Guest post by Colm Hyland CyberQuest

Captain Jack Boyle in O’Casey’s ‘Juno and the Paycock’ would proclaim and use the ‘chassis’, as his excuse to do nothing. What’s the point after all, an individual can do nothing to stop the madness.

When it comes to Cybersecurity, it’s not acceptable to do nothing. Cybersecurity has become a priority, one that touches our economy, our democracy, our families and our future.

As we welcome the recent improvements in Defence and Maritime Strategy and anticipate the rework of the National Cyber Strategy; there is a critical dimension we cannot afford to overlook: the role of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the economy. EU Regulations are spelling out the need for greater accountability for public and private sectors.

SMEs are our largest employer and greatest source of innovation, many are part of the Multinationals’ Supply Chain; from start-ups to businesses with 250 people, their security is essential. They require professional improvements. Cyber professionals whether full-time, part-time or contracted must be accredited. The interventions they provide; education, software or professional services need to be standards based and open to adaptation.

We have the standards and regulations that guide the sector, we need to ensure that people and services meet the basic requirements and are continuously improving. Attack surfaces become more complicated and difficult to defeat, we need our people on high alert. This can only be achieved by training and retraining. Our Engineering and Manufacturing Sectors have done this before: pursuing excellence through Continuous Improvement tools and driving towards internationally accredited Quality Systems.

We have the improvement methodology. We must use this to strengthen SMEs to consolidate the future of Ireland from both an economic and technological point of view. In parallel, having North and South working closer on Cyber security is both essential and a huge bonus.

We are not starting from scratch, we have many initiatives and programmes in play. We need a collaborative and harmonious ecosystem to raise digital and cybersecurity standards. The ecosystem can include those currently involved such as, multinational companies but change the emphasis to private and public, indigenous organisations. Academic and training organisations are here to service the needs of all of our Citizens: students, apprentices, trainees, employed, underemployed and unemployed. We need more Trainers, Women and Neurodiverse people in cyber security.

Collaboration must be at the heart of this system; communication is the circulation. Participants in this process need to be conscious that the work to be done is for the greater good of Citizens, the Country and its ambitions.

The current components are the following, others will materialise:

Cybersecurity Awareness – for all; in every SME, parish, club and charity.

Cyber Skills – defined by the latest version of cyber frameworks.

Training – that complements the college offering and is fast tracked, dynamic, developmental and leads to career progression

Supporting local businesses – meeting the needs of SMEs and supporting indigenous software and service companies.

Job creation – building on all of the interconnected components to create jobs for unemployed, career changers and those who would like to move into a career in cyber from their current employment.

Collaboration is at the heart of improvement and minimises the chaos but limiting this to academics and multinational people minimises the quality of the debate and the outputs.

SMEs are critical strategically and economically; their inclusion is not just necessary but compulsory.

This Vision of creating one single initiative where everything moves in cooperation within the ecosystem provides value for money. Public money must be spent in a structured manner. It reduces isolated groups being funded without having a clearly aligned strategy.

The ultimate objective of this initiative is to anticipate the level of cyber-crime and disruption by increasing; cybersecurity skills, awareness, job creation, support local, cybersecurity industry players and create an interconnected ecosystem.

Ultimately, the outcomes will feed into a Government Cybersecurity Strategy and become the base of the national cybersecurity action plan and framework.

We can identify the skills, fill the gaps, provide job opportunities and develop higher levels in standards in and increase our resilience nationwide.

Finally, make Ireland the leader in the cybersecurity industry globally.

This article reflects the content of the Cybersecurity Position Paper led by Senator Ger Craughwell supported by the Cyber Guard Alliance. Senator Craughwell will present the Paper on 15th April at 2.00pm in Buswell’s Hotel, Dublin 2.

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Esri Ireland, the market leader in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), is announcing that its inaugural user conference will take place at The Round Room at Dublin’s Mansion House on Wednesday, 29th April 2026.

Themed Building a Stronger Future, the conference will showcase how location intelligence can enable smarter decision-making across our island’s critical infrastructure sector. It will be opened with an address from Minister of State for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, Frank Feighan TD.

On the day, attendees will have a chance to hear from Esri Ireland customers on how they are using geospatial technology to transform their operations.

ESB will explore how GIS is supporting the organisation’s critical role in Ireland’s Climate Action Plan and aims to reach net zero emissions by 2040, while Dublin Airport will examine how location intelligence is enabling large-scale infrastructure investments to take off – catering for its future growth and expansion. Attendees will hear how broadband provider Fibrus is using geospatial technologies to roll out next-generation fibre networks, and Northern Ireland Water will demonstrate evidence-led approaches to reducing demand on wastewater infrastructure.

A panel of industry experts, hosted by Gordon Smith, will debate the challenges and opportunities of infrastructure development, while Esri Ireland’s own experts will share new insights across a range of topics including artificial intelligence, field operations, GeoBIM, and Digital Twins.

The free-to-attend event will bring together GIS professionals, industry leaders, and key stakeholders, with up to 500 people expected to attend.  For more information and to register, click here.

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Mapped: The World’s Data Centers by Country (2026)

By Selva Ozelli Esq, CPA, Author of Sustainably Investing in Digital Assets Globally

This is the first article in a series of articles I am writing for Irish Tech News  to explore the financial, technical, legal aspects of utilizing space solar energized orbital data centers that are rapidly evolving into “AI Factories, designed specifically to convert massive amounts of electrical power into intelligence, measured in tokens”  around the world.

My new series is a follow up to an interview ITN conducted with me in 2020 exploring how space solar energy could sustainably energize the tokenization of the global  financial markets which is projected to grow to multi-trillion dollars by the end of the decade.

The growth of Sustainable Orbital Data Center Infrastructure

Only five years after this interview, on December 10, 2025 PowerBank Corporation (Canada) launched the inaugural  DeStarlink Genesis-1 satellite , marking Orbit AI’s (Singapore)  first step toward building its Orbital Cloud network — an architecture where AI compute, connectivity, and blockchain-verified processing occur directly in low-Earth satellites, powered by space solar energy.  Such  decentralized space infrastructure combining AI computing, global connectivity, and blockchain verification  are likely to [gradually] take over functions of hyperscale earthbound data centers going forward.

About Hyperscale Data Centers

The United States is the  leader in data center hosting, commanding over 40% of the world’s facilities [over 5,000 facilities as of 2026], driven by a head start by US tech giants such as such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Oracle and Google Cloud, which made high-volume investment in AI.

At the start of this year, President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order Removing Barriers to American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence, which advances his America’s AI Action Plan.  This was followed by the U.S. Department of Energy launching the Genesis Mission, a historic national effort that will use the power of artificial intelligence to accelerate discovery science, strengthen national security, and drive energy innovation. These policies have prompted several US based hyperscale data center companies to explore the integration of orbital solar energy for energy-intensive blockchain and AI verification processes.

Hyperscale cloud providers are massive-scale data center service providers that operate extensive, globally dispersed data centers to deliver on-demand computing resources. These providers are characterized by their ability to scale horizontally and vertically to support millions of virtual machines and vast workloads by integrating edge cloud technology, to extend their services to smaller, distributed micro-data centers and network points closer to users for lower latency, better performance in remote areas.

Hyperscale cloud providers store data for AI and use tokenization in two key ways: for AI model processing and for data security/compliance. They are the physical infrastructure that makes data center operations possible.  However, hyperscale data centers are experiencing a massive surge in power and water demand driven by the proliferation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC). These facilities, often requiring 100+ megawatts (MW) and sometimes up to 1 gigawatt (GW) for “AI factories,” are redefining data centers as critical infrastructure that require consistent, 24/7 power.  Therefore, US hyperscale cloud providers are exploring the concept of placing solar collection and data centers in orbit to leverage 24/7 constant solar energy and alleviate terrestrial power grid strain.

The physical targeting of US based commercial data centers in the Persian Gulf during the U.S.-Iran conflict in March 2026 marked a historic first and a shift in warfare, where digital infrastructure was directly attacked and damaged. Following these events, the urgency for orbital data centers has increased, as these space-based solutions offer immunity to terrestrial kinetic strikes.

Where Orbital Data Center AI Testing Began

Since mid 2021 the  International Space Station (ISS), an orbiting space laboratory,  has operated the HPE Spaceborne Computer-2 (SBC-2) a Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) (USA) project developed collaboratively with KIOXIA (Japan), that is supported by a multinational coalition –excluding China– to provide commercial edge computing and AI capabilities in orbit to researchers from:

• United States (via NASA which leverages Microsoft Azure Space for cloud connectivity, Axiom Space, Cornell University, Titan Space Technologies)
• Russia (Roscosmos),
• Japan (JAXA),
• Canada (CSA),
• European Space Agency (ESA).
• India (students via Codewars competition)

ISS’s SBC-2 has been used for  rapid processing of scientific research data to cut analysis time from hours to minutes. The system supports diverse experiments, including AI-based imagery analysis, 3D printing simulations, and 5G network testing reducing reliance on Earth-based processing, to enable real-time insights for experiments on the space station.

China’s Tiangong space research laboratory in low-Earth orbit (LEO), began construction in 2021 following the country’s exclusion from the International Space Station (ISS) due to U.S. geopolitical restrictions. Assembled between 2021 and 2022, China’s Tiangong space research laboratory acts as a central hub for microgravity research, space technology development, and in-orbit artificial intelligence applications, such as the Wukong AI model.

China is also actively advancing a “Space Cloud” orbital data center infrastructure by launching on May 14, 2025, the first cluster of 12 AI-powered satellites with plans for a 2,800-satellite network to be completed by 2030. These solar powered satellites are designed for on-orbit, high-speed data processing for industrial-scale operations designed to move energy-intensive AI computing from Earth to orbit, to support advanced digital applications, including the e-CNY (digital yuan) ecosystem which began its pilot phase in April 2020.   Earlier this year e-CNY pivoted to a mature, interest-bearing model, with wallet balances accruing interest at demand deposit rates starting January 1, 2026. This major upgrade, designed to boost adoption, marks the e-CNY as the world’s first interest-bearing Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC).

About Space Solarized Orbital Data Centers (ODCs)

Space-based, solar-powered orbital data centers are a burgeoning niche tech frontier to launch satellites equipped with advanced GPUs and AI hardware for high-performance computing, directly in space to alleviate terrestrial –the intense energy, cooling, and land-use — constraints facing AI infrastructure on Earth.

Elon Musk the founder and CEO of Space X has positioned ODCs as a key component of SpaceX’s future, aligning with the company’s planned initial public offering (IPO) in 2026 following its merger with his AI company, xAI.  Musk explained that energy and water constraints on Earth are becoming the primary limiters for artificial intelligence compute scaling, making space-based data centers a “logical extension, especially with reduction in launch cost and advances in solar efficiency”.  By placing data centers in orbit, these facilities aim to harness continuous solar energy and the natural cooling of space to create a more sustainable AI computing infrastructure to convert massive amounts of electrical power into intelligence, measured in tokens.  Musk has predicted that within two to three years, the lowest-cost way to generate AI compute will be in space, bypassing terrestrial environmental impacts.

Advantages of ODCs are  high 24/7 solar irradiance for power, reduced terrestrial cooling needs, providing a significant advantage in compute speed by primarily reducing latency through vacuum-based data transmission and local “edge cloud” processing. By processing data in orbit, these facilities eliminate the lengthy round-trip delays required to send raw information to Earth for analysis decreasing need for terrestrial infrastructure.  This provides significant advantages for the financial sector by reducing latency for long-haul data routing by allowing signals to travel faster than they would through fiber-optic cables on Earth, which is critical for time-sensitive financial operations.

Hurdles to ODCs are the cost of ODCs which  could be  at least three times that of the comparable terrestrial one.  Replicating the output of a single hyperscale terrestrial data center could require, hundreds of  satellites equipped with radiator systems in a vacuum, with radiation hardening its electronics.  Space debris and night light pollution other impacts are being pointed out as hurdles to overcome.

Selva Ozelli Esq, CPA is an international digital asset legal  expert  and author of Sustainably Investing in Digital Assets Globally.  Her  writings are translated into 45 languages and republished in over 200 global publications.  She is recognized as an expert media/TV commentator on global digital asset regulation, tax and technology matters.

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Longford County Council has launched MyCoCo, a new secure online payments platform that allows Local Authority housing tenants to pay rent online, providing a faster and more convenient way to access payment services.

The MyCoCo platform enables Local Authority housing tenants to make payments at a time and place that suits them and supports greater access to digital council services across the county.  This is an additional method for Local Authority housing tenants to make rental payments.  Tenants continue to have the facility to make payments through the household budget, by standing order, by telephone, to the Rent Collector or in person at the Cash Desk.

The online service has been carefully developed and tested in collaboration with Council staff across Housing, Finance and Information Systems, with strong governance and data protection measures in place.

Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council, Cllr Garry Murtagh said, “The launch of the MyCoCo online payments system is another positive step in making local authority services more accessible for the people of Longford. By offering a secure and convenient way to pay housing rents online, the Council is responding to how people want to interact with services today, while continuing to support those who prefer traditional payment methods.”

Chief Executive of Longford County Council, Paddy Mahon, said, “MyCoCo is about improving the customer experience while ensuring strong financial controls and data protection standards. This platform provides a modern, secure and reliable way for Local Authority housing tenants to pay rent online and supports a more efficient service delivery across the organisation.”

The introduction of MyCoCo forms part of Longford County Council’s ongoing programme to digitise services, increase digital inclusion and provide greater choice in how customers engage with the Council. While the platform is currently being rolled out to Local Authority housing tenants, it is planned to extend MyCoCo to other customer groups, including rate payers, in the future.

Customers will continue to be supported through a phased rollout of the platform, with clear guidance and assistance available to those using the service for the first time.

For more information on how to pay online through MyCoCo, visit www.longfordcoco.ie or contact Longford County Council.

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New research from leading cloud-native software artifact management platform Cloudsmith finds that, despite 93% of respondents’ organizations using AI-generated code, 31% spend 10 hours or less per month validating, auditing, or securing it – including 5% who do not explicitly audit AI code at all. This, and other findings, released today in the Cloudsmith 2026 Artifact Management Report, highlight gaps in how organisations are managing risk across the modern software supply chain.

A rise in software supply chain vulnerabilities

The risks posed by weak software supply chain security have become increasingly clear in the past 12 months. With threat campaigns including Shai Hulud 2.0 and SANDWORM_MODE specifically targeting the software supply chain via upstream repositories, 44% of respondents have experienced a security incident caused by a third-party dependency.

In the same time period, 44% of respondents reported their organisation spent over 50 hours per month investigating potential security issues linked to third-party dependencies, whether or not they resulted in a breach.

Confidence in AI-generated code

Confidence in AI-generated code is also lacking. 58% of respondents spend at least 11 hours per month validating and securing AI-generated code — rising to over 40 hours for 8% of respondents — as teams work to catch hidden dependencies and potential vulnerabilities. In fact, only 17% are very confident that AI is not introducing new vulnerabilities into their codebase.

These concerns are well-founded, as AI is known to introduce risks in software development by generating insecure or incorrect code, including “slopsquatting” – where models hallucinate non-existent package names that attackers can then register and exploit – embedding hidden vulnerabilities that can compromise systems.

Regulation on the horizon

In addition to growing exploitation of third-party dependencies and concerns about the adoption of AI, there are a wider range of issues putting pressure on the software supply chain. With the arrival of new legislation like the EU’s Cyber Resilience Act, companies have an incredibly tight deadline to respond to cyber attacks. This involves the obligation to provide a detailed assessment 48 hours after becoming aware of a breach. To do so, organisations will need to provide provenance data with little to no notice.

Despite this, however, Cloudsmith’s research shows that, if they were hit with a surprise audit tomorrow, 53% of respondents could only produce a comprehensive report of artifact versions, origins, and security attestations with a significant amount of manual effort or time. This is a particularly significant gap, given the number of organisations that are committing AI-generated code to production without understanding exactly how it functions, or why it was created.

An inflection point for the software supply chain

“We are at a huge inflection point in the history of software development,” says Glenn Weinstein, CEO of Cloudsmith. “In a matter of months, we’ve gone from, ‘How can AI help me write better code?’ to, ‘How can I help AI write better code?’ But at the same time, AI tools are expanding the attack surface, introducing more open source dependencies. And those same tools are being used by malicious actors to find more vulnerabilities in existing libraries, leading to more CVEs.”

