Ambassador for Women in AI Adrian Hopkins, Founder, 3XE Digital said, "Reviving the 3XE Digital conference series felt timely, and AI presented the perfect opportunity. Artificial Intelligence is reshaping the entire marketing landscape - enhancing performance, improving efficiency and offering unprecedented creative possibilities. We're excited to bring this crucial conversation to the forefront once again." The 3XE AI Conference, organised in partnership with Content Plan, is proudly supported by Friday Agency, GS1 Ireland, and AI Certified. All details, including full speaker lineup, conference agenda and online bookings are available at https://3xe.ie. Early bookings remain open at 3xe.ie - including group discounts for teams. 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.

Venture capital funding into Irish technology SMEs rose by 8% to €207.9m in the third quarter of 2025, compared to the same period last year, according to the Irish Venture Capital Association Venture Pulse survey, published today in association with William Fry. Funding for the nine months to end September fell by 10% to €853.4m from €945.3m the previous year. The total number of deals in the same period fell from 153 to 135. "Third quarter data provided some relief following a dismal second quarter this year when funding fell to €112.6m, its lowest in ten years," commented Caroline Gaynor, chairperson, Irish Venture Capital Association. "Hopefully, we are starting to see some confidence and stability return to the market, but it remains a challenging time for early-stage companies." She added that following the blow to investor confidence caused by the United States' April 2nd tariff shocks, international investors had started to return to the market. International VC investment into Irish SMEs rose to €146.7 m in the current quarter compared to €69.5m in the second quarter of this year. She said that bright spots in the overall data were deals in the €1m- €5m range, which accounted for 30 out of the 39 transactions in this quarter. Transactions in the €1-€3m category rose by 35% to €35.6m compared to the same time last year. Deals in the €3-€5m range increased by 18% to €34.7m. However, funding in the €10m-€30m category fell by two-thirds to €26m while €5-€10m deals dropped by 74% to €13.5m, compared to the same quarter last year. There was better news in the €30m+ category where medtech company, ProVerum raised €62m, and AI machine learning firm, Nory raised €34m. Sarah-Jane Larkin, director general, IVCA, said that while there was some healthy activity, gaps remained in the third quarter, particularly in seed funding and transactions under €1m, both of which disappointed. Seed or first rounds fell by 30% to €23.4m from €33.5m, compared to the same quarter last year. Seed funding for the first nine months was down 31% to €88.3m from €127.2m last year. Despite this shortfall, the IVCA director general said: "The process for deploying the Government's €250m Enterprise Ireland Seed and Venture Capital Scheme 2025-29 is well underway. We are optimistic that the environment for very early stage Irish companies seeking first round funding will pick up in the first half of next year." Lifesciences was the most successful sector to date this year, raising funds of €361.6m or 42% of the total in the first nine months. This was followed by Cybersecurity at €136.3m (16%); AI and machine learning €97m (11%); Fintech €92.2m (11%) and Software €66.2m (8%). 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.

Eirmersive, the leading voice in Ireland for the immersive technology sector, officially launched the PRISM Manufacturing Programme at an exclusive evening reception attended by programme partners, funders, and manufacturing leaders from across the island of Ireland. In early 2026, the programme will engage manufacturing SMEs across the island to explore deep tech applications, such as immersive, Digital Twin and AI technologies, towards improved efficiencies and optimisation of manufacturing processes. With strong backing from cross-border partners - including InterTradeIreland, Queen's University Belfast, Digital Catapult NI, Dundalk Institute of Technology Regional Development Centre and others - PRISM represents a transformative, collaborative pilot approach to advancing digital innovation and competitiveness across the island. The launch comes following an exceptional day that began with the PRISM Immersive Technology Summit, Ireland's premier all-island gathering exploring the convergence of Extended Reality (XR), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Digital Twin technologies. The summit welcomed over 200 innovators, business leaders, and researchers, offering a deep dive into how immersive technologies are transforming key sectors such as manufacturing, construction, health tech, and energy. Speaking at the launch, Camille Donegan, CEO of Eirmersive, said: "The energy and engagement we witnessed throughout today's summit carried seamlessly into this evening's launch. The PRISM Manufacturing Programme represents the practical next step - moving from discussion to demonstration, and from potential to performance. We're thrilled to see so many stakeholders coming together to drive real innovation across the island." Aidan Browne, Head of Innovation & Business Development at Dundalk Institute of Technology, added: "Today has shown the power of collaboration between academia, industry, and innovation partners. The PRISM Manufacturing Programme will help Irish SMEs embrace immersive technology not as a concept, but as a competitive advantage." Earlier in the day, summit attendees experienced powerful keynote presentations and live demonstrations from global leaders including Brian Cooney, CEO of KUKA Robotics Ireland, and Timmy Ghiuru, Innovation Leader at Volvo Cars. Discussions explored how digital twins, XR, and AI are revolutionising industrial workflows, reducing lead times, and creating safer, more efficient production environments. If you are a manufacturing SME, in NI or the South of Ireland, and you would be interested in registering for the PRISM Manufacturing Programme, visit www.eirmersive.com/prism or contact mark@eirmersive.com. 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.

Ireland's foremost digital marketing event, 3XE Digital, returns this November 26th with a bold new focus on the transformative power of Artificial Intelligence. 3XE AI will take place on Wednesday, November 26th at The Alex Hotel, Dublin, bringing together hundreds of marketers, social media professionals and business leaders to explore how AI is reshaping marketing strategy, creativity and performance. Delegates from top Irish brands including Chadwicks, Kepak, Chartered Accountants Ireland, Sage, The Travel Department, Finlay Motor Group, Hardware Association, and many more have already booked to attend this dynamic one-day conference designed to inspire, educate and empower. The event will be co-chaired by Anthony Quigley, Co-Founder of the Digital Marketing Institute, and Sinéad Walsh of Content Plan. Attendees will hear from leading voices in AI and digital marketing, discovering how to harness new technologies to deliver smarter, more efficient, and measurable campaigns. Key Highlights: Expert speakers from: Google, OpenAI, Content Plan, Women in AI, AI Certified, The Corporate Governance Institute, and more will share their wealth of knowledge on how clever use of AI can significantly improve all digital marketing and social media strategies and campaigns and continue to change how we do business and can massively increase sales. Topics include: ? Winning with AI in Business with Christina Barbosa-Gress, Google ? AI-Powered Operations for Irish SMEs with Denis Jastrzebski, Content Plan ? Education for Unlocking AI's Potential with Ian Dodson, AiCertified ? Practical and Responsible AI with Boris Gersic, Corporate Governance Institute ? The Compliance Edge in the AI Era with Colin Cosgrove, Movizmo Coaching Solutions ? Unlocking AI's True Potential in Business with Naomh McElhatton, Irish Ambassador for Women in AI Adrian Hopkins, Founder, 3XE Digital commented: "Reviving the 3XE Digital conference series felt timely, and AI presented the perfect opportunity. Artificial Intelligence is reshaping the entire marketing landscape - enhancing performance, improving efficiency and offering unprecedented creative possibilities. We're excited to bring this crucial conversation to the forefront once again." The 3XE AI Conference, organised in partnership with Content Plan, is proudly supported by Friday Agency, GS1 Ireland, and AI Certified. All details, including full speaker lineup, conference agenda and online bookings are available at https://3xe.ie. Early bookings remain open at 3xe.ie - including group discounts for teams. 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.