He continues: “Agentic development is an incredibly powerful way to build software, and teams will be far more productive and write even more software as a result.  That is a good thing, because the world certainly needs more software and more automation! For enterprises to manage this new velocity and productivity, automated guardrails and context are the new keys to unlock the production of safer, more efficient code.”

In addition to these findings, the Cloudsmith 2026 Artifact Management Report also reveals respondents’ plans for the future. The top three challenges respondents expect to face this year are:

Ensuring builds and releases remain available during spikes and third-party outages (21%).

Meeting new regulatory standards (NIS2, FedRAMP) and securing the supply chain (20%)

Reducing cloud spend and consolidating toolchains (19%).

Meanwhile, the top three areas in which respondents plan to increase investment are:

Security Scanning (SCA/SAST) (29%).

AI/ML Ops Infrastructure (29%).

Internal Developer Portal (IDP) (13%).

To download the report, visit here.

A recent podcast with Glenn Weinstein can be heard here.

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Dublin-based SaaS company Apex B2B has officially launched following an investment of €1.5 million, including R&D support from Enterprise Ireland. The company has developed a purpose-built, AI-enabled commerce platform designed specifically for mid-market wholesalers, distributors and manufacturers, a segment often underserved by both lightweight retail platforms and complex enterprise systems. Apex B2B was incubated within Monsoon Consulting, a Dublin-headquartered digital commerce agency, and formally spun out following a successful soft launch in December 2025.

To support its growth, Apex B2B plans to hire 15 employees across product engineering, AI, customer success, go-to-market and operations. The company is targeting mid-market businesses with annual revenues between €10 million and €300 million and plans to expand into UK, European and US markets over the next five years. The company is positioned as part of Ireland’s growing SaaS ecosystem, with a strong focus on export-led international growth.

The launch comes amid growing demand for modernisation in B2B commerce. Industry research indicates that almost 65% of B2B executives report B2B online commerce is “broken” due to poor data, inefficient processes, and an inability to meet B2C-like convenience standards. While consumer-first tools lack the depth required for B2B workflows, enterprise platforms often introduce excessive cost, long implementation timelines and significant technical overhead. At the same time, enterprise adoption of AI is accelerating, with more organisations moving from experimentation to production use cases.

Apex B2B’s platform is designed to address these challenges by combining pre-built architecture with AI-driven capabilities, enabling businesses to manage complex pricing, ordering and customer workflows at scale.

Bharat Sharma, Founder and CEO of Apex B2B, said: “Apex B2B is built on years of hands-on experience working with B2B organisations navigating complex commerce challenges. What we’ve consistently seen is a structural gap in the market, businesses that are too advanced for basic tools, but underserved by enterprise platforms. This is not just a technology problem; it is an infrastructure gap in how B2B trade operates digitally. Apex B2B has been designed to address that by combining proven B2B workflows with modern cloud and AI capabilities, enabling businesses to scale more efficiently.”

The Apex B2B platform has been developed based on over a decade of delivery experience within Monsoon Consulting, where recurring technical and operational challenges across client projects helped shape the platform’s architecture and capabilities.

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TU Dublin Innovation has announced a major surge in commercially focused research activity valued at approximately €3 million, securing five Enterprise Ireland Commercialisation Fund (CF) awards in 2025, significantly exceeding its annual target of three. The achievement marks a dramatic increase from 2024, when TU Dublin secured just one CF award, and signals a strong return to the university’s baseline performance over the past two years.

This milestone reflects a substantial investment of time, expertise and collaboration across TU Dublin’s Innovation Office, case managers and research community. It also positions the university strongly for further growth in 2026, with a healthy pipeline already underway. One Proof of Concept (PoC) application has already been submitted, a second is in development, and additional opportunities are actively being explored.

The five Enterprise Ireland awards include two full Commercialisation Fund projects and three Proof of Concept awards. As seen in 2024, both full CF projects secured significant funding, reinforcing TU Dublin’s focus on high-value, high-impact research with strong commercial potential.

The SIMIR project, awarded €721,533 and led by Dr Brian Vaughan at TU Dublin in collaboration with the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, is developing an immersive digital simulation platform designed to prepare medical trainees for real clinical environments. The platform combines clinical decision-making with essential soft skills, including communication, teamwork and situational awareness.

Led by Dr Steven Davy at TU Dublin, the LiteStream project, awarded €653,472, is creating a next-generation telemedicine solution that uses AI-driven visual analysis and advanced video compression to help clinicians identify key patient cues during remote consultations, even in low-bandwidth environments.

Anastasia Negru, Commercialisation Lead, LiteStream, commented that:

‘We’re tackling a €432 billion market with technology that solves three critical problems: doctors missing visual cues in remote consultations, bandwidth barriers in rural areas, and overwhelming documentation burden. The Enterprise Ireland Commercialisation Fund gives us the resources to conduct trials with clinical partners across Ireland, Sweden, Spain, the US and beyond and prove that Irish innovation can lead the global healthcare AI revolution.’

In addition to its Enterprise Ireland success, TU Dublin has also secured four ARC Hub for ICT Proof of Concept awards, bringing the total number of new commercialisation-focused projects funded in 2025 to nine.

Dr Paul Maguire, Head of Innovation and Knowledge Transfer at TU Dublin, commented:

‘These awards mark a pivotal moment for TU Dublin Innovation, reflecting the determination and expertise of our researchers and innovation office team. We are building momentum at a remarkable pace, and the strength of our 2026 pipeline shows that this is only the beginning. Our university is firmly positioning itself as a leader in translating high impact research into real world commercial and societal value.’

These achievements underline TU Dublin’s growing reputation as a leader in research translation, innovation and industry engagement, with a clear focus on turning breakthrough ideas into real-world solutions that deliver commercial and societal impact.

TU Dublin Innovation is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the ERDF Southern, Eastern & Midland Regional Programme 2021-27.

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New rules introduced by the Central Bank should make it easier for customers to deal with insurance claims and in turn, help consumers reach fairer insurance settlements.

In addition, the new rules around insurance quotes will make it easier for customers to understand how certain actions, such as accumulating penalty points – or paying insurance premiums monthly rather than upfront – could make their insurance premiums more expensive.

This is according to the insurance broker Gallagher, which is advising consumers to get up to speed on the new rules being introduced under the Central Bank’s revised Consumer Protection Code (CPC), which came into force on March 24, 2026.

The ultimate aim of the new code, which covers a wide range of areas, is to protect consumers of financial products today and in the future.

Ban on insurance auto-renewals

Gallagher is also drawing the attention of consumers to a major change in the new rules, whereby there is now a ban on the auto-renewal of travel insurance, gadget insurance, dental insurance and pet insurance policies.

Geraldine Kelly, head of personal lines with Gallagher, explained:

“The Central Bank’s new Consumer Protection Code (CPC) includes a number of new rules which will put insurance customers on a better footing.

The ban on the auto-renewal of travel, gadget, dental and pet insurance is a positive development as it reduces the risk of consumers paying for products that they no longer need or that aren’t suitable for them. This ban also reduces the risk of consumers missing out on opportunities to shop around to find the most suitable or cost-effective product.

However, it’s important that holders of travel, gadget, dental and pet insurance policies, which are due to expire in the coming months, get up to speed on the steps they need to take if they wish their policies to be renewed. In particular, those who wish to renew their policies will need to engage with their insurer or broker prior to the expiry date to ensure their policy is renewed on time.”

More transparent claims process

The revised CPC also has a series of new rules which aim to enhance the transparency of the process for those making insurance claims – and to improve the experience of customers in this regard.

Commenting on this aspect of the new rules, Ms Kelly said:

“It can be daunting for consumers to make insurance claims, particularly if they have just been in a car accident or have experienced trauma. In addition, consumers whose homes have been badly damaged by a storm, flood, fire or other event could be under a lot of emotional pressure and stress, and so need the claims process to be as straightforward as possible. So, the new rules around the transparency of insurance claims are welcome as they should make it easier for customers making insurance claims to consider, engage and respond to settlement offers – or the decline of a claim.”

10 ways the new Consumer Protection Code will help insurance customers

In the wake of the new CPC rules kicking in, Gallagher has put together 10 must-knows on how the new requirements will impact insurance customers:

1. Auto-renewal of travel, gadget, dental or pet insurance is now banned

Under the new CPC, consumers will no longer have their policies for travel insurance, gadget insurance, dental insurance or pet insurance automatically renewed unless they have provided their explicit consent for the automatic renewal in advance.

2. No ban on automatic renewals of health, home or car insurance

The new opt-in rules around automatic renewals will not apply to all types of insurance products, such as health insurance, home insurance or car insurance as for these particular products, consumers could be at a substantial disadvantage if they didn’t renew their policy in time and their policies lapsed as a result.

3. Insurers must give 20 days’ notice if car or home insurance is to expire

Where a home or car insurance policy is due to expire or be renewed, the insurer must provide the customer with 20 days or more advance notice of the impending expiry or renewal date. This 20-day notice rule applies to all non-life insurance products, including health insurance and travel insurance.

4. Health insurers must notify customers if their policy lapses

Health insurance providers must notify all adults named on a health insurance policy if the policy (or their cover under the policy) ceases. This notification must be sent within 10 working days of the consumer ceasing to be insured under a health insurance contract. This rule does not apply to a health insurance contract under a corporate health insurance scheme arranged by an employer.

5. Insurers must outline how discounts and loadings impact the cost of insurance

The new CPC includes new rules to improve the transparency of insurance quotes. Under one such rule, where an insurance quote is subject to a discount or loading, the premium without such discount and loading must also be stated in the quotation. Furthermore, when providing an insurance quotation to a consumer (including a renewal), any difference in cost between paying the premium by way of a lump sum or in instalments (including details of the monetary value of any difference between them) must be explained. It must be noted that some insurers also include this information in their quotations.

6. T’&C’s of No-Claims Discount to be included in insurance policy

Where a no-claims discount has been applied to the premium charged to a customer, the terms and conditions of the no-claims discount must be included with the insurance policy, including any restrictions on the use or availability of the discount.

7. Follow-up calls to online quotes only allowed with customer consent

Where a customer seeks an insurance quote online, follow-up calls from the insurer or insurance undertaking are only permitted with the consent of the customer.

8. Insurers have five days to explain why motor or property cover has been declined

Where an insurer refuses to quote a driver for motor insurance, within five working days of the date of its decision to refuse, the insurer must inform the individual of its decision to refuse, provide the reasons for refusing cover and notify the individual of their right to refer the matter to the Declined Cases Committee.

Where an insurer refuses to quote a home owner for property insurance, within five working days of the date of its decision to refuse, the insurer must inform the individual of its decision to refuse; the reasons for refusing cover and notify the consumer that failure to insure a property may result in a breach of the terms and conditions of any loan agreement which has been secured on that property.

9. New rules stipulate what insurers must consider for claims settlements

The new CPC stipulates a number of factors which insurance companies must consider when calculating their best estimate of a claimant’s reasonable entitlement, including any evidence submitted to support the value of the claim, any evidence made known to the insurance undertaking by a third party, or evidence that should be reasonably available to the insurance undertaking.

A customer must also be provided with details of any appeals mechanism provided by the insurance undertaking in respect of the decision made about their claim. Furthermore, where an insurer has decided to decline a customer’s claim, the reasons for this decision must be explained to the customer.

10. Insurers must tell the claimant when a loss adjuster is working for them

An insurance company must clearly notify a claimant that when a loss adjustor/expert appraiser is appointed by an insurance company to assist in a customer’s claim and that this person acts in the interest of the insurance company rather than the customer. Furthermore, within five days of receiving notice of a motor insurance, property insurance, or other claim, the insurer must notify the claimant that, where relevant, the claimant may appoint a loss assessor to act in the claimant’s interests, but that any such appointment will be at the claimant’s expense.

Pictured attending the Tech Rally at the Dell Technologies Innovate event at Royal Hospital Kilmainham recently were Mark Hopkins, Managing Director, Dell Technologies Ireland, and Alex Rice, Field Product Manager at Dell Technologies Ireland, alongside over 100 technology leaders, industry experts and IT decision-makers who explored how organisations across Ireland are preparing for the next phase of AI-driven transformation.

The event also featured Dell’s ‘Tech Rally Anywhere’ showcase, bringing a hands-on experience of the latest devices and technologies shaping the future of work in Ireland. The showcase provided IT leaders with the opportunity to experience Dell’s latest AI PCs and latest devices and how they can empower employees in the workplace.

With AI continuing to move from concept to practical deployment, discussions throughout the day centred on the importance of building strong digital foundations from modern devices to resilient, secure and scalable infrastructure.

Attendees explored how modern devices and emerging technologies are evolving new ways of working. A dedicated showcase area gave the audience the opportunity to experience the latest generation of Dell devices and workplace solutions first-hand, including newly launched AI PCs. The interactive setup demonstrated how advancements in device performance, collaboration tools and connectivity are enabling more flexible and productive ways of working across today’s hybrid work environment.

With technology decisions now more closely tied to business performance than ever before. Irish organisations are increasingly focused on how they can future-proof their operations, embrace AI responsibly and unlock new opportunities for growth in an increasingly complex digital economy.

Speaking at the event, Mark Hopkins, Managing Director at Dell Technologies Ireland, said, “AI is rapidly becoming a key driver of innovation and competitive advantage for organisations across Ireland. As businesses move from experimentation to real-world deployment, the focus is on building the right foundations, from modern devices at the edge to secure, scalable infrastructure, to fully realise its potential.

“At Dell Technologies Ireland, we are supporting customers to turn AI ambition into tangible outcomes, helping them innovate faster, operate more efficiently and move forward with confidence in an increasingly data-driven world.”

My article this week is about the Trinity Business School’s 100-year celebration and the TEDx event they hosted, entitled “Change 101”.  

What were my observations about the TEDx event? 

Trinity Business School spared no expense in supporting the TEDx event.

The TBS team appointed to lead the project did so with gusto. Their task was to ensure that the event went off without a hitch, and it did.

My main point of contact was Maria L Gallo, a Canadian with Italian blood, whose energy and ambition for the project was infectious.

Maria’s selection of speakers was well researched. Those chosen included academics and students who understood the opportunities TEDx talks could offer for personal growth and career development.

Let me tell you a little about some of the speakers I got to know and support. Over a short period, they created some of the most engaging and entertaining talks I have had the pleasure of hearing in quite some time.

What were the key takeaways from coaching the TEDx speakers? 

Brendan Kennelly, Poet, Author and Professor of English at Trinity, said that to be a good teacher, you must do two things: “give your audience confidence to ask questions and have fun”.

It’s something I think about and focus on every time I am in front of a group of people.

With this group of TEDx wannabes, it was easy. A more enthusiastic group I have rarely come across.

So, where does my coaching start? 

I always start by listening to the speaker’s ideas that they wish to share with an audience. 

This group had the most engaging and wide-ranging topics, from Exomoons to Loneliness in the age of AI. In between were talks on Jealousy, Resilience, Social Media, Culture, not to forget How to Succeed as a Racing Driver, or the Determination Required to Represent Ireland on the Rugby Field.

Do I know about all these topics? Of course not. The speakers are the experts. 

My job is to take their knowledge and skills and help them craft a story that excites education and entertains a general audience.

I provide a conversation structure that works for their topic while rearranging the story to ensure the following: 

You get attention / create interest / provide information / demonstrate your expertise on your topic.
While concluding by reminding your audience of how taking your advice could benefit them or someone they care about. 

All the talks will be hosted on TED in the next month or so. I would strongly advise you to seek them out; you will benefit from doing so.

There is a taster video available on my LinkedIn profile.

By Executive Coach Andrew Keogh of Aristo.ie

Despite ongoing global economic pressures and geopolitical uncertainty, start-ups grew by 14% in Quarter One of 2026, with a total of 7,263 start-ups registered in the first three months of the year. This sustained growth in start-up activity highlights the continued resilience of Irish entrepreneurs, even in the face of inflationary pressures, elevated interest rates, and global economic uncertainty.

Key Sectoral Growth

Key sectors driving this growth include construction (+908, +31.98%), community and personal services (+644, +23.14%), financial services (+881, +6.53%), and manufacturing (+183, +46.40%). In volume terms, professional services (legal, accounting and business) saw the highest number of start-ups, totalling 1,327 in Q1 2026, although this represents a 1.3% decrease on Q1 2025.

Regional growth remains strong

Dublin continues to lead in overall volume of new business registrations, accounting for 2,096 start-ups in Q1 2026, and recording year-on-year growth of approximately 17.69%. Regional hubs demonstrating strong performance include Cork with 736 start-ups (+16.64%), Limerick with 262 (+18.02%), and Galway with 311 (+11.07%). Elsewhere, Kildare recorded 337 start-ups (+38.68%), Meath 280 (+6.87%), and Wicklow 197 (+24.68%).

These figures indicate that while Dublin remains the primary hub for business formation, strong growth is also evident across key regional and commuter-belt counties. January was the busiest month for new company start-ups in the quarter, continuing the trend seen in previous years of a strong start to the calendar year.

Commercial Judgements

The legal and credit landscape also showed signs of shifting dynamics in Q1. Commercial judgments experienced a significant decline, falling 11 % in volume and a substantial 44 % in total value terms, suggesting a decrease in high-value legal debt recoveries. Parallel to this, the influx of new leadership saw a slight cooling; the number of first-time directors fell by approximately 8%, dropping from 8,880 in 2025 to 8,128 in 2026. This suggests that while established sectors continue to expand, the entry of new individual stakeholders into the directorial market has been less buoyant.

Commenting on the Q1 figures, Christine Cullen, Managing Director of CRIFVision-Net, said:

“The strong growth in new business registrations in the first quarter of 2026 reflects continued confidence in the Irish economy and highlights the resilience and ambition of Irish entrepreneurs.

“However, the economic landscape remains complex. While the significant double-digit decrease in the volume and value of commercial judgments suggests a cooling in high-value debt recoveries, the eight per cent dip in first-time directors indicates a slightly more cautious approach from new individuals entering the market. When coupled with the increase in insolvencies, it is clear that many businesses are still navigating significant financial strain.

“Despite challenges, the continued strength in start-up activity across sectors and regions suggests that the Irish business community remains dynamic and forward-looking. This balance between opportunity and pressure will be a defining feature of the economic landscape in the months ahead.”

Candidates are making avoidable mistakes when applying for jobs. These errors range from generic CVs to avoidable virtual interview blunders – but hiring managers say small errors continue to cost candidates opportunities in an increasingly competitive job market.

Breda Dooley, HR & Recruitment Manager at Matrix Recruitment Group, says many of the same issues appear repeatedly in applications and interviews. In a job market that is competitive, she highlighted that applicants should show preparation, professionalism and genuine interest in the role and avoid the following common but avoidable mistakes.

Virtual interview blunders

Breda noted that virtual interview etiquette is paramount in 2026, yet candidates still continue to undermine their performance through avoidable online interview mistakes.

One of the most common virtual interview issues Breda sees is not even down to the candidate themselves. She highlighted: 1) poor camera positioning, 2) weak internet connections that have not been tested beforehand, and 3) background noise or distractions in the interview environment as the most frequent issues in this regard.

Breda said disengaged body language is very easy to detect on-screen: “Virtual interviews require the same level of preparation as face-to-face meetings. Your setup, body language and focus all influence the impression you leave,” she added.

Lack of research about the company

Breda has also seen many candidates arriving at interviews without a clear understanding of the organisation, its work or even the industry.

“Candidates who haven’t taken time to research the company can struggle to explain why they are interested in the role or how they would contribute to the organisation,” Breda said. “They stand out in the worst way; employers want to see that applicants understand the business and can explain how they would add value.”

Over-rehearsed or generic interview answers

Breda said others then rely too heavily on memorised answers, which makes all their answers sound stilted and unnatural. Though being prepared is key, answers that sound rehearsed can come across as scripted and inauthentic.

“Interviews should still feel like a conversation,” Dooley said. “Candidates should focus on sharing genuine examples that show how they approach challenges or deliver results. It’s really important to give real-life examples and scenarios with clear facts. This will stick out in an interview and showcase your skills.”

Rambling or unfocused responses

Overly long answers that lack structure are also a major red flag for hiring managers, says Breda, who urged candidates to outline the situation clearly, their actions, and the relevant outcome.

“Don’t ramble,” says Breda. “Clear and concise answers that focus on relevant examples tend to leave a stronger impression on interview panels.”

Failing to ask questions at the end of the interview

Another red flag the recruitment expert cited was not asking follow-up questions at the end of an interview. Breda explained that employers want questions to demonstrate not only engagement and genuine interest in the role and the organisation, but also that you haven’t zoned out during the interview.

“It’s a two-way process,” Dooley said. “Candidates should use the opportunity to learn more about the role, the team and the company culture. The fundamentals haven’t changed: preparation, clarity and professionalism remain the factors that set strong candidates apart.”

The human resources (HR) function is at a critical turning point, facing what industry leaders describe as a “seismic shift” driven by artificial intelligence (AI), legislative reform, and global economic uncertainty.

This was the key message at HR 2026+: Adapt or Be Overtaken – Navigating the Seismic Shift in Legislation and AI, a conference hosted by Shannon Chamber through its HR Forum, in association with Adare Trusted People Partners, and co-sponsored by Shannon Chamber Skillnet.

Held at Dromoland Castle Hotel, the event brought together CEOs, HR leaders, and experts to share practical insights and strategies for organisations across the Mid-West and beyond. The clear message from the day was that HR must move from a support role to a central driver of business strategy and growth.

Opening the conference, Helen Downes, CEO, Shannon Chamber, said the pace of change facing organisations has accelerated significantly, placing new demands on HR professionals.

“The human resources landscape is no longer just evolving; it is undergoing a seismic shift. The goalposts for business as usual have moved, driven by the rapid pace of AI and the complexity of new legislation such as the EU Pay Transparency Directive,” she said.

Daragh McGreal, director, KPMG Strategy, outlined a mixed economic outlook. While Ireland continues to perform strongly, with record employment approaching three million, high export levels, and strong foreign direct investment, global uncertainty is increasing, he pointed to geopolitical instability, changing trade dynamics, and emerging security risks in Europe, alongside domestic challenges such as housing shortages and rising living costs.

“For HR, this means continued competition for talent, adoption of the right technology, and planning for ongoing uncertainty,” he said.

A CEO panel featuring Leo Clancy, CEO, Ei Electronics, and Vicky Howard, former country manager with Reagecon, a Calibre Scientific Company, explored how AI is already being used in Irish-based organisations.

At Ei Electronics in Shannon, AI tools are enabling software teams to work significantly faster, while also supporting operations and customer engagement. However, the panel stressed that AI is not just about technology; it is about people and how organisations adapt. They stressed that while AI will increasingly support day-to-day work, it still requires human oversight and that organisations will begin to see a mix of people and AI-driven agents, with critical thinking and judgement remaining essential, particularly in regulated sectors

The discussion highlighted HR’s central role in guiding how AI is introduced and used across organisations.

The EU Pay Transparency Directive was identified as one of the most immediate challenges facing employers. Jack Clarke, head of Reward at Irish Life, in a fireside chat with Derek McKay, director of Adare Trusted People Partners, described it as a scary but necessary change that will reshape how organisations approach pay.

New requirements will include salary ranges in job advertisements; employees having the right to request pay comparisons; enhanced gender pay gap reporting across clearly defined groups of similar roles; and the removal of pay secrecy clauses

“This will move organisations away from a black box approach to pay and towards greater fairness and openness. Done right, it can build trust and strengthen an organisation’s reputation as an employer,” she said.

James Ryan, CEO of WorkMatters, focused on the practical opportunities AI presents for HR teams. He said that automation can significantly reduce administrative workload, allowing HR to focus more on people, culture, and strategy.

“Start with the problem, not the technology. Look at where time is being lost and where processes can be improved before introducing AI,” he advised.

He shared examples of organisations reducing administrative tasks by up to 80%, freeing up time for more meaningful work.

Keynote speaker Professor David Collings, chair of Sustainable Business at Trinity Business School, Trinity College Dublin, said that organisations need to rethink how they define roles and talent.

He highlighted that while AI investment is increasing, many organisations are still not seeing full returns, largely due to a lack of alignment between technology and strategy.

His central message was clear: “Traditional job structures are becoming less relevant; skills are becoming the main way organisations measure value; and entry-level roles are changing as routine tasks are automated.

“HR’s role now is to identify the skills that will drive future success, rather than focusing solely on job titles. This is a real opportunity for HR to lead,” he said.

Closing the event, Deirdre Bennett, Chair of Shannon Chamber’s HR Forum, encouraged organisations to take practical steps such as investing in continuous learning, focusing on solving real business challenges, taking ownership of legislative change, and aligning people strategy with long-term business goals.

Summing up, Helen Downes said: “The message from the day was clear. Organisations that don’t adapt risk being left behind. Those who act now have a real opportunity to lead.”

She added that Shannon Chamber will continue to support businesses through co-funded training and upskilling programmes via Shannon Chamber Skillnet, along with ongoing engagement through its HR Forum.

Vertigenius, the pioneering MedTech company transforming the treatment of vertigo, has announced the successful close of a €2.55M funding round to drive its growth in the US. The investment – which follows a €2.1M fundraising round in 2024 – was led by Atlantic Bridge and supported by Enterprise Ireland, MedTech Syndicate, IRRUS Investments,  Xcendra Ventures, Ascentifi and others.

Vertigo is a common, highly treatable, but often debilitating condition affecting 390 million people worldwide. Causes include concussion, traumatic brain injury, and the natural degradation of the balance system with age. While most patients recover through referral to a vestibular therapist and home-based rehabilitation exercises, there has been no means of remotely monitoring patient progress, until now.

Vertigenius transforms the delivery of care for vertigo patients by enabling remote monitoring for the first time. The wearable head sensor medical device allows clinicians to track patients’ at-home treatment remotely, monitor progress and adjust prescribed treatment accordingly. By accelerating clinician workflows and reducing the number of clinic visits required, Vertigenius eases critically long waiting lists to see vestibular therapists, and supports overstretched teams. Additionally, in the US, clinics can access additional insurance reimbursement1 for remote monitoring of patients, opening up previously unavailable income streams.

With FDA registration complete, Vertigenius launched in the US market in October 2025.  Already, 20 clinics across 11 US states are now using the Vertigenius medical device and 3,000 patients have been treated. The US represents a lucrative market opportunity for Vertigenius, with an addressable market of over €3BN and a network of more than 5,000 vestibular clinics. Expansion there is therefore a key focus for this latest funding round. Over the next five years, Vertigenius anticipates expanding further in Europe and entering other markets including Asia Pacific to transform the treatment of vertigo globally.

Vertigenius will use the new funding to build on this initial success and grow its US commercial team, including two US sales directors who have just joined the Vertigenius team.  The investment will also fund hiring in clinical research, product R&D, quality assurance and regulatory affairs, all of which will continue to be based in the company’s Irish headquarters.

Mark Barry, CEO, Vertigenius, said: “For the first time, clinicians have a direct view of at-home patient treatment. By transforming real-time data into clinically relevant insights, providers can now proactively tailor treatments and significantly elevate the standard of patient care that they are providing.

“This investment marks an exciting new chapter for Vertigenius as we move into the world’s largest market for vestibular care. The early traction we have seen in the US validates both the clinical value of our platform and the commercial opportunity.”

Conor O’Sullivan, Investment Director, Atlantic Bridge, said: “Vertigenius is addressing a significant gap in vestibular care in a multi-billion dollar market. The team has built a unique platform that is significantly enhancing the delivery of vestibular care by supporting clinicians and patients between visits, and we are excited to back their U.S. expansion.”

See more stories here.

Aoife O’Brien came to her subject the hard way. Before the podcast, before the consultancy, and before her debut book, there were two bruising corporate experiences that forced her to examine what work actually asks of people and what organisations too often fail to provide. O’Brien had spent 20 years in market research, advising large global brands and working in a field that suited both her skills and temperament. Then came the setbacks that changed direction. In one role, after being repeatedly told she would be promoted, she found that a male colleague had instead been made her manager without any proper conversation. In another, she found herself in a culture that shifted from energising to corrosive.

What good leaders do differently

What matters in O’Brien’s account is not grievance but analysis. She does not present herself as a victim of bad luck. She presents herself as someone who began asking better questions. “What could I have done differently to choose something better for myself?” she said.

Then came the organisational question. “How can we create these environments where people actually want to stay and they want to do their best work?”

That line of thinking took her back to study. O’Brien completed a master’s in organisational behaviour and turned the work into two connected platforms: the Happier at Work podcast and her debut book, Thriving Talent: How Great Leaders Drive Performance, Engagement and Retention, due for publication on 30 March 2026. The podcast, she said, began because the research she was reading was too important to remain locked inside academic language. “They’re very academic. They’re very heavy, they’re very deep,” she said of the journal articles. More importantly, “they’re not getting into the hands of the people who really need them.”

O’Brien’s central argument is a practical one. Better workplaces are not built by slogans, perks or polished values statements. They are built by leaders who understand what people need in order to perform well and remain engaged. She is also clear that this is not solely an HR issue. “I now realise that that’s not necessarily HR’s job. Actually, leaders can take responsibility in these situations as well.”

At the centre of her framework is psychological safety. O’Brien describes it as the foundation rather than an optional extra. In her words, it is about “feeling safe to speak up what’s on your mind”, whether that means pushing back on workload, offering a different view, or raising a new idea. She makes an important distinction here.

“Safety is different from comfort.”

That is the point. A healthy workplace is not one where difficult conversations disappear. It is one where those conversations can happen without retaliation. O’Brien’s view is that most organisations do not begin there. “The default tends to be psychologically unsafe,” she said.

O’Brien is at her most effective when she translates theory into management practice. Asked how leaders create psychological safety, her answer is practical and disciplined: they follow through on commitments, approach problems with curiosity rather than blame, show consideration for their teams, and act with consistency. They must also be willing to acknowledge when they do not have the answer. As she put it, “I think sometimes, as leaders, we feel like we’re expected to know absolutely everything,” but a simple admission such as “I don’t have the answer, but I can find out” can materially improve the tone and trust within a team.

There is nothing fashionable or vague in this. O’Brien is talking about managerial discipline. The same is true of her view of culture. She has little patience for the inflated language that often surrounds it. Culture, in her account, is not what a company says about itself. It is what people experience. “The leaders create the culture that we live in,” she said. Values matter only if behaviour follows. She offered a telling example from one former employer whose stated value was simplicity while its day to day procedures were highly bureaucratic. The inconsistency mattered because employees notice it immediately.

O’Brien is equally direct on what happens when poor behaviour is tolerated in the name of results. If a leader brings in sales but behaves as a bully, staff draw their own conclusions. “That’s what essentially becomes your culture,” she said. It is a useful corrective to the common corporate habit of treating bad behaviour as a personality issue rather than a leadership failure.

For O’Brien, culture is defined by what gets tolerated and by what people are held accountable for.

She is not naïve about how hard that can be. In competitive organisations, some leaders have been rewarded for years for behaviours that diminish everyone around them. Changing that requires more than aspiration. It requires decisions. “It’s not just about what you achieve, it’s about how you achieve it as well,” she said. Again, the point is managerial rather than moral. Toxic behaviour costs money, erodes trust and drives people out of the business.

O’Brien’s podcast has become an extension of this work. What began as an interview format has widened to include solo episodes and listener questions. She speaks with authors, psychologists and leaders, then distils the lessons for an audience trying to make sense of work as it is actually lived. One recent listener question, she said, came from someone who felt busy all the time but had nothing to show for it. That, too, is part of her territory: performance, focus and the gap between effort and impact.

She also spends time on imposter syndrome, a subject often framed too narrowly. O’Brien pushes back against the assumption that it is chiefly a female problem. “I think that’s an urban myth,” she said. Her own research suggests that men and women experience it to the same degree, even if they express it differently. What struck her most when she first began speaking publicly about it was how many men replied privately to say they had never known it had a name.

Imposter syndrome: “I thought it was just me,” they told her. It is a small but useful reminder that workplace confidence is often more fragile, and more widely distributed, than appearances suggest.