Human resources (HR) administrative overload is a hidden drain on productivity and profits for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Ireland. That is according to The Irish SME HR Report 2025, released today by Ireland's leading HR platform provider, HRLocker, which surveyed 400 SMEs in August. The findings reveal that organisations are, on average, spending nine hours per week - equivalent to 58.5 days each year - on manual HR administration tasks. Widespread inefficiencies and frustration The report indicates that this significant time, budget and engagement sink, which equates to 22% of a full-time employee's work week, speaks to widespread inefficiencies. Findings suggest that nearly half (48%) of SMEs spend even more than the average nine hours on manual tasks, with some losing over 16 hours weekly. Based on a 40-hour work week at the national average rate of €51,000, these companies are incurring costs exceeding €22,000 per year. Further, a concerning three-quarters (73%) of respondents frequently enter the same employee data multiple times, indicating a clear waste of effort due to duplication. Organisations across all industries report duplication rates at 70% or above, signifying the prevalence of the issue. However, the problem is particularly pronounced in the Retail & Wholesale sector, where 83% report issues with duplicated efforts. The research also reveals admin drag as a major source of frustration for HR professionals, with 85% agreeing that time spent on manual processing is not an effective use of their time. The findings suggest that the disproportionate time spent on low-value tasks is taking away from more strategic, people-centred initiatives. In fact, most feel they lack the time required to build a positive company culture (84%) and the opportunity to ensure a good employee experience (72%). Smaller SMEs (20-49 employees) spend slightly more time on manual processing, averaging 9.3 hours per week, compared to those with 50-99 employees (8.9 hours) and 100-249 employees (8.8 hours). Still, the relatively equal distribution across SME sizes shows that manual processing hours do not scale in line with the number of employees, implying that a certain level of admin is inherent to all operations. However, as the report indicates, larger companies are more likely to have efficient processes and specialised tools in place that cut down excessive manual work. A clear need for better tools and processes The findings underscore a critical need for better tools and streamlined processes to alleviate this administrative burden. The data indicates that companies utilising fully fit-for-purpose HR information systems (HRIS) are significantly less likely to experience data duplication (69%) than those mainly using manual processes or a mix of generic tools (75%), demonstrating the tangible benefits of investing in appropriate technology. "Our research clearly exposes a silent, yet significant, challenge facing Irish SME owners and leaders in their HR operations," says Crystel Robbins Rynne, CEO of HRLocker. "Despite advancements in technology, valuable time and resources are being diverted to repetitive, low-value administrative tasks, such as updating employee records, attendance tracking, and leave management. This not only impacts the bottom line but also prevents HR teams from focusing on strategic initiatives that drive employee engagement, bolster talent attraction and retention, and boost business growth." HRLocker's The Irish SME HR Report 2025 provides crucial insights for SME owners and leaders in Ireland looking to reclaim lost time, reduce unnecessary costs, and empower their HR teams to contribute more strategically to business success. It is available to download from: https://www.hrlocker.com/downloads/irish-sme-hr-report-2025 See more stories here.

Azets Ireland has unveiled new data which reveals that 60% of Irish businesses are using AI in some form as part of everyday operations. AI adoption grows among Irish firms The survey of 119 firms across Ireland in May 2025 reveals how Irish SMEs are using technology to future-proof their operations amid the accelerating digital transformation. Findings reveal growing rates of adoption of AI tools and technology, with the number of organisations using AI across their organisation every day rising by 11% since last November. Despite growing levels of adoption, a significant proportion of firms remain at an early stage on their AI journey. 21% of firms have not yet integrated AI in their business, while 19% of firms are researching the technology but have yet to implement it within operations. Only 1% of firms consider themselves to be at the forefront of AI adoption and innovation in their sector. Smaller firms lagging behind There are also signs of a correlation between company size and adoption, with smaller companies struggling to keep pace with larger counterparts. 71% of micro businesses (10 employees or less) have yet to adopt AI within operations, compared to only 12% of large organisations. The Finance sector has the highest level of AI adoption, with 76% of organisations having implemented AI in some capacity. This compares to 54% of firms in the construction sector and 53% of firms in the retail sector. Cybersecurity tops business priorities Findings show that cybersecurity is the top business priority for firms in Ireland, amid the rapidly evolving AI landscape. Data on key growth indicators show that firms expect to significantly strengthen cybersecurity over the next 12 months, scoring a projected change in capabilities at 6.7 out of 10. Digitalisation and future turnover follow at 6.4 out of 10, indicating an elevated focus on growth and technology investment. Irish firms experience a lower level of cybersecurity incidents across Northern Europe The results show that Irish organisations experienced the lowest level of cybersecurity incidents (30%) across the six northern European countries surveyed. This compares to an average of 38% across the UK, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. Only 8% of Irish firms reported multiple cyber incidents across the year, demonstrating a high level of cyber resilience across the Irish business community. The construction sector experienced the highest average rate of cyber incidents, with 45% reporting at least one incident over the past 12 months. This is followed by the finance sector, with 43% of surveyed firms reporting a minimum of one incident. More than 1 in 3 (37%) medium-sized businesses reported a cyber incident over the past 12 months. Commenting on the findings, Neil Hughes, CEO of Azets Ireland, said: "In an era of heightened economic and trade volatility, business leaders need to navigate their organisation through short-term turbulence while planning effectively for the future. "Many SMEs in sectors such as hospitality, retail, and other family-owned businesses are under pressure as a result of the rising cost of business and need greater support if they are to grow and thrive into the future. Reducing the cost and regulatory burden on these businesses must be a priority in the months ahead. "Despite these challenges, our findings show that leaders are taking decisive steps to future-proof their organisation and drive growth from harnessing the power of AI to strengthening cybersecurity. It's clear that leaders increasingly recognise the potential of AI to enhance productivity and efficiency across their organisation and are embracing the technology in their business. "Not every business has the resources to keep pace with the rapid pace of innovation. Our findings show that small, owner-managed businesses in particular are struggling to advance innovation and embrace AI tools and technology. With a growing skills gap at many of these firms, it's crucial that d...