The through line in O’Brien’s work is clarity. She is not trying to make work softer. She is trying to make it more honest and better led. Her case is that organisations perform better when people can speak plainly, when culture matches intent, and when leaders understand that retention is rarely about loyalty in the abstract. People stay where they are trusted, heard and managed properly. That is the premise of Happier at Work. It is also the argument of her first book.

Link: https://www.thrivingtalentbook.com

See more breaking stories here.

Logicalis, the leading global technology service provider, has announced the results of new research that finds almost nine out of ten (89%) CIOs are ‘learning on the go’ when it comes to AI. This indicates the pace of AI adoption outstripping organisational readiness.

The research was conducted by Vanson Bourne on behalf of Logicalis, surveying more than 1,000 CIOs across the globe, including Ireland.

The findings reveal that over two-thirds (68%) of global CIOs are concerned about an “AI bubble”, citing this as a risk for their organisation. CIOs in Ireland and the UK are somewhat less concerned than their global counterparts, with one in two expressing the same opinion.

Additionally, CIOs acknowledge a wide range of barriers to effective AI adoption in their organisation, with 88% of global CIOs believing AI ambitions are held back by a lack of internal technical capability. Data challenges (87%) and organisational culture barriers such as change resistance and risk aversion amongst employees (87%) also compound these issues.

The survey also found that sustainability is falling under the CIOs remit with 82% of respondents confirming that energy efficiency is prioritised in AI deployments. Additionally, innovation demands (48%) and risk management and compliance (38%) are now cited as primary drivers shaping AI adoption decisions, broadening the CIOs remit and responsibilities as cross-functional decision makers.

To address the AI skills gap, many organisations are turning to external support, either by outsourcing cybersecurity elements (32%) or bringing in contractors and interim specialists (31%). Nearly all CIOs expect to use Managed Service Partners in the coming years (94%), with almost half anticipating that external partners will deliver core IT services (47%) in the future.

Mairead Malone, Ireland Country Lead, Logicalis UK&I, said: “Nine out of ten CIOs admitting they are learning on the go when it comes to AI technology is a striking finding. This research highlights an industry moving faster than many organisations are equipped to handle. The challenge is no longer whether to adopt AI, but how to do so in a way that is secure, responsible and delivers real results.

“What stands out is the breadth of pressure now landing on the CIO, from AI sustainability measures to skills shortages and compliance. The research established how the CIO role is rapidly evolving, balancing innovation, risk, sustainability, and capability gaps simultaneously. For CIOs in Ireland and beyond, having the right partners and frameworks in place has never been more important, as we advance through the AI revolution, ensuring businesses are fully prepared to deliver success.”

To view the full report, visit https://www.logicalis.com/cio-report

See more stories here.

Guest post by Niall Mackey is Managing Director at Topsec Cloud Solutions, which provides email and cloud security solutions for organisations across Ireland, the UK and North America.

Every year a new technology is expected to change cyber security forever. Artificial intelligence is the latest example. The narrative is familiar. AI will transform cyber crime, overwhelm defences and create an entirely new threat landscape.

Cyber risks to watch for Irish businesses

Yet the reality facing organisations in 2026 is far less dramatic and just as threatening as ever.

If a cyber criminal wants to attack your organisation, they can choose no more lucrative entry point than email. The inbox is where attacks begin, no matter how advanced AI is and continues to become.

In April 2025, The Irish Times released a report that showed “Almost 90 per cent of Irish businesses have suffered some form of financial loss and commercial disruption as a result of a cyberattack in the past five years.”

We complain about our overflowing inboxes, but email sits at the centre of how companies communicate. It’s quick and woven into everyday workflows. That makes it a great communication tool and the equivalent of a candy shop for attackers.

AI is changing tactics rather than the threat itself

Since generative AI tools became widely available, warnings about an AI driven cyber crime surge have dominated headlines. This new tool is being used by malicious actors to craft convincing emails, mimic writing styles and impersonate individuals.

However, for cyber defense companies working to keep their clients safe, the real world detection data suggests a far more complex situation.

Artificial intelligence is not suddenly breaking email security systems.

Instead, it is making it easier for attackers who already understand social engineering to craft more convincing messages.

The technology helps write better phishing emails. But the real driver of success is still human psychology and behaviour. Urgency, authority and trust remain the levers attackers rely on most.

Business Email Compromise continues to cause major losses

One of the clearest examples of this is Business Email Compromise. These attacks remain among the most financially damaging forms of cyber crime worldwide.

And, surprisingly, their success is not the result of sophisticated malware. Instead they exploit trust within normal business communication.

An employee might receive an email that appears to come from a supplier or senior executive with a request that seems entirely logical.

The email often is “just” an email. No suspicious links or files are included. As a result, the email will slip through security filters without raising alarms like any other piece of business communication. From a technical perspective, it looks like a completely legitimate message.

Herein lies an uncomfortable truth. Email security is not only about identifying malicious content. It is about understanding the intent and context behind the communication.

Phishing attacks are becoming more subtle

The stereotype of phishing as mass spam sent to thousands of inboxes is increasingly outdated. Today, many of the most successful attacks are slow, targeted and laser focused on reaching the right target. Cyber criminals have evolved their techniques from the old spray and pray approach.

Attackers gather information from company websites, LinkedIn profiles, social media accounts and media coverage. With this public information available at the fingertips, it’s easy for a cyber criminal to identify a real and senior person in an organisation.

The resulting email may appear routine and may not contain any links or attachments. Instead it relies on familiarity and timing to avoid suspicion.

For Irish organisations where teams often work closely and communication is informal, this type of attack can be particularly effective. A message that references a real project or colleague can easily blend into normal business activity.

Why younger workers are increasingly vulnerable

Although they’re digital natives, younger employees are becoming more vulnerable to phishing attacks.

In Q4 of 2025, Irish Tech News published a report by Accenture stating that 52% of Irish office workers feel confident to identify a phishing attempt. This statistic speaks of a large awareness gap in the modern workplace.

At the same time, younger professionals often manage multiple communication platforms simultaneously. Email, messaging apps, collaboration tools and social media all compete for attention.

This constant flow of information creates cognitive overload. When people are distracted or working under pressure, it only takes a momentary lapse in attention to click a malicious link or respond to a fraudulent request.

The real focus for organisations in 2026

For organisations investing in cyber security, it is tempting to focus on the newest threats and technologies. Artificial intelligence has introduced powerful capabilities on both sides of the cyber security equation.

Protecting organisations from email attacks requires more than technology alone. It requires an understanding of the psychological factors that drive human behaviour and ability to connect the dots. Something human cybersecurity experts are skilled at.

In 2026, the human factor is still both the greatest vulnerability and the strongest defence to keep organisations safe from cyber attacks.

Author bio:
Niall Mackey is Managing Director at Topsec Cloud Solutions, which provides email and cloud security solutions for organisations across Ireland, the UK and North America.

See more breaking stories here.

An Irish engineer is at the centre of a ‘revolutionary’ cooling bracelet to help women manage the debilitating hot flushes of menopause.

The ‘MyCelsius’ bracelet, worn like a wrist watch, enters the Irish market today (Apr7) and has been co-developed by Offaly native Aonghus O’Donovan.

It works by cooling users’ wrists by 10°C in under 10 seconds and is designed to dramatically reduce the discomfort of hot flushes.

Co-founders O’Donovan, 33, and Maxime Kryvian 37, the CEO of the start-up cooling tech company, say it has an 80% efficacy rate for women experiencing one of the most uncomfortable perimenopause and menopause symptoms.

“The wrist is one of the most thermally sensitive parts of your body and applying cold to it sends a signal to the hypothalamus (the body’s thermostat), to stop the sweating and flushing associated with a hot flush,” he said.

“It uses advanced thermo-electric cooling to create a soothing, cold sensation directly onto the wrist.

“By lowering local skin temperature, it helps the full body feel cooler in moments of sudden heat.”

It also works to counteract uncomfortable heat caused by hormonal changes or stress and anxiety.

Women sometimes describe a hot flush as an intense heat, originating in the torso and moving upwards into the neck and chest.

It may be accompanied by flushing of the skin and sweating, as well as palpitations and feelings of anxiety and can happen several times a day.

Research in recent years has shown that almost four in ten women in Ireland have considered quitting their jobs due to menopause symptoms.

Three years’ research has been invested into the non-medical device, which O’Donovan says has a cooling system five times more powerful than competitor products.

Based in Bristol, England, O’Donovan studied Mechanical Engineering at the University of Limerick (UL), which included a year in New York designing heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems for skyscrapers.

He went on to work at Dyson before moving into Formula 1 and Aerospace engineering and has since applied design and thermodynamics principles to women’s health — working closely with hundreds of women to develop MyCelsius.

The bracelet has five different modes, including a night-time setting to prevent heat-induced sleep disruption.

The company worked with a community of women that have been integral to shaping the product’s look, feel and functionality.

A podcast I did with Aonghus earlier this year about MyCelsius can be heard here.

See more stories here.

Northern Ireland is a launchpad for thriving startups, and one startup that has done very well is Belfast based Cloudsmith. Back in March they had an oversubscribed Series B which raised £18m from key investors. To find out more about Cloudsmith and the startup scene in Belfast I caught up with Glenn Weinstein the CEO of Cloudsmith.

Glenn talks about his background, what Cloudsmith does, Belfast, Unix, open source libraries and more.

More about Cloudsmith:

Made with love in Belfast and trusted around the world. Cloudsmith is the fully-managed solution for controlling, securing, and distributing software artifacts. Led by industry veterans united by a common passion to make it easier for software teams to do their jobs well. They are building the future of the software supply chain.

See more podcasts here.

Fifty Shades Greener, the leading sustainability training and certification provider, has announced a new sustainability event, placing Ireland’s tourism sector firmly under the spotlight. The event will take place on Tuesday 28th April at Dublin’s Mayson Hotel.

With the global tourism sector accounting for 7.3% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions annually, Less Shades, More Action will explore how hospitality businesses can cut their carbon footprint and operational costs through green upskilling and people-led action.

While emissions reduction can often centre on building upgrades or design changes, Fifty Shades Greener focuses on empowering the people involved in the day-to-day operations of a business. According to the company’s own research, by upskilling and training their staff on sustainable practices, hospitality businesses can achieve up to a 30% reduction in energy usage and costs.

Fifty Shades Greener’s event will explore how people-first sustainability improves margins, culture, and operational resilience for hospitality businesses. With the Irish Government introducing measures in 2025 to reduce the average carbon emissions per visitor bed night by 60% by 2030, the timing could not be more pressing. To support this goal, specific targets have been set for tourism businesses to complete environmental audits and implement emissions reduction measures.

In a similar vein, hospitality businesses, along with all other industries, will also need to comply with the EU’s Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive. The law, which was transposed by all EU member states by the 27th of March this year, seeks to protect consumers against unfair commercial practices, specifically greenwashing. The directive will become full applicable from the 27th of September 2026, forcing organisations to validate their green credentials and ban vague environmental claims to discourage dishonest marketing.

With comedian, Barry Murphy, set to MC the event, guests will also hear from Dr Karl Thomas, founder of training company, Creatovation; Dr Susan Gill, Manager of Climate Strategy and Skills, SOLAS; and Jason Conlon, Assistant HR and Sustainability Manager, Mespil Hotel. The event is open to all members of the hospitality sector including general managers, green managers, designers, educators and sustainability advocates.

To register for the event, visit www.fiftyshadesgreener.ie/less-shades-more-action

Raquel Noboa, Founder, Fifty Shades Greener, said: “Hospitality businesses across Ireland are built on the very landscapes and cultural heritage that draw visitors in. Yet there is a growing disconnect between profiting from that natural beauty and taking responsibility for protecting it.

The fact is that hospitality businesses have a responsibility to act. Implementing green upskilling and training for staff offers a practical solution – that benefits both the environment and businesses’ bottom line. This event is an opportunity for the hospitality sector to learn and move from awareness into action. Small steps, taken by the right people, can have a meaningful impact.”

See more stories here.

For years, global supply chains were built on a simple premise: efficiency above all else. Companies stretched operations across continents, optimised for cost, and relied on predictability. That model held, until it didn’t.

Today, geopolitical instability has become a constant rather than an exception. Trade tensions, regional conflicts, shifting alliances, and regulatory fragmentation are no longer isolated shocks; they are recurring features of the global economy.

For procurement teams, this has fundamentally changed their job.

The challenge is no longer only about negotiating the best price. It’s about navigating uncertainty in real time, understanding which suppliers are exposed to risk, which contracts may become unviable overnight, and where costs are quietly creeping in before they show up in financial reports.

And yet, inside many organisations, procurement is still operating with limited visibility, making decisions using outdated, fragmented data.

The reality on the ground is often far from the clean dashboards executives imagine. Supplier data sits in ERP systems that don’t quite align with procurement platforms or processes. Contracts are buried in shared drives. Key decisions live in email threads or, worse, in someone’s memory. Spreadsheets attempt to bridge the gaps, but quickly become outdated or inconsistent.

In stable conditions, this fragmentation is inefficient. In unstable conditions, it becomes dangerous.

When a geopolitical event disrupts a supplier, whether through sanctions, export controls, or currency volatility, the impact isn’t neatly contained. It ripples across pricing, availability, and contractual obligations.

Without a clear, connected view of procurement data, organisations are often left reacting after the damage is done.

This is why procurement is quietly moving up the strategic agenda.

Not because it’s new, but because its importance is finally being recognised. In an environment where revenue growth is harder to predict, protecting margin becomes critical. And procurement is one of the few functions that can influence margin directly, without relying on market demand.

A well timed renegotiation, better supplier consolidation, or simply identifying pricing inconsistencies can have an immediate financial impact. In some cases, savings generated through procurement decisions can rival the results of major sales initiatives, without the same level of risk or time investment.

But to operate at that level, procurement needs something it has historically lacked: clarity.

Over the past few years, a new category of tools has started to emerge, aimed at solving exactly this problem.

Rather than adding another layer to an already crowded tech stack, these platforms focus on unifying procurement data, pulling together information from multiple systems and making it usable in a single environment.

The shift here is subtle but important. It’s less about automation for its own sake, and more about visibility.

When procurement teams can see their data clearly, across suppliers, spend, and contracts, they can start to identify patterns. Supplier concentration risks become more obvious. Pricing anomalies stand out. Dependencies that were previously hidden begin to surface.

In a volatile geopolitical climate with strong, unpredictable economic headwinds, that kind of visibility changes how decisions are made.

Instead of reacting to disruptions, teams can anticipate them. Instead of broad, defensive cost-cutting measures, they can make targeted, informed adjustments. And instead of struggling to explain their impact, they can tie decisions directly to financial outcomes.

Some platforms, such as Penny, are part of this shift, aiming to bring structure to what has traditionally been a fragmented function. By consolidating procurement data and creating a clearer line of sight across activity, they offer a way for teams to move faster and with more confidence, particularly when external conditions are anything but stable.

What’s notable is that this evolution isn’t being driven solely by technology. It’s being driven by necessity.

As geopolitical uncertainty becomes embedded in the operating environment, the cost of not understanding your supply chain in detail is rising. Delays, price increases, and supplier failures are no longer edge cases; they are expected risks that need to be managed continuously.

In that context, procurement’s role starts to look very different.

It becomes less about processing purchase orders and more about interpreting signals, economic, political, and operational and translating them into commercial decisions. It becomes a function that not only protects the business from downside risk, but actively contributes to financial performance.

For companies that still view procurement as a back office activity, this shift can be easy to miss. The impact isn’t always visible in a single headline metric. It shows up gradually, in better margins, fewer disruptions, and faster responses to change.

But in an era where instability is the norm, those incremental advantages compound quickly.

The organisations that come out ahead won’t necessarily be the ones with the most diversified supply chains or the largest supplier networks. They’ll be the ones that understand their procurement landscape, clearly and can act on that understanding before the next disruption hits.

If the last 6 years are anything go by disruption isn’t a bug, it’s a feature.

To connect with this articles author, Henry Joseph-Grant… click here

Pinergy, the energy transition company, today announced a strategic acceleration of its commercial solar division, targeting the installation of over 40MWp of commercial solar projects across Ireland within the next three years. To spearhead this ambitious growth and solidify its position, Pinergy has appointed Philip Connor as Head of Commercial Development.