Ireland has the potential to unlock €1- 2 billion of institutional capital to boost growth prospects of Irish SMEs and start-ups, according to the pre-budget submission published today by the Irish Venture Capital Association, which marks its 40th anniversary this year. "Threats to the Irish economy caused by increasingly isolationist US economic policy emphasises the need to recalibrate our own economic model," commented Caroline Gaynor, chairperson, Irish Venture Capital Association. "Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) will continue to be a pillar of the Irish economy, but its traditional impact is in decline as international competitors replicate our policies." She added: "It is important to note at a time of fiscal uncertainty due to global political headwinds that our proposals can be achieved without recourse to direct Government funding." The IVCA chairperson said that the submission coincides with the worst venture capital investment into Irish SMEs and start-ups for ten years, as funding plummeted from €494m to €112.6m in the second quarter of this year. The IVCA pre-budget submission recommends a number of government policies to stimulate private capital from Irish institutional investors, including pensions, insurers and banks, to co-invest in Irish VC and growth funds. "This would reduce our over-dependence on international VC funding, which accounted for three-quarters of total venture capital investment last year," added Ms Gaynor. "The big barrier in growing more global winners in Ireland, recognised by government and industry alike, is in scaling finance." She said that international funding has steadily increased from 49% of the total to 75% over the last four years on an annualised basis. "Larger, later-stage domestic funds would reduce this dependence on and indeed vulnerability to overseas investors." Sarah-Jane Larkin, director general, IVCA, pointed to new data which found that over 70% of international funding in the first half of this year went to companies that already had a previous or current investment round involving an Irish VC. "Ireland has a track record in picking winners and getting companies off the ground. It just shows what we could do if VC funds here were bigger. "And we don't have to reinvent the wheel to achieve this. We already have the playbook from other EU countries and the UK, which have implemented successful polices to boost private capital sources of funding." She pointed, for example, to the Dutch government, which has implemented several policies to encourage pension funds to invest in venture capital, aimed at enabling them to allocate an additional €100 billion to such investments over the next five years. France has a requirement for employees to be able to invest part of their pension in SMEs. France also mobilised €6.4 billion from its Tibi initiative, which channels institutional investment into the country's high-growth technology sector. In the UK, 17 major pension providers have committed to investing at least 10% of their defined contribution (DC) default funds in private markets by 2030, doubling the previous 5% target set in 2023. The German coalition government aims to mobilise at least €100 billion in private capital, targeting in particular small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and scale-ups through its "Germany Fund". Sarah-Jane Larkin added: "The State has played a key role in boosting start-ups through landmark initiatives such as Enterprise Ireland's Seed and Venture Capital Scheme and the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF). As the IVCA enters its fifth decade, the priority now must be to provide the scaling finance to secure strategic autonomy and build a resilient, innovation-led economy that is less exposed to global market volatility, and ensure that Irish companies have the capital needed to grow locally and compete globally." The IVCA Pre-Budget submission may be downloaded at: www.ivca.ie More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Irelan...

Clare's small and medium businesses are said to be living in fear of being "held over a barrel" by law suits at all times. The Irish Small and Medium Enterprise Association claims the Government is "sleepwalking into economic peril" by relying on multinational corporation tax receipts. In its pre-budget submission, the association is calling on the State to address what it's referred to as the imbalance currently favouring large multinational businesses over Irish SMEs. Managing Director of the Ailwee Burren Experience and ISME Council Member Nuala Mulqueeney claims businesses like hers feel as if they're in an unstable situation.

Venture capital funding into Irish SMEs in the second quarter fell to its lowest level in ten years, according to the Irish Venture Capital Association VenturePulse survey published today in association with William Fry. Funding plummeted to €112.6m, from €494m in the same quarter last year. This is the lowest figure the IVCA has recorded since the second quarter in 2015. As a result, funding in the first half of the year fell by 14% to €645.5m from €752.7m the previous year. "The fall off would have been worse if not for a record first quarter 2025, which saw an increase of over 100% to €532.8m compared to the same period last year," commented Caroline Gaynor, chairperson, Irish Venture Capital Association. She added that the quarterly result was largely explained by an 81% pullback by international investors, which invested €69.5m in the quarter, compared to €375.3m the previous year, a shortfall of over €305m. "This is a timely warning sign for Ireland and highlights the need for us to stand on our own feet in terms of funding and backing for our brightest and best indigenous start-ups, instead of depending on volatile international support," she said. Sarah-Jane Larkin, director general, IVCA, said that bearish international sentiment was reflected in quarter two deal sizes. "There was only one deal (Nomupay) in the 30m+ category, compared to five last year. Funding fell by 88% to €37m from €300.3m." There was also only one deal in the €10 10m+ category (Kota), down from six rounds last year. Funding fell by 87% to €12.4m from over €100m. "There was a falloff in all deal sizes, with the exception of those under €1m," added Sarah-Jane Larkin. "Seed funding, or first rounds by SMEs, fell by over a half to €25.5m." She added, "The IVCA applauds the recent DETE report, which found that 'there is a need for future government intervention to improve the supply of scaling finance'. This new data emphasises the urgency of the situation. "In an increasingly isolationist global economic market, it is more important than ever that we are not dependent on international capital or sentiment and have the capacity to fund our own indigenous winners." The life sciences sector with €255.3m (40%) led the way in funding for the half year, followed by cybersecurity (18%); fintech (14%); software (9%); and AI & machine learning (8%).

Three Ireland has announced it is committing a €100,000 bursary fund and a suite of technical supports to small businesses through its Grants for Small Businesses programme. Now entering a milestone fifth year, the programme offers a mix of financial support and connectivity solutions to help Irish SMEs grow and thrive. Since Three launched the initiative in 2021, the programme has provided over €750,000 in funding, products, services and strategic support to small businesses across Ireland. This includes marketing and PR assistance, access to Three Ireland's business tools and expert guidance on how to run a successful business. Bernard Brogan, the Chief Commercial Officer and Co-founder of PepTalk and former Dublin footballer, has been announced as a new judge for this year's programme. The programme is funded by Three Ireland and delivered in partnership with small business support platform Enterprise Nation. In 2025, 10 selected businesses will receive €5000 in cash and €5000 worth of Three connectivity and device solutions. Padraig Sheerin, Head of SME, Three Ireland, said: "Three is committed to helping businesses of all sizes across Ireland grow and innovate through our connectivity products and solutions. Our grant programme offers small businesses not only financial support but also practical guidance and mentorship from Three's team of business experts. Since the launch of the SME Grant Programme five years ago, the winning teams have experienced remarkable growth and we're proud to contribute to their success as they continue to expand." Bernard Brogan, co-founder of PepTalk spoke about his involvement on this year's programme: "Initiatives such as this are crucially important for supporting SMEs in Ireland and providing them with the tools they need to succeed. The business environment is rapidly evolving, with connectivity becoming increasingly central for all businesses. Three's financial and practical support will have a hugely positive impact for the winning firms - I look forward to working on this year's programme and seeing the high-calibre of different businesses come through." Former winner of the Three Ireland Grant Niamh Tallon will also return to the judging panel this year, bringing her expertise and continued support for Ireland's small business community. Niamh Tallon, founder of Her Sport and winner of the 2021 Three Ireland Grant, said: "Winning Three Ireland's Grants for Small Businesses programme was a game-changer for Her Sport. The funding and expert support helped us grow our team, boost our visibility, and put the right tech foundations in place to scale as a young business. I'm delighted to return as a judge this year, and get a chance to meet the next wave of inspiring entrepreneurs. Having experienced the challenges of starting out in business, I encourage all SMEs to apply - you could be the next success story to emerge from the Three SME Grant Programme."

Ireland's small and medium-sized businesses are facing what some are calling a “silent slowdown,” with serious implications for jobs and the wider economy. According to one of the country's leading accountants, Neil Hughes of Azets Ireland, many SMEs have already burned through their cash reserves and goodwill from suppliers—and are now teetering on the edge of a crisis not seen since 2012. Unemployment has already crept up from 3.9% to 4.9%, and the warning signs are flashing red for thousands of businesses across the country. To get a sense of how this is playing out on the ground and what can be done to support Irish SMEs, Sally-Ann Barrett was joined by Jean McCabe, Clare-based CEO of Retail Excellence Ireland, and owner of Willow and David Broderick, Director of the Small Firms Association.

Over 6,500 SMEs have been directly supported by the all-of-Government National Enterprise Hub (NEH) in the first 12 months since its launch. The top grants availed of by businesses ranged in value from €3,000 to €7,000 and focused on supporting businesses with cashflow, expansion and productivity to help them deal with concerns around rising costs, and competitiveness. The National Enterprise Hub has attracted over 220,000 active online users to its website over the last 12 months and also offers a full-time dedicated phone line, connecting business owners with specialist advisors who can discuss potential grant options over the phone. The National Enterprise Hub, an initiative of the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment and Enterprise Ireland, brings together information and resources on over 250 Government supports from 30 different Departments and State Agencies. Looking ahead, there will be a continued and renewed focus on simplifying business grant applications for SMEs engaging with the National Enterprise Hub. The businesses are from a range of industries however the majority fall within Tourism & Hospitality, retail & consumer products, food, health & beauty, professional services and the construction sector. This free service makes it easier and more efficient for businesses to access and avail of supports such as grants, funding, loans and expert advice across a range of sectors. Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke, said, "With over 6,500 companies engaging in its first 12 months, the National Enterprise Hub has proven effective in streamlining and simplifying access for SMEs to government supports, equipping them with vital digital and sustainability resources to navigate rising costs and stay competitive. Research from my Department shows that four in five businesses believe sustainability is important. An awareness campaign is currently underway showcasing how the NEH can support businesses in cutting costs through grants such as the LEO's Energy Efficiency Grant and SEAI's Business Energy Upgrade Scheme. My focus now with the NEH is on reducing administrative burdens and red tape for businesses by consolidating multiple grant applications into a single, simplified process. We must redouble our efforts to simplify processes for businesses and make sure that we think about small businesses first. I look forward to its continued growth and positive impact on Irish SMEs." Conor O'Donovan, Head of Start-Ups and the National Enterprise Hub, said: "SME engagement with the National Enterprise Hub has met and exceeded our targets to date, supporting 6,500 businesses within our first year of operation. One of the main aims of the Hub was to engage with businesses who haven't availed of government supports to date and to make the process of availing of government supports faster and easier." "We know that Irish SMEs are operating in a complex environment and being able to access grants and supports is more important than ever. Small businesses who are engaging with the National Enterprise Hub are concerned about rising cost of business and competitiveness - that is why a single source of government supports for businesses is important to ensure that accessing the right information is made easier. The National Enterprise Hub has a team of dedicated advisors who are directing SMEs to the right support that will help them. It's for every business in the country and we'd encourage every business to go online to neh.gov.ie or pick up the phone and start the conversation around your business needs today." Audrey Hughes, CEO of Principle HR, said: "Like so many Irish SMEs, we are focused on providing the highest quality of service delivery to our customers, while remaining competitive. Accessing government supports to assist can feel daunting but the National Enterprise Hub made the process so much easier by putting us in contact with the right agency whose support and expertise fitted our n...