This move underscores Pinergy’s deep commitment to empowering Irish businesses to significantly reduce energy costs, enhance sustainability, and unlock new revenue streams through advanced solar and battery storage solutions. In an era marked by heightened geopolitical instability and volatile energy markets, ensuring reliable, cost-effective, and secure power is more critical than ever for businesses.

As Ireland’s only fully integrated energy supplier offering green energy supply, export payments, energy insights, and solar installations within a single organisation, Pinergy is well-positioned to deliver comprehensive, long-term energy asset management, moving beyond transactional installations.

Philip Connor will lead the solar division’s commercial strategy and performance, with direct responsibility for driving revenue growth and strengthening Pinergy’s market footprint in Ireland’s rapidly evolving energy landscape. He will play a central role in advancing Pinergy’s commercial solar proposition, ensuring measurable value for clients by aligning commercial commitments with robust delivery capabilities.

In his expanded role, Philip will oversee sales, commercial pricing, proposition development, renewable supply and customer engagement strategy. He will also focus on strengthening recurring revenue streams through long-term service offerings, while embedding stronger governance, ownership, and performance standards across the business.

Over the past decade, Pinergy’s Commercial Solar PV division has successfully installed more than 60MWp of solar and 1MWh of commercial battery technology for clients across Ireland.

Commenting on his appointment, Philip Connor said: “I’m excited to step into this expanded new role and contribute to Pinergy’s ambitious trajectory. The Irish commercial solar market is evolving at pace, and my clear ambition is to position Pinergy as the leading commercial solar provider in Ireland. We aim to be recognised not just for our installation capability, but for our unparalleled lifecycle performance, asset reliability, and our comprehensive integrated energy offering over the long term.”

He added, “We are seeing strong demand from businesses looking to transition to clean, renewable energy, and I am particularly focused on helping move the market beyond ‘fit and forget’ solar towards professionally managed energy assets that deliver measurable operational and financial value. Targeting an additional 40MWp over the next three years is a testament to our commitment to lead this charge.”

Pinergy currently delivers a full range of commercial solar solutions, including rooftop and ground-mounted projects. Operating from its base in Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford, the company’s commercial solar team provides design, installation, and service support for projects nationwide. Pinergy also offers competitive feed-in tariffs and export payments, enabling clients to generate additional revenue from excess solar power exported to the grid.

Recent high-profile commercial solar projects delivered by Pinergy include Monart Hotel & Spa, Keoghs Crisps, and several motor retail partnerships across the country, most recently Fitzpatrick Motors in Kildare.

This strategic focus follows a review completed last year, which saw Pinergy stepping back from the residential solar market to direct further investment and resources into its commercial solar operations. This decision reinforces its position as Ireland’s only fully integrated energy supplier for businesses.

Daire Keating, Chief Commercial Officer at Pinergy, said: “The past year has been transformative for Pinergy as we have become part of Sojitz Corporation. As a publicly listed group with operations across multiple countries and regions, Sojitz has helped unlock new opportunities for us as we continue to grow our business lines. In light of ongoing global energy volatility, our solar team sits at the very heart of our Energy Services proposition, providing critical stability and cost control for Irish businesses. I’m incredibly excited about what Philip’s appointment signals for our future.

“We are setting our sights on leading Ireland’s commercial solar and battery sector, shaping the future of how businesses generate, store, and use energy. Philip’s outstanding experience and strategic vision will be pivotal as we accelerate our growth, deepen our capabilities, and redefine what best-in-class energy solutions look like. Together, we are building a platform that empowers Irish businesses not just to participate in the energy transition, but to lead it.”

By David Stephen who looks at Theoretical Neuroimaging in this article.

There is a recent analysis on Forbes, A $6 Million Jury Verdict Ruled Social Media Is Addictive. Now What?, stating that, “On March 25, a Los Angeles jury delivered a verdict that Silicon Valley had spent years and hundreds of millions of dollars fighting to prevent.”

“After more than 40 hours of deliberations spread across nine days — including live testimony from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram head Adam Mosseri — the jury found that Meta and Google’s YouTube had been negligent in the design of their platforms, and that this negligence was a substantial factor in harming a young woman identified in court as KGM, or “Kaley.””

New uses for Theoretical Neuroimaging?

“The jury awarded her $3 million in compensatory damages and, after concluding the companies had acted with “malice, oppression or fraud,” an additional $3 million in punitive damages. Meta was assigned 70% of the responsibility; YouTube bore the remaining 30%.””

“There is also a scientific distinction. The Surgeon General’s advisories acknowledge that social media has mental health benefits for some individuals — a claim cigarette manufacturers would never have been able to make. And the lack of an official clinical diagnosis for social media addiction remains a genuine legal and scientific complication.”

Social Media Addiction

Lawsuits alone would not be effective against social media giants, to solve problematic internet use. It is also unlikely that regulations or legislations would be able to make much difference.

Problematic internet use is the assessment label for social media addiction or internet addiction disorder. Although it is linked to other non-social media internet use, social media is the flashpoint, especially for kids, teens and youths.

In general, legislations, regulations and lawsuits are efforts that will add what is widely called friction to social media platforms. Friction are problematic [usage] blockers, like reductions in notifications, time spent, better age verification, limited doom scrolling and much else.

Friction can be effective to certain extents. Still, there may not be enough willpower to stop, so friction can be sought to be bypassed, since possibilities sometimes exist digitally.

Friction, however, remains the main approach against problematic internet use. So, what else can be added, to bolster the reach of friction or to surpass friction as a gate?

Theoretical Neuroimaging of Mind

This is a conceptual display of the human mind, for destinations and relays, showing the targets of problematic internet use and what it avoids.

All the components of problematic internet use can be mapped on the mind, specifically with real-time contents, and dynamics that is parallel to an approximation of what is going on within.

The goal is to show the influence [of internet addiction] on the mind, and sometimes effects, especially with what is ignored [like caution and consequences], to what is used routinely [like certain memory and emotions].

The objective is to give a score, and bear visibility against the current opacity. Such that it is more relatable when friction is recommended and likelier to stick with it.

This could be developed as a separate application, but hosted within some social media platforms, so that data points, like contents, time spent, and so forth can be visualized, for the mind.

The solution can also come at a subscription, since displays will be unique to sessions, not just general. The free version can have a sample display.

Theoretical neuroimaging of mind is based on the postulation in Conceptual Biomarkers and Theoretical Biological Factors for Psychiatric and Intelligence Nosology.

The opportunity is to scale the solution across social media misuse cases, make it more expansive, towards solving problematic internet use, as the algorithms get better, and artificial intelligence dominates.

David Stephen currently does research in conceptual brain science with focus on the electrical and chemical configurators for how they mechanize the human mind with implications for mental health, disorders, neurotechnology, consciousness, learning, artificial intelligence and nurture. He was a visiting scholar in medical entomology at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, IL. He did computer vision research at Rovira i Virgili University, Tarragona.

See more breaking stories here.

A new report from Engineers Ireland warns that persistent skills shortages in engineering are constraining Ireland’s ability to deliver housing and critical infrastructure, with more than 40% of engineering employers saying it now takes between three and six months to fill roles.

Engineering 2026 – A Barometer of the Profession in Ireland shows that lengthy recruitment times are emerging as an obstacle to housing, energy, transport and water infrastructure delivery.

The report also highlights mounting concern within the profession over the condition of Ireland’s infrastructure. Just 17% of engineers rated overall infrastructure as good, while 41% described it as poor or inadequate. Housing emerged as the most acute weakness, with 47% of engineers considering housing infrastructure inadequate, the starkest negative assessment across all sectors measured.

The report warns that boosting housing supply will require not just faster construction, but enough engineering capacity to plan, design, and deliver developments, and to connect them to essential water, energy, and transport infrastructure.

Gender imbalances in perceptions of the profession were found to be a potential barrier to encouraging more women to become engineers and, thus, a barrier to growing the engineering workforce. When asked if they would consider pursuing engineering if changing career, women (40%) were twice as likely as men (21%) to disagree with the suggestion. Only about one-in-eight engineers in Ireland are women. Men were also 29% more likely than women to respond positively when asked if a career in engineering was “suitable for people like them”.

Speaking about the results contained in Engineering 2026, Engineers Ireland’s Director General, Damien Owens, said: “With modular homes being suggested to increase the supply of housing to the rental market, it’s important to remember that these Modern Methods of Construction are not a shortcut around engineering capacity.

“To deliver homes at scale while maintaining quality, safety and sustainability, we must also invest in the engineers and infrastructure systems that underpin those developments, from water and energy networks to transport and climate resilience.

“Engineering oversight is critical to ensuring that accelerated delivery does not compromise long term performance, particularly in areas such as building safety, energy efficiency, climate adaptation and asset lifecycle management.”

Engineers Ireland presents a clear message for policymakers and industry: Ireland’s infrastructural ambitions are achievable, but without addressing capacity bottlenecks, the report warns that Ireland risks falling short on housing delivery and wider infrastructure goals, not for a lack of ambition, but for a lack of the people necessary to deliver it.

Engineering 2026 is available at engineersireland.ie.

The Toy Library, a social enterprise set up to help reduce and recycle plastic toys, has launched sensory swap and play events for children with additional needs.

The first event took place in the Aula Maxima in University College Cork (UCC), with a second event scheduled for the Kilnamanagh Family Resource Centre in Dublin on Sunday, April 12th.

The Toy Library is the country’s first digital toy-sharing platform and has hosted swap and play events around the country for the past 18 months. It has successfully reduced the amount of plastic toys being disposed of, with figures recorded at the end of 2025 showing 4.78 tonnes of plastic have been saved so far.

The sensory events offer families and children with additional needs a safe and welcoming play space with structured layouts, quieter zones and access to carefully selected developmental and sensory toys. The initiative was set up in response to feedback from parents within the Toy Library community.

The Toy Library prepared social stories – simple visual guides that help children understand what to expect in new or potentially overwhelming situations – and distributed them to families before the event. This was to support families and ensure children felt comfortable and confident when attending.

Trish Cleary was at the event in Cork and said: “The Social Story was a game changer for us – being able to show my daughter exactly what to expect helped her feel safe before we even arrived. My son, who has ASD, needed to stay in his stroller for most of the event, but thanks to the calm, spacious setup, he could still take it all in. Watching him feel comfortable enough to come out and play a game of chess with me was a moment I’ll really treasure.”

Another parent, Geraldine Harris, added: “My child has autism, and as a parent, you are always thinking about ways to enhance your child’s development. Sensory swap and play give you access to an array of toys and a new play experience for your child. It’s a place to network with other parents in your local community, swap toys your child no longer plays with and find something new that sparks their curiosity, all at no additional cost.”

The Toy Library has been working in partnership with ADHD Ireland and is hoping to expand the sensory swap and play events nationwide. The Toy Library is inviting other charities, local authorities and not-for-profit organisations working in the area of supporting children with additional needs to partner with them to help deliver more sensory swap and play events around the country.

Founder Giorgia Anile said, “Play is not just recreation, it is how children learn, connect, and build confidence. Parents in our community told us how transformative inclusive play environments can be for their children. One parent described it as the first time their child felt truly comfortable in a social play setting. That feedback made it clear we needed to expand this work.”

ServiceNow, the AI control tower for business reinvention, has released new research highlighting the gap between AI’s potential and how service is being delivered. The CX Shift: Customer Expectations in the AI Era found that customers in Ireland collectively spend more than 284 million hours on hold each year, despite the improvements made possible by AI.

The research, conducted with ThoughtLab, surveyed 34,000 executives, service representatives and customers globally, including 1,210 respondents in Ireland. The results reveal that poor customer service costs every Irish consumer the equivalent of 8.8 hours a year – more than a full working day – spent dealing with issues such as long wait times, repeating information or navigating slow systems. While organisations are investing in AI, outdated systems are preventing many from turning those investments into the faster, smoother experiences customers expect.

In Ireland, the real bottleneck is the systems behind the service

Service representatives, particularly those in Ireland, are constrained by their work environments and slowed by fragmented systems and processes. Ireland has one of the lowest rates of time spent on customer issues in EMEA, second only to France at 42% and equal with Sweden at 43%. That means the majority of their time is absorbed by administrative work, system-hopping, and chasing information.

In comparison to the rest of EMEA, Ireland fares worse than all other countries individually and the regional benchmark in both system use and data consistency. One in three (31%) service representatives relies on five systems to resolve a single issue, and 60% say inconsistent customer data is a major challenge — much higher than the respective EMEA averages of 20% and 43%.

Consumers are paying a hidden productivity tax

Across EMEA, the research found that customer issues take an average of three to four days to resolve — even in sectors designed for speed, such as banking (2.4 days) and telecommunications (3.0 days). In manufacturing, resolution times stretch to nearly a full working week (6.6 days). Even in the technology sector, known for being early adopters of platforms and technology, fewer than one in five (18%) customer service issues are resolved within an hour.

In Ireland, nearly half  (46%) of consumers rate current customer service as average, poor or terrible. Meanwhile, 49% say they would switch to a competitor after a single poor or slow experience.

“Consumers across EMEA are losing entire working days to service experiences that should take minutes. The root cause isn’t a lack of AI investment — it’s that most CRM systems were built to record interactions, not resolve them. That’s the shift we’re driving: CRM as a system of action, not a system of record,” said Shakira Talbot, Group Vice President, CRM EMEA at ServiceNow.

AI is gaining trust, but empathy remains the gap

In Ireland, nearly half (46%) of consumers say AI has improved customer service. Over a third (35%) report gains in speed, efficiency, and convenience, and almost one in two (48%) say AI has improved after-hours and 24/7 support. Yet speed alone isn’t enough. One in two (50%) consumers in Ireland cite lack of empathy as a top frustration. Channel preferences play an important role in this gap: while 78% prefer phone support, 66% attempt self-service first — but 44% say current chatbots fail to understand their questions or concerns.

“Customers want to feel heard and resolved, not just routed. But that can’t happen when AI and human agents operate in different systems with different views of the customer. The organisations getting this right are the ones connecting their entire operation — front office to back office — on a single platform. That’s when CRM stops being a digital filing cabinet and starts being a revenue engine,” added Talbot.

Irish executives are misaligned with what customers value

The research also reveals a persistent perception gap between what customers want and where senior leaders are focused. Nearly half (47%) of customers in Ireland are frustrated by being transferred between departments, yet just one in five (21%) Irish executives – the lowest proportion across EMEA and much lower than the regional average of 29% – recognise it as a significant issue. Lack of empathy, another top Irish customer frustration, stands in stark contrast. While a similar proportion (50%) report it as a frustration, almost one-third (29%) of Irish executives prioritise it – the highest share in the region.

AI must unify systems before it can transform service

At the root of these challenges are fragmented systems that aren’t built for today’s CRM needs. In line with the rest of the EMEA region, fewer than half (44%) of organisations in Ireland have integrated data across silos into a single source of truth, while less than a quarter (22%) have enterprise-wide AI strategies that break down departmental barriers.

Closing the gap requires AI that unifies data, workflows, and teams — enabling CRM to evolve from a system of record into a system of action. The research shows that when organisations connect service environments, they can free frontline teams to focus on empathy, clarity, and trust. Without this shift, AI investments underperform, frontline teams remain constrained, and customers continue to bear the cost through slow, frustrating experiences.

Download the full report: https://www.servicenow.com/content/dam/servicenow-assets/public/en-us/doc-type/resource-center/white-paper/wp-cx-shift-study-customerexperience-ai-era.pdf  

See more stories here.

Bank of Ireland is advising customers to be vigilant amid a notable rise in impersonation scams, including fake family texts and bogus bank alerts. Impersonation scams are one of the most common tactics used by fraudsters, with criminals posing as a trusted contact to prompt quick action. These scams arrive by text or via messaging apps and are designed to look familiar, urgent and may even be personalised.

The current wave of scams involves fraudsters pretending to be a family member with a damaged or lost phone, asking for the recipient to pay for something urgently.

The message typically begins with a seemingly innocent message such as ‘Hi Mam / Hi Dad, this is my new number….’ followed by a request asking for help to pay for something. In some cases, the fraudster will ask for a payment to be made to a specific bank account or, in other cases, ask for a card number and then set it up on a digital wallet, e.g. Apple Pay or Google Pay (and ask Mam for the code that the bank just sent).

Fraudsters are also sending texts that closely mimic legitimate Bank of Ireland fraud?alert messages, particularly those asking customers to confirm whether they recognise a recent card transaction. These scam texts are designed to look authentic, using similar wording and formats to real security messages. While Bank of Ireland may contact customers to verify transactions, genuine staff will never ask you to share your full card details, one-time passcodes or to move your money to keep it safe.

Nicola Sadlier, Head of Fraud at Bank of Ireland, said: “Smishing attempts tend to appear in waves, from motorway toll charges to government payment scams, but the goal remains the same – to get people to share their banking details or transfer money directly into the hands of fraudsters.

We have seen the “Hi Mam / Hi Dad…” texts before. This is a case of fraudsters revisiting a tactic that has worked for them before, preying on a parent’s instinct to respond to a child in need. The sense of urgency in bank impersonation texts is designed to panic people into action to protect their money.

Although 70% of the Irish population are confident they can spot scams, according to our latest research, unfortunately, people are still being caught out by these scams.

Our advice is simple – always be on your guard, and pause. Whether the message claims to be from your son, daughter, or your bank, always call back on a number that you already know. That one small step protects you and shuts down the scam instantly”.

Bank of Ireland’s guidance to help customers stay in control:

• If you receive an unexpected message from a child or family member asking for help, do not reply and do not click any links.
• Verify the sender by calling your family member on their usual number saved in your contacts.
• TextChecker service – if you get a text that claims to be from Bank of Ireland but you are not sure if it’s genuine, here’s how to verify it:
  • Copy the text you wish to verify.
  • Paste into a new message.
  • Add the word CHECK before the text. (In the same text)
  • Send to 50365.
• If you receive a suspicious text, email a screenshot to 365Security@boi.com and then delete the message.
• Bank of Ireland customers who believe they may have shared banking information should call the Bank of Ireland 24/7 Freephone line immediately.

Scam Text Examples:

Researchers from Trinity College Dublin are leading a new interdisciplinary research programme to investigate whether public trust in expertise has been weakened by the way institutions have adapted to the internet.

The three-year initiative is led by the Research Ireland ADAPT Centre in Trinity’s School of Computer Science and Statistics, in collaboration with dotPublic. It will examine whether the widespread adoption of commercial platforms, tools, and publishing practices has altered how public institutions present themselves online, and how that may have affected the public’s ability to recognise, trust, and rely on authoritative information.

Over the past two decades, universities, libraries, broadcasters, and public bodies have moved online using systems designed primarily for commercial purposes. The research will examine whether some features of these systems, including a focus on engagement, attention, and the harvesting of behavioural data, may undermine public interest priorities, including privacy, accountability, and long-term access. It will explore whether, as a result, public-interest information now circulates in environments where it can be harder to distinguish from material with no obligation to accuracy, provenance, or public responsibility.

The programme will also test whether this shift has had measurable consequences. Specifically, it will examine whether the conditions under which information is published, including the presence of tracking technologies, the absence of provenance, and the use of metrics designed to prolong engagement rather than serve the public, have contributed to changing levels of trust in expert institutions.

Specifically, the research will address three core questions:

—  What civic standards should publicly trusted information providers meet online in order to remain recognisable and accountable?
—  Can those standards be sustained through institutional commitment alone, or are they eroded over time by the surrounding digital environment?
—  Could new forms of infrastructure, including a dedicated .PUBLIC domain, provide a more stable foundation for trusted knowledge and information services?

Over the course of the programme, the team will define and test civic publishing standards, develop open-source tools to support them, and explore ways of making the origin, authorship, and integrity of information visible and verifiable. The work will include experimental studies to assess how different publishing conditions affect user trust and behaviour.

As part of this, the ADAPT Centre’s own digital outputs will serve as a live pilot. As the Centre approaches the end of its current funding cycle in December 2026, the programme will examine how its publicly funded research and digital resources can remain accessible, verifiable, and trustworthy over time.

This pilot will provide a practical test case within a broader investigation into the future of public knowledge online and is designed to be replicable by any publicly funded institution facing the same challenge.

Dave Lewis, Professor of Computer Science in Trinity and the ADAPT Centre, said: “Public institutions have adapted to the internet as it exists. This programme allows us to ask whether that environment is aligned with their purpose, and whether the way information is presented online is affecting how it is understood and trusted.”

Tony Ageh, Executive Director of dotPublic and Adjunct Assistant Professor at Trinity, added: “The question is not simply how to preserve information, but whether the conditions in which it is published are changing how people relate to it. If trust in public knowledge has declined, we need to understand whether that is a failure of institutions or a consequence of the systems they have been operating within.”

The programme is jointly led by Prof. Lewis, who provides academic leadership and oversight, and Tony Ageh, who leads external partnerships and programme development. Trinity will host the research and ensure that all findings are published openly.

By Declan Goodman, who is a digital transformation consultant, speaker and creator of the Digital Mythology® framework, which uses mythic storytelling to help leaders explain complex change in a more human way. 

The Hero Digital Transformation Actually Needs

Many digital transformations seek a mythical hero, a brave warrior to make bold statements and apply strong principles to shape the organisation’s digital North Star. The expectation is that good digital leadership is about strength and brute force, steeped in a ‘fortune favours the brave’ kind of bravado. However, in my 30 years working in digital transformation, I have found that the ‘warrior’ is not the hero we need for digital success; rather the real hero we need is the ‘meaning-maker’.

This is where mythology offers a practical lens. Mythology has always helped people navigate uncertainty and turn complexity into something human. It helps people understand where they are, what is happening and what comes next. It also teaches us that the most powerful figures are not always the ones who fight, rather, they are the ones who help others see their part in the transformation by making it meaningful.

Here are some examples of how you can use myth to be the hero that your organisation really needs, by telling the story of digital transformation in a more human-led way.

Example 1: The Mirror (Amaterasu)

In Japanese mythology, the sun goddess Amaterasu withdrew into a cave after being disrespected by her brother Susanoo, whose reckless actions destroyed her world. When she withdrew, the world fell into darkness; even the gods couldn’t convince her to come out. It was only when they held up a mirror, reflecting her own brilliance back to her, did she step forward and immediately restored the light.

This is a powerful lesson for digital transformation, because people don’t disengage due to a lack of capability, rather they disengage when they no longer feel valued. In many organisations, the talent you need is already there, it just isn’t motivated to participate. This is where the real hero, the meaning-maker works best. They create the conditions where people feel seen again, thus making them feel valued, restoring their motivation to engage.

Practical ways to apply this include identifying where your team’s capability is being overlooked and tease it out, using storytelling to conjure visibility and sponsorship (not just communication) and listening to the lived experience of your team rather than paying attention to their titles.

Example 2: The Navigator (Sanjaya)

In the Indian epic Mahabharata, Sanjaya could see the entire battlefield end to end. However, seeing was not the point, the point was to make sense of what was happening, at a big-picture level, and use this information to help others understand how to navigate the terrain. He gave meaning to the battle, by mapping the tactics to the strategy in a clear manner. This kept his army and sponsors engaged. Sanjaya brought meaning to an otherwise chaotic endeavour.

Similarly, in digital transformation, your business analysts and architects act as meaning-makers by helping people understand why the digital change matters.

Practical ways to apply this include involving business analysts in shaping the story early (to influence), focusing on the meaning behind the requirements (the ‘why’) and positioning architects as guides, not just designers of what is possible.

Example 3: The Skald (Storytellers)

In Norse tradition, skalds were more than poets – they were trusted storytellers who shaped how people understood their world. Their stories carried meaning across generations, preserving identity, values and culture. They treated story as a strategic tool for aligning their people to their long-term goals. This again is an example of the heroic meaning-maker.

In digital transformation, your strategy and roadmap can only stay relevant and maintain meaning if they are shared as stories, not slides or large posters. People follow stories they can understand and see themselves in, and it’s the meaning-maker’s job is to make sure the story is relatable.

Practical ways to apply this include telling your digital transformation strategy as a story (not just a plan), showing people where they are in the journey (and what comes next) and turning your roadmap into something people can see themselves in (giving them a role to play).

Digital transformation doesn’t need more warriors; it needs more meaning-makers. It needs the art of storytelling to help people understand where they are, why transformation matters and how they belong in what is to come next.

When you lead as a navigator like Sanjaya, hold up the mirror like Amaterasu or shape the narrative like the Norse skald, you don’t just lead transformation – you become the hero of your own story. Using mythology in this way empowers your transformation to become something people want to engage with, because in the end, people are not moved by plans, they are moved by meaning.

Become the meaning-maker. Tell the story. Make your digital transformation a story people want to be part of.

Helping leaders make sense of digital transformation through story, myth and meaning | Gartner Symposium Speaker | Founder, Digital Mythology®

Declan Goodman is a digital transformation consultant, speaker and creator of the Digital Mythology® framework, which uses mythic storytelling to help leaders explain complex change in a more human way. With nearly 30 years’ experience across digital strategy, transformation and enterprise architecture in Ireland, Europe and Australia, he hosts the Digital Mythology® podcast and delivers masterclasses on storytelling, leadership and digital transformation.

www.declangoodman.com | Socials | Digital Mythology® | declan@declangoodman.com

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Guest post by Colm Hyland CyberQuest

We need to revitalise our efforts to improve cyber security In Ireland and across Europe.

The criminals have learnt how to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools much faster than the cyber professionals. Unhindered by regulations and always willing to try things out, they have delivered an 89% increase in AI enabled attacks and 266% increase in cloud intrusions.

Crowd Strike’s first report for 2026 presents a worsening situation that does not augur well for the rest of the year and questions AI tools and cloud systems, that were meant to improve things.

Add conflicts across the globe and the use of cyber warfare as a critical component of modern warfare, we have new players and tactics being deployed at a frightening rate.

Meanwhile, our attempts to engage with employees and make them part of the solution to cyber crime appear not to be working.

CybSafe, the cyber awareness training company has recently published their five-year study on behaviour and attitudes to security. It looks like we may have peaked in 2022. Techniques that should now be learnt behaviour need to be relearnt and revitalised.

CybSafe gave the following examples:

The Multi-Factor Authentication Gap, we have heard the message, but we’re losing the habit. While MFA awareness grew from 52% to 77% since 2021, regular usage peaked at 94% in 2022 and has since collapsed to just 53% in 2025.

The Update Snooze, we’re hitting ‘Remind me later’ more than ever. The number of people who ‘always’ install software updates immediately has dropped from 44% in 2021 to 31% in 2025.

Confidence is high but consistent action is on the decline, despite a stable belief in our ability to spot scams, those who ‘always’ check for phishing signs fell from 51% to 36% over five years.

The Cognitive Ceiling, we’re hitting a mental limit. Between 2022 and 2025, the percentage of people who feel so overwhelmed by security information continues to increase, so much so. that they minimise their protection.

The Fatalism Spike, ‘my data’s already out there, so why bother?’ This fatalistic belief surged from 22% in 2023 to 34% in 2025, turning a rational risk into a reason for apathy.

The Cost Barrier, when you’re feeling bad about things, you don’t want to pay more money for security that feels like a luxury you can’t afford. Over half of us (53%) now see the cost of tools and software as a major barrier, up from 43% in 2021.

The Criminal gangs and state actors who launch attacks on government and business are improving. CybSafe are telling us that our attitudes and behaviours are getting worse. The world is not in great shape at all, it appears that our guard is down.

At every level of society; personal, family, school, business and government, we must look at some of our neighbours in Finland and Estonia about their approach. Engaging citizens through every communication channel and developing a third force outside of the normal services are part of their strategy.

We have untapped resources in the female and neurodiverse populations who can make a huge difference to support the beleaguered services in the private and public sector. We must set cyber security in the right direction in 2026.

See more stories here.

Guest post by Mark Hopkins, General Manager, Dell Technologies Ireland

AI is rapidly moving from experimentation to everyday workplace reality. Across Ireland, employees are already using it to summarise documents, analyse data and automate routine tasks.

Yet for many leaders and organisations, the real challenge is not access to the technology but turning AI into meaningful business value.

The organisations seeing the greatest impact from AI are those bringing three things together: strategic leadership, the right technology foundation, and a workforce empowered to identify where AI can genuinely improve how work gets done.

Ireland’s recently published Digital and AI Strategy, which sees AI technologies as a driver of growth, reflects this approach. It highlights the need to invest not only in digital infrastructure but also in the skills and capabilities that will allow employees to harness AI responsibly and productively.

For business leaders, the opportunity is significant, but so is the responsibility to build a clear and practical business case for AI.

Increased focus on the business case for AI

The conversation around AI is evolving at speed. What began as experimentation is now focused on a much more practical question: how can AI deliver measurable outcomes?

Across Ireland, organisations are operating in a cost-conscious environment where every technology investment must demonstrate value. The strongest AI strategies, therefore, focus on specific business outcomes such as productivity gains, improved decision-making or enhanced customer experiences.

A common misconception is that AI adoption requires large-scale investment and disruption. In reality, many successful initiatives begin with targeted use cases, such as automating routine processes, analysing data more effectively or improving customer interactions, that demonstrate value quickly and allow organisations to scale over time.

Workforce central to unlocking AI advantage

While technology provides the capability, it is employees who ultimately determine whether AI delivers real value.

Many of the most effective AI applications are discovered by employees who understand the day-to-day challenges within their roles. Teams in operations, finance or customer service are sometimes best placed to identify repetitive tasks that could be automated or improved through better data insights.

Equally important is ensuring employees feel confident using AI responsibly. Our latest Dell Innovation Catalysts Study shows the scale of this challenge. In fact, 98% of Irish organisations say their employees will need new skills to unlock the full potential of AI.

As these tools become embedded in everyday workflows, organisations will need to move beyond occasional training and adopt more continuous approaches to learning. The Government’s commitment to roll out AI training across the public sector is welcome and will help drive responsible AI adoption and ensure 100% of key public services are digitalised by 2030.

Leadership sets the tone for AI adoption

Leadership plays a crucial role in helping organisations move from AI experimentation to real business impact.

For many organisations, the challenge is not recognising AI’s potential, but unlocking value from the vast amounts of data they already hold. Leaders, therefore, have an important role in ensuring AI initiatives are tied to clear priorities and focused on turning data into insights that support better decisions.

From our perspective at Dell Technologies, organisations that treat AI as a business transformation rather than simply a technology deployment are the ones unlocking its real strategic advantage.

We are also beginning to see more advanced capabilities such as agentic AI, where intelligent systems can help coordinate workflows and support decision-making. As these technologies evolve, leadership will play an increasingly important role in ensuring organisations have the right strategy and governance in place to deploy AI responsibly and deliver value at scale.

The technology foundation still matters

While people and leadership are essential, the role of technology should not be underestimated.

AI workloads place new demands on infrastructure, including high-performance computing, secure data management and the ability to scale as projects grow. Many organisations are discovering that their existing IT environments were not designed to support these requirements.

At Dell Technologies, we work with organisations across Ireland and Europe to help them build AI-ready foundations that allow businesses to move from experimentation to real-world deployment.

Through our Customer Solutions Centre Innovation Lab in Limerick, businesses and organisations can explore how emerging technologies, including AI, can be applied to real business challenges. We are also seeing how these capabilities are transforming industries. For example, Dell Technologies is working with Studio Ulster to support one of Europe’s most advanced virtual production studios, enabling creative teams to generate complex digital environments in real time and transform how film and television content is produced.

Equally important is understanding the economics of AI. A practical cost model should consider factors such as computing power, energy consumption and data management to ensure AI investments align with real workloads and business needs.

A moment of opportunity for Ireland

Ireland’s unique digital ecosystem and skilled workforce position the country well to benefit from the next wave of AI innovation.

The Government’s Digital and AI Strategy provides an important national framework. But realising the strategy’s goal of becoming a location of choice for AI startups and scale-ups, and a global hub for applied AI innovation, will depend on how organisations translate that ambition into practical adoption.

That means leaders creating the right environment for experimentation, employees identifying where AI can improve how work gets done, and organisations investing in the infrastructure needed to scale innovation responsibly.

The organisations that succeed will be those that bring people, leadership and technology together to turn AI potential into real progress.

The Learnovate Centre at Trinity College Dublin is calling on employers wishing to transform their operations with cutting-edge AI and data analytics to become a host organisation in its Work Ready Graduate Programme (WRGP).