Global fintech SumUp has launched SumUp Terminal, an all-in-one point of sale (POS) device that directly addresses the challenges faced by growing businesses. The device includes a card reader, POS, ordering system, and receipt printer, helping merchants manage orders, staff, inventory, and reporting in one place. This design allows staff to leave the sales counter behind, taking orders and payments directly on the shop floor or right at the table. In May this year, SumUp surveyed Irish SMEs and found that 25.5% of Irish businesses had made no key changes to their operations beyond raising prices, despite 38% stating that the current economic climate had negatively impacted their business. This highlights a concerning trend: many Irish businesses are falling behind in adopting innovative strategies to navigate growing economic uncertainty. The SumUp Terminal is a direct response to this challenge, underscoring the company's commitment to equipping merchants with tools tailored to today's evolving consumer landscape. Niall Mac an tSionnaigh, CEO of SumUp Ireland, said "At a time when many Irish businesses are feeling the pressure of rising rent, stock, and staffing costs - but are struggling to adapt - it's clear that practical, lean and accessible tech is more important than ever. The SumUp Terminal was built to meet that need, equipping merchants of all sizes with the tools to streamline operations and stay competitive in a rapidly changing environment." Key features and benefits for merchants using the SumUp Terminal include its all-in-one efficiency, allowing businesses to take card payments, manage orders, speed up checkouts, and print receipts or order tickets from a single device. Designed for durability and ease of use, it features an intuitive HD touchscreen and a long-lasting battery that supports staff throughout the entire workday. The Terminal also enables smarter operations by allowing the creation of custom staff profiles with role-based permissions and providing real-time sales reports to support informed business decisions. Irish merchants can simplify their bookkeeping by integrating popular accounting solutions such as Sage Accounting, Xero, and QuickBooks. Dual connectivity with built-in WiFi and free 4G mobile data ensures the device always connects to the strongest available network, keeping payments uninterrupted. To accelerate setup, Terminal uses its built-in camera to instantly digitise an entire product list from a single photo. This AI-driven feature means merchants can capture their handwritten or printed menu, and the device automatically creates an editable digital catalogue. This significantly reduces manual setup time, allowing merchants to then easily add descriptions, images, or new products. "We see countless merchants hit a growth ceiling where a simple card reader is no longer enough, but a traditional POS system feels too expensive and complex," said Tomer Sabag, Chief Hardware Officer at SumUp. "Terminal was built to be that perfect next step. It delivers the core operational power a growing business needs with the speed, ease-of-use, and affordability that are hallmarks of the SumUp ecosystem. It's designed to help our merchants scale in an easy and seamless fashion." SumUp will continue to enhance Terminal with free, automatic software updates. Upcoming features include barcode scanning, table management, and the ability for multiple Terminal devices to sync and operate together in the same venue. As an integral part of the SumUp ecosystem, the Terminal will also connect and sync seamlessly with SumUp POS systems - enabling streamlined, connected operations across devices and services. 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/iri...

The National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) has published its 2024 Year in Review, highlighting a transformative year of progress in areas critical to Ireland's future, including housing innovation, digital resilience, and sustainability. In a year of global uncertainty and rapid advances in areas like cybersecurity, NSAI played a pivotal role in supporting business competitiveness and advancing Ireland's strategic ambitions under Housing for All, the Climate Action Plan, and the Digital Europe Programme. Minister of State with responsibility for Employment, Small Business and Retail, Alan Dillon TD said: "The NSAI plays a vital role in strengthening Ireland's business ecosystem. From enabling housing innovation through Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) and Building Information Modelling (BIM) to advancing cybersecurity and sustainability, NSAI's Year in Review displays how the organisation supports our industries to grow safely, smartly, and compete internationally. The Year in Review reflects the important role NSAI plays in supporting Irish businesses and setting and maintaining world-class standards, measurement services and certification systems." In 2024, NSAI advanced key pillars of its Strategic Plan 2022-2026 in the areas of housing, digital transformation, climate and MedTech through standards, metrology and certification that directly support Ireland's Programme for Government and economic growth. Geraldine Larkin, NSAI CEO, said: "NSAI is committed to supporting businesses to enable growth, competitiveness and long-term success. We're proud to act as a bridge between innovation and assurance, empowering Irish businesses of all sizes to operate with confidence, integrity, and international credibility. Whether it's bringing a new MMC housing system to market or achieving ISO certification in information security, we ensure companies can move faster, meet expectations, and lead by example." Key highlights from the report include: Supporting housing innovation: With 80 new MMC enquiries and 48 new applications received in 2024, NSAI's MMC department is supporting faster, safer and more efficient construction outcomes. NSAI's Sustainability and Built Environment department approved 1,132 construction products last year and NSAI established a dedicated Building Information Modelling department before Christmas. Agrément certification is specifically aimed at products or systems that are new or innovative. The KORE group in Cavan, for example, achieved MMC Agrément certification through NSAI for its insulated concrete formwork system and its insulated foundation system. Caroline Ashe Brady, Commercial Director with the Kore Group said: "NSAI's rigorous assessment process has been crucial in enabling us to bring next-generation construction solutions to market with confidence. MMC Agrément certification helps manufacturers in the construction industry, like ours, to meet both compliance requirements and sustainability goals." Cybersecurity at the forefront: In September 2024, NSAI was appointed lead co-ordinator for the EU TrustBoost programme, aimed at strengthening cybersecurity certification across the EU. With threats to data privacy and digital infrastructure on the rise, this initiative under the Digital Europe Programme is helping to develop new technologies and tools to create a more secure digital ecosystem for Europe. Separately, NSAI developed a new certification readiness tool for Irish SMEs around information security. Innovation and excellence through standards: As Ireland prepares to take over the presidency of the Council of the EU in July 2026, NSAI continues to take a leading on the role of standards in support of the single market. This is a vital role at national and European level. In 2024: 1,467 standards were published 286,209 standards were accessed 200 new members joined technical committees (there are now over 2,400 national committee members) Precise measuring for trade: NSAI's Nati...

Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) and AMBER, the Research Ireland Centre for Advanced Materials and BioEngineering Research, have officially launched the European Space Agency (ESA) Phi-Lab Ireland - a pioneering six-year programme designed to drive innovation in space technologies within companies in Ireland. Ireland, as a global leader in advanced manufacturing and materials science, will address the thematic area of space-optimised hardware. Phi-Lab Ireland will fund cutting-edge research across the entire life-cycle from materials discovery and testing, to the scaled production of components optimised for the unique and challenging environment of space. Benefiting from the combined capabilities of two of Ireland's leading research organisations, Phi-Lab Ireland will also offer access to expert mentorship and training programmes, state-of-the-art research infrastructure, comprehensive networking opportunities, and significant seed funding for projects up to 24-months. Welcoming the expansion of the European Space Agency's Phi-Lab network to Ireland, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke, said "the launch of ESA's Phi-Lab Ireland offers Irish companies a great opportunity to further develop in the areas of advanced manufacturing and materials innovation. Available to space active companies and to companies who up to now haven't considering entering into this market, Phi-Lab Ireland will offer expert mentoring and training programmes, access to state of the art research infrastructure and critical seed funding up to €400k. Working in partnership with ESA, IMR and AMBER, two of Ireland's leading research organisations, will strengthen the capability of the growing Irish space eco-system and I look forward to Irish companies taking their place in the globally competitive space sector. I am particularly pleased to see this degree of endeavour and innovation taking place here in Mullingar in my own constituency". "The establishment of ESA's Phi-Lab in Ireland marks a pivotal moment in our journey to position Ireland at the forefront of space innovation. The initiative reflects our continuing partnership with the European Space Agency and our shared ambition to harness cutting-edge technologies for economic growth and global impact. Phi-Lab Ireland will empower Irish companies to lead in the development of transformative advanced manufacturing technologies, unlocking new markets and creating high-value opportunities for the future" said Minister of State for Small Businesses and Retail, Alan Dillon, on the launch of Phi-Lab Ireland as part of the expanding ESA Phi-Lab network. Phi-Lab Ireland's first funding call for research project proposals from Irish companies seeking to grow in Ireland's developing space ecosystem is now open. Unique to Phi-Lab Ireland, projects are welcome from companies who in the past may have never considered their products for the space sector, and also current space-active companies seeking to advance their position in this market and/or bring their innovations to larger terrestrial markets. Commenting on the launch of Phi-Lab Ireland's first funding call, Dr. Ken Horan, Director of Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship at IMR and Head of ESA Phi-Lab Ireland said "ESA Phi-Lab Ireland is a unique opportunity for Irish SMEs, start-ups, and researchers to become leaders in space-focused innovation. Today the Space sector offers opportunities akin to those presented by the MedTech sector a few decades ago and before that, ICT manufacturing. These have become cornerstones of the Irish economy. We want to see Ireland equivalently recognised as a global leader in the Space sector and are building a national competence centre to advance this ambition". Prof. Mick Morris, Director of the AMBER Centre added "AMBER are delighted to partner with IMR to support Irish industry and researchers in exploring new commercial opportunities in the space sector. This activity will build on our...

Guest post by Elisabeth Kant (she/her) Head of Data Science at SumUp Following the AI summit in Paris earlier this year, Taoiseach Micheál Martin stated "we need to embrace the opportunities that AI offers - for our start-ups and businesses, our public services, and ultimately for our citizens, and their quality of life.…If we don't, we risk losing out and forfeiting the enormous gains AI promises." In an increasingly digital world, small and medium-sized enterprises face a pivotal moment: adapt to technological change or risk being left behind. While innovation was once the domain of large corporations, advancements in digital tools like automation and artificial intelligence are future-proofing SMEs, should they choose to adopt them. That includes the sectors we don't typically associate with cutting-edge innovation: your local salon, the family-run grocer or an independently run café. AI is no longer a futuristic concept reserved for the few, it's part of a broader wave of digital tools that businesses must embrace to stay competitive. We've already seen examples of how adopting new technologies such as AI can make or break businesses. When looking at the booming e-commerce sector, for example, the rise of personalised shopping experiences thanks to artificial intelligence has had a great impact on how retailers are bringing their goods to customers. It is no secret that the popularity of online shopping has led to many businesses leaning on algorithms to present their customers a personalised shop window. Those that have failed to adapt the opportunities AI has created in the space not only lose out on making their offerings more attractive to consumers, but risk losing their business by relying on outdated technology. AI is the new frontier of digital transformation, and organisations that oppose it risk falling behind. Ireland's SMEs in the digital age This digital transformation of SMEs in a plethora of other industries is currently being driven by tools that provide services like automation, AI, and cloud-based systems across Ireland. Once thought to be reserved for larger scale organisations, these technologies are now inexpensive, accessible, and for many, essential to the running of their business day to day. SMEs are the backbone of the Irish economy, representing a third of the country's GVA according to the CSO, and the advantages of embracing digital technologies mentioned above are endless, with some being able to be integrated almost immediately. You don't have to be a tech company to benefit from technology - automation can deliver real value by taking repetitive tasks off the plate of any business. We're increasingly seeing examples like lead qualification for small sales teams or appointment scheduling for local restaurants - freeing up time for business owners to focus on higher-level strategic work. AI, although sometimes seen as removing the human element from processes and procedures, can in fact customise client interactions, improve the sales process, and enable teams to provide a more bespoke experience. Hairdressers for example can use AI scheduling tools to personalise reminders and rebooking prompts. These benefits are especially important for SMEs, which operate with limited resources and where customer care is paramount. The rise of AI According to a recent report conducted by Trinity College Dublin and Microsoft Ireland, AI use in Irish enterprises increased significantly from 49% in 2024 to 91% in 2025. Among the SMEs surveyed, just under 40% of respondents are actively utilising AI, with 10% having adopted an AI strategy. However, there's a noticeable gap when looking at the AI usage in large multinational enterprises. Perhaps in order to gain a competitive edge in an ever-changing and evolving industry, following the example set by larger corporations could be beneficial, improving upon operational efficiency and customer service for example. That being said, there are barriers SMEs face ...

Venture capital funding into Irish SMEs soared to €532.8m in the first quarter of 2025, according to the Irish Venture Capital Association VenturePulse survey published today in association with William Fry. This was a record for a first quarter and represents a year-to-year increase of over 100%. But Mr Gerry Maguire, chairperson, Irish Venture Capital Association said: "It should be noted that over 80% of the total in this quarter was due to deals worth over €10m." He said that the picture for start-ups raising under €3m was less rosy and this may reflect an imbalance in the market. The first quarter excluded the impact of US "Liberation Day" tariffs on 2nd April. Mr Maguire said that anecdotal evidence suggested that the uncertainty and caution caused by this, especially amongst international investors, is likely to show up in following quarters. Sarah-Jane Larkin, director general, IVCA said that funding by international venture capital into Irish companies rose to 82% of the total, compared to 71% in the same quarter last year. "This is a doubled edged sword. While it reflects the high quality and potential of Irish tech firms and demand by overseas investors, it also reflects Ireland Inc's vulnerability to international influences if the tide goes out." Deals in the €30m+ category grew by nearly 90% to €296.8m. Funding in the €10m-€30m range rose by 184% to €132m. Deals between €5m-€10m grew 138% to €43.8m. Funding in the €3-€5m increased 346% to €35m from €7.8m the previous quarter. Deals in the €1m-€3m category fell by 5% to €21.6m. Deals under €1m fell by 42% to €3.6m from €6.2m the previous year. There was also a big fall in the number of deals in this category, down from 21 to six. Seed funding, or first rounds raised by SMEs, marked time, falling by 3% to €39.3m from €40.4m the previous year. The total number of deals in the first quarter was 43, slightly ahead of the same quarter last year (41). Top five deals in the first quarter were lifescience company, Let's get Checked which raised €150m. Cybersecurity firm, Tines raised €115m followed by AI company, Protex AI (€31.8m), drone delivery firm, Manna (€27m) and medical technology manufacturer, Perfuze (€22m). 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.