The WRGP was created by Learnovate to respond to the shortage of digital skills in the Irish economy by offering organisations the opportunity to host high-calibre graduates in AI and data analytics on 12-month placements.

Co-funded by Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland, the WRGP provides companies with a structured, low-risk way to build out their technological capabilities, while offering graduates the chance to earn up to €38,000, gain experience and apply their skills to a real digital transformation project in a work setting.

The programme is currently accepting applications with up to 12 organisations set to serve as hosts during the next intake. All host organisations must be registered with Enterprise Ireland. For more information on how to become a WRGP host organisation, contact info@learnovatecentre.org.

According to Learnovate’s 2025 Learning Signals Survey, two-thirds (66%) of Irish organisations cite AI and digital fluency as their most pressing skills gaps. Half (52%) are still only in the early stages of developing a strategy to address the issue.

Under the model, host organisations benefit from the Learnovate research team’s continuing mentoring of the graduates, who also take part in structured reviews, workshops and professional development courses in project management.

Former host companies include adaptive learning firm Adaptemy; B2B strategic workforce platform SkillsVista; curriculum management provider Akari, and Hibernia College, a higher education institution specialising in flexible, online postgraduate and professional development programmes in education and healthcare.

Hibernia College reported that graduates delivered measurable impact in terms of AI adoption, data-driven decision-making and digital learning innovation. They helped extract and analyse complex learner data from college systems, generated insights that informed changes to programme design and delivery, and supported the practical application of generative AI in content production and digital workflows.

Host organisations have also highlighted the value of the programme’s cost-sharing model. Funding is available to host organisations for up to 70% of the programme’s value, which will allow companies to explore new technological capabilities in a managed and supported way.

This is a nationwide initiative with in-office, hybrid and remote roles available through the programme. Many host organisations have elected to offer graduates full-time positions following the 12-month placement, a move which reflects both the calibre of participants and the value delivered during the placement.

Learnovate Director Nessa McEniff says:

“Organisations are grappling more and more with how best to adopt AI and advanced learning technologies in ways that deliver genuine value. The Work Ready Graduate Programme provides a practical pathway to do that. Companies gain access to best-in-class graduates who can provide a transformative impact on priority projects, while those graduates are supported through structured mentoring and exposure to leading-edge research and practice. It is a model that builds capability and benefits both graduates and companies.”

Hibernia College Digital Learning Team Manager John Lenehan says:

“The quality of candidates we received through the Work Ready Graduate Programme was phenomenal and, when they came on board, their impact was transformative for our operations. They were very effective at extracting data and developing insights from our systems – insights that helped us rethink our approach to how we evaluate and deliver digital learning content. The Work Ready Graduate Programme is a fantastic resource for any organisation looking for experts to proactively lead the introduction of cutting-edge tools and technologies in a way that’s cost-effective for their business.”

Every enterprise is drowning in intelligence. Every system has its own AI layer. Every function is deploying its own agents. And yet most of that intelligence never becomes action, because it can’t find its way to the right teams, at the right moment, with enough context to do something.

The bottleneck isn’t intelligence. It’s shared intelligence. AI at work is still mostly single-player,  one person, one tool, one conversation at a time. But the most important work has always happened between people. Decisions made in meetings. Context built up over months in channels and threads. Deals won by teams, not individuals. The organisations pulling ahead aren’t the ones with just more AI — they’re the ones where intelligence doesn’t wait to be found. It shows up. That’s the new unfair advantage: more impact from every person, on every team.

Capturing that advantage requires a new interface for work. One that lives where work already happens, that knows your channels, your history, your decisions, your data, and connects every agent, every app, and every workflow your organisation runs. One that works for the whole team, not just the people who know where to look.

That interface is Slack. Slack has always been where work happens. Slackbot is how work gets done.

Slackbot is the ultimate teammate, unlike any colleague you’ve ever had. Always-on and deeply knowledgeable about every facet of your business, it combines powerful AI reasoning with full awareness of your channels, conversations, files, and history. It learns how you work and gets better at it over time, adapting to the workflows and preferences unique to your role.

It comes with a growing set of skills: searching, brainstorming, writing, coding, orchestrating workflows, updating records. And because Slackbot is a platform, those skills extend across every app and agent in your enterprise, putting the full capability of your organisation inside a single conversation. Governed by default. Inheriting every permission your organisation has already established. Slackbot doesn’t just make you faster. It makes your team better.

There is nothing new to install. Nothing new to manage. It just works.

Customers like Anthropic, Asymbl, Engine, reMarkableare using Slackbot, with some employees reporting saving up to 90 minutes a day – the equivalent of more than two months of working hours back every year.  Inside Salesforce, the results are even stronger: teams are saving up to 20 hours a week, already generating over $6.4M in productivity value.

“Slack is the operating system for work, bringing humans, agents, data, and apps together in one trusted conversational interface. With Slackbot, every employee now has a super-intelligent teammate whose status is always green – coordinating across teams and systems, accelerating execution across the enterprise, and saving hours every day. Slackbot is the front door for the Agentic Enterprise.” – Parker Harris, Co-Founder Salesforce, Slack CTO

Today, we’re announcing more than 30 new capabilities that take Slackbot from personal agent to the ultimate teammate. Together, they don’t just extend what Slackbot can do, they redefine what Slack is for every Agentic Enterprise. Everything shipping is built around the same idea: more impact per person, per team.

Here’s what’s new:

With a new meeting transcription and note taking capability, Slackbot is now a powerful personal meeting assistant with the full context of your business. Unlike other meeting tools, it can act across your enterprise systems the moment the call ends.

Slackbot now travels across your desktop with you as you work – understanding the context of whatever you’re doing and taking action across your enterprise apps, with the permissions and governance already established in Slack.

New reusable AI skills let any team define a task once – the inputs, the steps, the exact output – and run it anytime, automatically. Slackbot recognizes when a prompt matches a skill and applies it without being asked. What one person builds becomes the standard for everyone.

As a new MCP client, Slackbot can now route work or prompt questions to Agentforce or any agent or app in your enterprise. Employees never need to know which system handles which task. Just ask, and Slackbot finds the right path and gets it done.

Small businesses now have native customer management built into Slackbot – it reads your channels, understands what happened, and keeps your deals, contacts, and call notes up to date automatically. Start simple inside Slack, scale up to Salesforce when ready. No migrations. No starting over.

For enterprise teams on Salesforce, Slackbot is now the conversational interface for the full Customer 360 – update opportunities, research accounts, route cases, and trigger workflows through conversation, without opening a single Salesforce application. And starting this summer, every new Salesforce customer gets Slack – already provisioned, already connected, ready from day one.

New skills – including deep research and voice input – extend what Slackbot can do across every role and every team. Shareable prompts let anyone save and share their best instructions with teammates. And with memory, Slackbot now learns how you work: your preferences, your workflows, your shortcuts – getting sharper every time you use it.

Explore the details:

Meeting intelligence that acts

The meeting ends and everyone scatters. Nobody’s sure who owns what. The next meeting is already starting. You remember the vibe but not the details. And since nothing’s written down, nothing’s late – until suddenly something slips and you’re reconstructing what happened three weeks ago from memory.

Tens of millions of people already run the Slack desktop app, which means Slackbot’s meeting transcription and personal note taking requires nothing new to install or configure. When you want it to, Slackbot listens in the background of your meetings – capturing what’s discussed, summarising decisions, surfacing action items and delivering a structured summary in Slack the moment the meeting ends.

And because Slackbot is natively connected to Salesforce, it doesn’t stop at notes. Actions logged. Opportunities updated. Next steps captured, right in your CRM. The meeting ends and the follow-through is already done – without anyone typing a single thing. Every meeting becomes more valuable. Every person gets time back they weren’t getting before.

It’s not just a transcription tool – it’s a follow-through engine that knows your business.

With you. Wherever you work. 

Work rarely stays in one place. You move from Slack to Salesforce, from a vendor portal to a spreadsheet, from a dashboard to a doc. Every context switch takes time – and every time you switch, the work of connecting those systems falls on you.

Now Slackbot moves with you. As you work across the apps on your desktop, Slackbot doesn’t just see what’s on your screen — it already knows your deals, your conversations, your calendar, and your habits. That context travels with it. No new access to set up. No new policies to configure. The governance and permissions your organisation has already established in Slack come with it automatically.

Select anything on your screen and ask Slackbot to act on it. Summarize this. Draft a follow-up. Flag the risks. Give me a status update on the actions in this document. Type it or say it out loud. Slackbot is right there – and unlike any other desktop agent, it doesn’t need to be briefed. The briefing is already done.

Most operators are capable, but they start from scratch. Slackbot starts from your work. That’s not a tool you invoke. That’s a teammate.

Your process, on demand, for everyone.

Every team has recurring tasks that require the same inputs, the same format, and the same quality – every time. Campaign briefs. Pipeline summaries. Incident reports. The challenge isn’t knowing how to do the work. It’s doing it consistently, without rebuilding the same context from scratch every time.

AI-skills solve this. An AI-skill is a reusable instruction set that defines a task once – the inputs, the steps, the exact output format – so it can be run anytime. Slackbot comes with a built-in library of AI-skills to get you started, built by Slack and Salesforce for the most common role-based workflows. And building your own is just as easy: Slackbot can recognise patterns in how you’re already working and suggest creating an AI-skill from them, or work side by side with Slackbot to build one from scratch. Once published, Slackbot proactively suggests improvements and keeps AI-skills updated as your process evolves.

The best part: you don’t have to remember to use them. Slackbot can invoke AI-skills automatically – recognizing when your prompt matches one and applying it without you having to attach it. The right process, at the right moment, without the overhead.

And because AI-skills can be shared across your team, what one person builds becomes everyone’s standard.

Every Agentforce agent, all your apps in one conversation.

Most of your AI capability is invisible to most of your people. Agentforce agents are being deployed across your organisation to qualify leads, route service cases, manage IT requests, and analyse contracts. Your enterprise apps – Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Notion, Workday, ServiceNow – are all building their own AI layers too. AI-enabled apps built for Slack have already grown 690% year over year. The capability is there. The problem is access. Specialised tools sit unused because finding them requires knowing to look for them. And most employees never do.

Slackbot is the single interface to all of it. Every Agentforce agent in your org, every connected enterprise app – available the moment someone describes what they need. Slackbot finds the right path, coordinates across systems, and gets it done. Not just routing a request. Actually finishing the work.

Through its new MCP client, Slackbot can access any tool, including the 2,600+ apps in the Slack Marketplace, and the 6,000+ apps built over the last 20 years for the Salesforce AppExchange. Qualify a lead. Resolve a case. Pull a forecast.Review a contract. Kick off an ITSM workflow. Same experience every time, regardless of which system handles it behind the scenes.

This is what it means to orchestrate an enterprise. Every employee has the full force of your AI investment in a single conversation.

Talk to customers, not software. Native CRM in Slack

Small businesses do not have a sales department. They are the sales department. Every customer conversation already happens in Slack but turning those conversations into organised records has always meant a separate trip: another tab, another tool, time carved out after the call that never quite happens.

With native CRM built into Slack, that overhead disappears. Slackbot reads your channels, understands the conversation, and keeps your deals, contacts, and call notes up to date on its own. A follow-up promised in a thread gets logged. A new contact introduced in a channel gets added. The admin work that used to pile up after the call takes care of itself before you’ve moved on to the next one.

See your full customer history, update a deal, check in on an account, all without leaving Slack. Start simple and grow into a full CRM when you’re ready, because behind the scenes every record is already connected to Salesforce. No migrations. No switching costs. No starting over.

Build relationships, not records. Slack as the conversational interface for Salesforce

Every enterprise pays a software tax. Hours lost navigating between systems. Context that doesn’t travel. Records that only get updated when someone remembers to do it. The friction is invisible until you add it up and then it’s everywhere.

Slackbot is becoming the conversational interface for the full Salesforce Customer 360. Update an opportunity. Research an account. Route a complex case. Trigger a cross-functional workflow,  all through conversation, without opening a single Salesforce application. Your priorities are synthesised across Salesforce data, your calendar, and Slack activity, and surfaced right where your team already works.

New Tableau MCP integrations bring real-time quota attainment and the exact steps to act on it into the same flow. Voice-to-CRM logging means reps can update records from a quick mobile conversation.

Behind the scenes, Slackbot coordinates it all. It draws on both Salesforce data and Slack conversation history to assign leads to specialised Agentforce agents, prepare teams with deep account context, and proactively suggest CRM updates based on what was actually said in the meeting, not what someone remembered to type afterward. The daily sales cycle becomes an AI-orchestrated workflow. The data stays current without anyone maintaining it.

And we’re removing the last reason not to start: beginning this summer, Slack will be automatically provisioned, connected, and ready for all new Salesforce customers AI-powered and Salesforce-aware from day one.

Slack is where work happens…and Slackbot is how work gets done

Explore all 30+ new capabilities on our product release blog including deep research, web search, voice input, Slackbot memory, and reusable AI-skills.

Slackbot is available today on Business+ and Enterprise+ plans, just flip a switch in Admin settings.

Starting in April, we’re opening it up. Every Slack user on our Free and Pro plans gets a set of included conversations to experience Slackbot firsthand, with simple options for ongoing access when they’re ready.

No setup. No new tools. No new learning curve. This is the new Slack.

See more stories here.

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD, has announced a significant expansion of student financial supports as Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) opens for applications for the 2026/27 academic year.

Minister Lawless encouraged students and families to check their eligibility early, noting that ensuring college remains affordable for households across the country continues to be a key Government priority.

Minister Lawless said, “Every year, I meet students and families who tell me how challenging the cost of college can be. I’m very conscious of that, and these changes are about easing that pressure and making sure cost isn’t the thing that stops someone pursuing their education.”

The Minister highlighted that students are already benefitting from several enhancements introduced this academic year, with further improvements taking effect from September.

“I know that rent, travel and everyday expenses can add up fast. That’s why I have widened the grant thresholds and increased non?adjacent maintenance rates – doing everything we can to ease the pressure on families when it comes to college costs.”

He continued: “In addition to strengthening the Student Grant Scheme, I have permanently reduced the student contribution fee by €500. This means that eligible undergraduate students from households earning up to €120,000 will pay no more than €2,000 towards the student contribution charge from 2026/27.”

The Minister encouraged students to act promptly.

“These improvements take effect from September. I’d urge people to check their eligibility on www.susi.ie and, if they’re eligible, to get their application in early”.

Applications have also opened for the Part?Time Fee Scheme for Specified Undergraduate Courses for 2026/27. First launched in 2024, this scheme supports students who are underrepresented in higher education and who need more flexible learning options.

Minister Lawless welcomed the expansion of institutions participating in the scheme.

“I’m delighted to welcome the new Higher Education Institutions joining the Part?Time Scheme. Not everyone can commit to full?time study – many people are balancing work, family and other responsibilities. This scheme gives learners real flexibility and real opportunity. As we continue to grow this initiative, the increased course provision shows our commitment to offering students more choice in how they study.”

Budget 2026: Key Improvements Taking Effect from September 2026

Budget 2026 delivered significant enhancements to both the Student Grant Scheme and the Part?Time Student Grant Scheme. Eligible students will see the following improvements:

Improvements from September 2026 for eligible students will include:

—  Increase in the €500 student contribution grant threshold from €115,000 to €120,000
—  Increase in the special rate threshold from €27,400 to €28,600
—  Permanent €500 reduction in the Student Contribution charge (from €3,000 to €2,500)
—  Permanent €500 increase in the Postgraduate Fee Contribution Grant (from €4,000 to €4,500)
—  Increase to all non?adjacent maintenance rates (for students living 30km or more from their institution)
—  Increase to the income disregard for student earnings outside term time (from €8,424 to €8,830)

SUSI is now open for new and renewal applications from today, 1 April 2026, for both the Student Grant Scheme and the Part?Time Scheme. Students can apply at www.susi.ie.

Researchers at Trinity College Dublin have developed a new light-based technology on a tiny chip that could help make the data centres behind cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and global internet services faster and more efficient.

In the new research, recently published in the leading international journal Nature Communications, the Trinity team reported one such promising advance with collaborators at the University of Bath and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL).

The team developed a new way to generate extremely stable signals of light using microscopic ring-shaped devices called “microresonators”. These signals form what scientists call optical frequency combs, sometimes described as “optical rulers” because they produce a series of evenly spaced colours of light that can be used to measure light with remarkable precision.

The researchers also demonstrated a new type of light pulse called a “hyperparametric soliton”. This stable pulse is the key behind the major advancement in this work, as it allows the comb signals to be produced at different colours of light from the laser that powers the device.

This makes the technology useful for high-speed optical communications that play a major role in data transfer (in data centres).

And the researchers demonstrated this in a wavelength region used for high-speed data links inside large data centres, an area of growing importance as demand for data continues to surge with the expansion of AI computing infrastructure.

What is the potential impact of this research?

Data centres require huge amounts of energy to perform the myriad tasks we ask of them, and those requirements are rapidly increasing – driven, in part, by our ever-growing use of AI. According to Ireland’s Central Statistics Office, data centres accounted for 22% of total electricity use in 2024, which is more than all urban households (18%) combined. And their electricity use increased by 10% from the previous year.

Given the upward trajectory of our reliance on data centres and their need for power, any technological innovations that enhance efficiency can make a genuine impact in reducing electricity consumption and contributing towards challenging carbon emissions targets.

Professor John Donegan, Professor of Physics at Trinity College Dublin and a Funded Investigator at the CONNECT Research Ireland Centre for Future Networks, said: “We are very excited to have generated a new type of optical source that will be of strong interest to those working in optical communications and high-precision optical measurements.”

“Working with an outstanding optical theorist at the University of Bath and the world-leading microresonator fabrication group in Switzerland, my group has been able to demonstrate a new type of optical comb source.”

“Our work also benefits from collaboration with Pilot Photonics, a DCU spin-out developing high-precision laser and comb sources for optical communications. We anticipate that this is just the beginning of this work and that it will develop strongly in the years to come.”

How could the work deliver the next generation of optical networks?

“Modern fibre-optic networks send large amounts of data by transmitting many different colours of light through a single optical fibre – a technique known as wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM),” added Prof. Donegan.

“But optical frequency combs can generate many of these colours from a single light source, potentially replacing arrays of separate lasers – so by simplifying system design while improving efficiency and stability, comb-based technologies could become important building blocks for future data centre networks and high-capacity internet infrastructure.”

This research was supported by Research Ireland, the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the CONNECT Centre, the Royal Society and the Leading Innovation and Entrepreneurship Teams of Zhejiang.

The journal article can be read at: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-70122-x.

By David Stephen who looks at AI Delusion in this article.

There is a recent [March 27, 2026] spotlight on Sky News, The AI delusion problem is bigger than we thought, stating that, “A new study from Anthropic and the University of Toronto analysed 1.5 million conversations with the AI chatbot Claude, revealing rare but concerning cases of what some are calling “AI psychosis” and what researchers describe as “reality distortion”. What happens when AI starts pulling people away from reality and even encourages them to act on distorted beliefs?”

The challenges of AI Delusion

There is recent [March 26, 2026] analysis on The Guardian, Marriage over, €100,000 down the drain: the AI users whose lives were wrecked by delusion, stating that, “Last year, the first support group for people whose lives have been derailed by AI psychosis was formed. The Human Line Project has collected stories from 22 countries. They include 15 suicides, 90 hospitalisations, six arrests and more than $1m (£750,000) spent on delusional projects. More than 60% of its members had no history of mental illness.”

“Modern AI chatbots built on large language models – advanced AI systems – are trained on enormous datasets to predict word sequences: it’s a sophisticated system of pattern matching. Yet even knowing this, when something non-human uses human language to communicate with us, our deeply ingrained response is to view it – and to feel it – as human. This cognitive dissonance may be harder for some people to carry than others.”

The Human Line Project

Having a support group against AI delusion and psychosis is admirable, given that AI companies are doing nothing exponential against both, seeing how the problem persists, in spite of adjustments they have announced over the last few months.

All AI chatbots have disclaimers, ensuring the user is aware that AI is not an organism. But with AI, sycophantic, then a penetrative ability to use human language and express understanding across human knowledge areas, it appeals to several minds, and for some, excessively. And this is good for business.

Saying AI should not be sycophantic is like saying that social media should not have doom scrolling. That AI chatbots are like digital concierge, or servile, with how excellent they are, makes people loiter. It is a vital part of the value offering.

This means that it is unlikely that there would ever be some encompassing software engineering solution to AI psychosis. So, expecting thorough regulation, or some reduction in sycophancy or some algorithmic tweak may not be deep enough to make much difference against AI psychosis.

Now, the option is to go to the source, the human mind, to seek out what it might mean that AI is causing or reinforcing delusions. Simply, how will it be possible to have a conceptual design of the mind, with relays and destinations to display what the AI might be doing?

This conceptual display [or theoretical neuroimaging] can be a separate application where keywords from a chat can be pasted, so that it is possible to simulate relays and destinations the mind went, then show those skipped [caution, consequences], as well as the types of relay interchanges, which means using reality paths for non-reality like imagination.

The model is based on the postulation in Conceptual Biomarkers and Theoretical Biological Factors for Psychiatric and Intelligence Nosology.

For Profit

It is unlikely that the solution to AI delusion and psychosis would be effective or competitive as a nonprofit. The commercial interests are in trillions of dollars, by market cap. There is no way to match them, with donations or partnerships or a few reports in the news.

The mind safety display against AI psychosis would be for profit, having subscribers [be able to] access features that would be useful to stay in check.

There could be a free version, only for general sample relays. As profits are pursued aggressively and soars, it will possible to develop better iterations and provide more tailored features for specific needs and much else.

The Human Line Project, has tried, it is amazing with helping people, not just certain their answers or mission [“raise awareness by collecting stories, conducting formal research, and driving forward ethical standards that prioritize human well-being”] will be encompassing, including for emerging use cases and that their nonprofit approach will not be able to withstand the AI heavy hitters, including without them having a formidable architecture.

OpenAI — a major element in the battles of the Human Line Project — started as a nonprofit to ensure Google and others do not dominate the AI era, ensuring the public benefits as well. But OpenAI found that the mission is too complex without raising capital, hiring more star talents, pushing the frontier, expanding compute and much else. Simply, just like AI is a kind of intelligence, fighting those that are in the middle of it, takes much more than what the Human Line Project is already doing. It will require significantly broader efforts to get to prevent future AI delusion cases, most especially by seeking new answers as well as advancing beyond what can be ‘problematic internet use or problematic AI use’.

David Stephen currently does research in conceptual brain science with focus on the electrical and chemical configurators for how they mechanize the human mind with implications for mental health, disorders, neurotechnology, consciousness, learning, artificial intelligence and nurture. He was a visiting scholar in medical entomology at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, IL. He did computer vision research at Rovira i Virgili University, Tarragona.

See more breaking stories here.

Esri Ireland, the market leader in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), has announced that its ArcGIS technology is helping to power increased public safety for Northern Ireland Electricity Networks (NIE Networks). Esri has fully automated a map requesting process which enables citizens and contractors to determine the proximity of electricity infrastructure to building or renovation sites.

NIE Networks, which serves over 966,000 customers across Northern Ireland, has a responsibility to supply contractors and members of the public with these maps when planning excavation works. This is vital to avoid accidental cable strikes that could cause power outages.

Every year, NIE Networks receives around 6,000 requests for maps. The organisation had to manually generate maps for each specific request in a time-consuming process which saw applicants waiting up to 10 days to receive these via email or by post. Now, customers can make these requests online via a dedicated webpage and receive maps within a maximum of one hour. The service is available 24 hours a day, including outside of traditional office hours and at weekends, which minimises the risk of power outages, helps to streamline construction projects, and ensures access to accurate information.

In addition to reduced waiting times, the number of requests for maps has increased significantly since the introduction of the new process. This contributes to boosted health and safety for Northern Ireland’s approximately 1.9 million citizens, with greater awareness of the safety risks near planned excavations.

Furthermore, the solution is delivering considerable time savings for NIE Networks and is enabling internal resources to be reallocated to other core business activities. An interactive dashboard provides teams with far greater oversight of planned works and enables quicker response times in the case of any incidents. The new digital system also contributes to NIE Networks’ sustainability goals, including the reduction of paper usage by 96,000 sheets per year.

Emily Boyd, Team Lead, GIS Technician (East Region), NIE Networks said: “The number one priority in NIE Networks is to improve safety around the electricity network – and that’s why the new ArcGIS solution is so important. It is helping to ensure people are better informed of the locations of high voltage cables, so it’s critical for us to be able to do this in a timely and efficient manner. What’s more, staff can see where jobs are being done and, if a cable is accidentally damaged, they can instantly access the customer information and respond more quickly to restore the service.”

Philip McLaughlin, Senior Account Manager, Esri Ireland, said: “NIE Networks provides a critical service for the continued health and safety of Northern Ireland’s citizens. Our technology enables the organisation to generate and distribute crucial maps quickly and efficiently, ensuring building works and projects can commence or continue uninterrupted and with the most up-to-date data. This service will be particularly important for preventing power outages in the colder winter months amid increased potential for adverse weather.”

See more stories here.

Harvey, the legal infrastructure for law firms and in-house teams, today officially opened its Dublin office at Riverside 2, Sir John Rogerson’s Quay. The company plans to grow its Dublin team to more than 40 employees over the next two years, marking a significant long-term investment in Ireland’s AI and business talent ecosystem.

Harvey first announced its intention to establish a Dublin presence in January, with plans to create 20 roles in its first year. The company has since made its first two hires across its people and finance teams, with additional roles currently open on its legal and sales teams.

The Dublin office will serve as Harvey’s EMEA G&A hub, supporting a rapidly expanding customer base across the region. Approximately 30% of Harvey’s 1,000+ global customers are based in EMEA, including leading global and Irish law firms and enterprises such as A&L Goodbody, Arthur Cox, Maples Group, Mason Hayes & Curran, McCann FitzGerald, Beauchamps LLP, Philip Lee LLP, and Kingspan Group.

The new location places Harvey in close proximity to many of these customers and at the heart of Dublin’s established technology and professional services community.

Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke said: “Harvey’s expansion highlights Ireland’s growing influence in the global AI landscape. This investment reflects the momentum within Ireland’s AI ecosystem and the significant opportunity it presents for high-value job creation and innovation. Harvey’s decision to establish its EMEA G&A hub here reinforces Ireland’s reputation as a competitive location for companies developing and deploying advanced AI technologies with global impact.”

“Today marks an important milestone in our European growth,” said Winston Weinberg, CEO and co-founder of Harvey. “We’re proud to partner with many of Ireland’s leading firms and enterprises, and establishing a permanent presence in Dublin allows us to deepen those relationships while continuing to scale across EMEA. Ireland’s strong technology ecosystem and access to exceptional talent make it the right place for us to invest for the long term.”

Katie Burke, Chief Operating Officer at Harvey, added: “Dublin has a deep pool of experienced, internationally minded professionals across key operational functions. Having previously built teams here, I’ve seen the quality of talent firsthand. As we expand our operational footprint in EMEA, Ireland provides the expertise and infrastructure to help us scale effectively and sustainably.”

Michael Lohan, CEO of IDA Ireland, said: ‘I am delighted that Harvey is strengthening their footprint in Ireland with this new office and their plans to expand their workforce to 40 employees in Dublin. AI is a key focus area for IDA Ireland, and this decision by Harvey highlights Ireland’s strengths as a location for investment in innovative technology.’

Harvey leaders are hosting customers and partners at its Dublin office this week to mark the official opening and to further strengthen collaboration across the region.

The Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Technological University Dublin is launching a new public lecture series examining how technological change is shaping society, culture, and everyday life. ethics, technology and culture, (etc.)Lecture Series will commence on Thursday, 16 April 2026, with an inaugural lecture by internationally recognised design researcher Dr Rilla Khaled.

The series, convened by the Faculty of Arts and Humanities and curated by Professor Taha Yasseri, Workday Chair of Technology and Society at TU Dublin, brings together researchers, industry experts, policymakers, and the public to explore the ethical and cultural questions raised by emerging technologies.

“The pace of technological change means we urgently need spaces where people from different disciplines and from outside academia can come together to reflect on what these developments mean for society,” said Professor Yasseri. “The etc. lecture series is designed to encourage exactly that kind of thoughtful and open conversation.”

The inaugural lecture, titled “Real (talk) > True (talk): Making space for making,” by Dr Rilla Khaled, will explore how creative and design-based research fits within traditional academic systems, and why the processes behind making video games, interactive systems, and digital experiences deserve greater recognition as forms of knowledge. In doing so, the talk connects to the etc. series’ focus on ethics, technology and culture by showing how everyday digital experiences are designed, how they shape society, and why understanding the thinking behind them matters beyond academia or industry alone.

Dr Khaled is an Associate Professor in the Department of Design and Computation Arts at Concordia University in Montréal, Canada, and Director of the Technoculture, Art and Games (TAG) Research Centre. Her work explores how interactive technologies, including games and speculative digital prototypes, can improve the human condition and encourage critical reflection on technology’s role in society.

In her lecture, she will introduce the Method for Design Materialisation (MDM), a framework that documents how creative projects develop from initial ideas through to finished outcomes. By making the thinking behind design work more visible, the approach challenges traditional definitions of research while highlighting how creative practices contribute to our understanding of technology, culture, and society.

Dr Orla McDonagh, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at TU Dublin, said the initiative reflects the Faculty’s commitment to connecting academic research with wider society.

“Through the lens of ethics, technology and culture, the etc. lecture series invites speakers from different disciplines to explore some of the major questions shaping contemporary life,” she said. “At a time of rapid technological change and global transformation, the arts and humanities play a crucial role in helping society interpret, acknowledge, and handle change.”

The event will take place in the Concert Hall in the East Quad on TU Dublin’s Grangegorman Campus. It is free and open to everyone, with advance registration required.

Event details

Event: ethics, technology and culture, (etc.) Lecture Series – Inaugural Lecture

Speaker: Dr Rilla Khaled

Title: Real (talk) > True (talk): Making space for making

Date: Thursday, 16 April 2026

Time: 15:00 – 16:30

As external storage continues to push into ever-higher performance tiers, managing heat has become one of the key engineering challenges. The new ORICO X50 Thunderbolt 5 enclosure is positioned as a response to that trend, combining next-generation connectivity with a more layered approach to passive cooling.

The X50 is built around Thunderbolt 5, offering up to 80Gbps bandwidth and targeting users working with large files, including video editors and content creators. In practical terms, this puts it in the upper tier of external SSD enclosures, where sustained performance is often limited not by interface speed, but by thermals.

Focus on passive cooling

Rather than relying on active cooling, ORICO has opted for a fully fanless design, placing emphasis on heat dissipation through materials and structure.

According to the manufacturer, the X50 uses a multi-layer cooling system that includes a hydrogel-based evaporative layer, an expanded fin structure, and a CNC-machined aluminium enclosure. The aim is to improve heat transfer efficiency while keeping the device silent in operation.

The company claims that the design increases heat dissipation area significantly compared to flatter enclosures, and that the inclusion of high-grade thermal interface materials helps transfer heat away from the SSD more effectively.

Silent operation and sustained performance

One of the more practical outcomes of this approach is that the X50 operates without a fan, resulting in 0 dB noise levels. For users working in quiet environments, this is a notable advantage over some actively cooled alternatives.

ORICO states that the enclosure can maintain surface temperatures at or below 45°C under load, while avoiding thermal throttling. While exact figures may vary depending on the SSD used and workload, early reviews of the device do point to stable performance and effective passive cooling under sustained use.

Built for newer systems

The enclosure is designed primarily for newer systems that support Thunderbolt 5, although it remains backwards compatible with Thunderbolt 4 and USB4. As with most devices in this category, users will need a compatible NVMe SSD to fully realise its performance potential.

Physically, the X50 follows a familiar compact aluminium design, prioritising portability alongside performance. This makes it suitable for professionals who need high-speed storage on the move, without introducing additional noise or moving parts.

A growing trend in enclosure design

The X50 reflects a broader shift in the market, where enclosure design is becoming increasingly focused on thermal management rather than just interface speed. As SSD performance continues to scale, maintaining consistent speeds over time is becoming as important as peak throughput.