CyberQuest, a joint venture between Data Edge, REIM Training Solutions, and CJHNetwork, is pleased to announce a free, one-hour cybersecurity webinar for Irish SMEs. NIS2 & cybersecurity - What Irish SMEs need to know now This interactive online event is specifically designed for SME leaders, IT decision-makers, and business owners seeking to improve their cybersecurity posture while navigating the upcoming NIS2 directive. Why attend? Learn about real-life cyberattacks and vulnerabilities experienced by Irish SMEs. Get clarity on the NIS2 directive and whether it applies to your business. Discover how to access funding and Enterprise Ireland grants to support your cybersecurity initiatives. Explore free and affordable tools other SMEs are using to protect their networks. Ask your questions directly in an interactive session with experts. Speaker panel: Eimear Murphy, Founder & Director, REIM Training Solutions Sandra Richardson, Director of Training, REIM Training Solutions Colm Hyland, Owner, CJHNetwork Omer Mukhtar, Cybersecurity Specialist, Data Edge "Cybersecurity often gets sidelined in busy SMEs, especially when business owners wear multiple hats," says Eimear Murphy. "This session is about making cybersecurity manageable and showing that you don't need to be an expert to protect your business." Sandra Richardson adds: "We want to break NIS2 down into something understandable and actionable. It's about giving SMEs the tools, support, and confidence to act." Colm Hyland will share insights on aligning cybersecurity strategies with business goals while working within the real-world constraints of SME life. Omer Mukhtar offers an industry-wide perspective, drawing on his strong background in defensive security. Cybersecurity doesn't have to be complicated and in this session, Omer will share practical insights from recent cyber reviews using tools like CyberScope and Link-Live, offering actionable steps any business can take to reduce cyber risk using the right tools and methodology. Participants will also have the opportunity to book a no-cost cybersecurity review to identify risks in their infrastructure. Register now: https://reimtrainingsolutions.com/cyberquest-webinar/ See more stories here.

Did you know that the term 'Sustainability Examples' is searched 170,000 times globally per month (circa 5,000 in Ireland per month). Did you also know that 99.8% of Irish businesses are SMEs. Individually, they have small carbon footprints, but collectively, they account for 38% of Ireland's CO2 emissions (63% in Europe). While many SMEs are taking action, they struggle to gain awareness, recognition and measurable commercial advantages for taking action. This is why Andrew Sheehan built a sustainability engagement platform (sustainabilityexamples.com) to change that. Ronan recently spoke to Andrew about his background, what sustainabilityexamples.com does, three ways of changing behaviour and more .More about sustainabilityexamples.com:There are two types of users on the platform: Champions and Doers. The platform helps Irish SMEs driving climate action (doers) gain more visibility, greater recognition and a faster ROI for taking action by providing a platform where they can launch, share, and compete for prominence on the homepage leaderboard through community engagement with climate-engaged supporters (champions). By providing impact leaders with measurable recognition and data-backed commercial advantages for launching examples of their initiatives and solutions on the platform, the platform's purpose is to encourage more SMEs to also start taking action. 

Did you know that the term 'Sustainability Examples' is searched 170,000 times globally per month (circa 5,000 in Ireland per month). Did you also know that 99.8% of Irish businesses are SMEs. Individually, they have small carbon footprints, but collectively, they account for 38% of Ireland's CO2 emissions (63% in Europe). While many SMEs are taking action, they struggle to gain awareness, recognition and measurable commercial advantages for taking action. This is why Andrew Sheehan built a sustainability engagement platform (sustainabilityexamples.com) to change that. Ronan recently spoke to Andrew about his background, what sustainabilityexamples.com does, three ways of changing behaviour and more. More about sustainabilityexamples.com: There are two types of users on the platform: Champions and Doers. The platform helps Irish SMEs driving climate action (doers) gain more visibility, greater recognition and a faster ROI for taking action by providing a platform where they can launch, share, and compete for prominence on the homepage leaderboard through community engagement with climate-engaged supporters (champions). By providing impact leaders with measurable recognition and data-backed commercial advantages for launching examples of their initiatives and solutions on the platform, the platform's purpose is to encourage more SMEs to also start taking action. 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.

Funds invested into Irish technology SMEs reached a new high of €1.48 billion in 2024, or 9% up on the previous year, which itself was a record, according to the Irish Venture Capital Association (IVCA) VenturePulse report, published today in association with William Fry. The association, which marks its 40th anniversary this year, also reported a record fourth quarter in 2024 of €535m, 162% up on the same period the previous year. Mr Gerry Maguire, chairperson, Irish Venture Capital Association, commented: "Growth in the year and final quarter was driven by big investments which demonstrates that Ireland has the capacity to create and scale world class tech firms." However, he described the funding environment for firms looking to raise less than €5m as "choppy". "Deals right across all sizes below €5m fell during 2024 and in quarter four." Artificial Intelligence (AI) accounted for over €100m of the total VC investment into Irish firms last year. Mr Maguire said that the recent impact of Chinese operator DeepSeek is likely to increase, not decrease, appetite by VC investors in the sector. "The arrival of players such as DeepSeek has the potential to boost margins and decrease development costs for AI start-ups. We are potentially witnessing the democratisation and ease of participation by AI developers, in the same way that Software-as-a-Service or cloud computing transformed and disrupted the traditional software model." He pointed out that the DeepSeek-driven sell-off of Nasdaq stocks mostly affected big chip makers or AI platforms of Google, Microsoft and others, not areas in which most Irish AI firms compete. "There is massive potential in AI applications across healthcare, climate, education and other sectors, and this will be boosted by lower costs of development which represents a major opportunity for Ireland." Sarah-Jane Larkin, director general of IVCA, said that fourth quarter and annual data emphasised the potential for the new Government to support investment in early-stage companies. "AI company Nuritas, for example, raised €42m in quarter four, but its first round back in 2015 was just over €100,000. Co Louth-based company XOCEAN raised €115m in this quarter and is now a world leader in sea drone technology." She said that current global economic and political turbulence, largely driven by the new administration in the US, means that the Government's latest €250m Seed & Venture Capital Scheme 2025-2029 "couldn't come at a better time", with applications for the first call of up to €100m to be submitted to Enterprise Ireland by the end of this week (February 20). "This is very welcome as funding for deals below €5m fell sharply across the quarter and the year." Deals in the €3-€5m range fell by 37% to €82m for the year and by 56% to €17.6m for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to the same period the previous year. Funding in the €1-€3m category fell by 24% to €105m for the year and by 63% to €23.6m for the quarter. Investments below €1m declined by 4% to €28.9m for the year and by 19% to €7m for the quarter. Seed funding, or first rounds raised by SMEs, decreased by 4% annually to €127m and by 55% to €17.9m in the quarter. The top five deals in quarter four 2024 were: Dublin headquartered medical device company, Fire1 (€116m); Louth based sea drone developer, XOCEAN (€115m); Dublin headquartered travel software firm, Nuitée (€46m); Dublin headquartered AI company, Nuritas (€42m) and Dublin based fintech firm, NomuPay (€35.9m). Life sciences accounted for 37% (€552.9m) of the total raised in 2024, followed by Software: 13% (€185m); Envirotech: 11% (€161.7m); Fintech: 8% (€119m) and Data: 8% (€115m). 217 deals were completed in 2024, similar to the previous year (216). "In view of global headwinds, we should be ambitious and aiming to double this," added Sarah-Jane Larkin. 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 ca...

Welcome to episode #206 of Stock Club, presented by MyWallSt.In today's episode, we delve deep into the world of private market investments with Scott Ashmore and Rob Halligan, co-founders of PitchedIt. The discussion opens with an overview of the untapped potential within private equity, real estate, and private credit, revealing how these assets can diversify portfolios and potentially lead to substantial returns.The conversation then transitions to an exploration of different stages of startup funding—from pre-seed to IPO—offering listeners a rare glimpse into the early and growth stages of startup development.We explore the transformative impact of technology on investing, emphasising how platforms like PitchdIt are making private market investments accessible to a broader audience, thereby democratising a previously exclusive sector.We also touch on the strategic advantages of investing in emerging markets and sectors such as AI and healthcare, dissecting the trends and opportunities that lie ahead.Don't forget to subscribe for your regular insights into investing, innovation, and the strategies that are reshaping the landscape of finance!This episode is sponsored by Vodafone Business. Vodafone Business continues to support Irish SMEs and are here to help you achieve your business goals. With this in mind, Vodafone's V-Hub Digital Advice and support platform offers free, one-to-one digital advice tailored to your business. Whether you want to grow your online presence, explore best cybersecurity practices, get tips for social media or discuss collaboration tools for your business, our V-Hub experts are here to help.Book a free call today: https://v-hub.vodafone.ie/Become a successful investor by checking out all the content MyWallSt has to offer:

We're running a special offer for Stock Club listeners. To get $50 off Invest Plus just enter STOCKCLUB50 at checkout or you can click here.Welcome to #205 of Stock Club, presented by MyWallSt.In this episode, join Emmet Savage and Mike as they navigate the evolving landscape of technology and innovation, kicking off with a bold proclamation from Uber about its future profitability tied to autonomous driving. The duo unpacks the growth trajectory of Uber and delves into the anticipated revenue milestones, offering a unique perspective on what this means for the future of mobility.The episode then delves into the future with a deep dive into the race towards autonomous driving, featuring insights on Tesla's autopilot controversies, Uber and Waymo's partnership, and the legal hurdles shadowing the path to driverless innovation.We also delve into Catalyst Pharmaceuticals' role in orphan drug status and its pharmaceutical impact, Taiwan Semiconductor's strategic Arizona expansion and its geopolitical significance, and Disney's victory in a proxy battle with Nelson Peltz, marking a crucial moment for corporate governance.Don't forget to subscribe for your weekly dose of insights into technology, investment, and the seismic shifts shaping our future!This episode is sponsored by Vodafone Business. Vodafone Business continues to support Irish SMEs and are here to help you achieve your business goals. With this in mind, Vodafone's V-Hub Digital Advice and support platform offers free, one-to-one digital advice tailored to your business. Whether you want to grow your online presence, explore best cybersecurity practices, get tips for social media or discuss collaboration tools for your business, our V-Hub experts are here to help.Book a free call today: https://v-hub.vodafone.ie/Become a successful investor by checking out all the content MyWallSt has to offer:

Welcome to #204 of Stock Club, presented by MyWallSt. In this episode, your hosts Emmet Savage and Mike explore the volatile world of finance and investment, starting with a deep dive into the spectacular downfall of Sam Bankman-Fried and the FTX collapse. They unravel the intricacies of this crypto calamity, offering insights into its wider implications for the cryptocurrency market and investor confidence.The conversation doesn't stop there; we shift gears to the psychological underpinnings of investment decisions, illuminated by the work of Daniel Kahneman in behavioural economics. In addition, we examine the $30 billion class action settlement involving Visa and MasterCard, pondering its impact on the payments industry and what it means for merchants and consumers alike. The episode also touches on potential market shifts, highlighted by the proposed acquisition of Discover by Capital One. We round off with a captivating pitch on Autotrader, unpacking the secrets behind its dominance and profitability in the classifieds sector. Engage with us by liking this video and sharing your views in the comments below. Don't forget to subscribe for your weekly dose of market insights!This episode is sponsored by Vodafone Business. Vodafone Business continues to support Irish SMEs and are here to help you achieve your business goals. With this in mind, Vodafone's V-Hub Digital Advice and support platform offers free, one-to-one digital advice tailored to your business. Whether you want to grow your online presence, explore best cybersecurity practices, get tips for social media or discuss collaboration tools for your business, our V-Hub experts are here to help.Book a free call today: https://v-hub.vodafone.ie/Become a successful investor by checking out all the content MyWallSt has to offer: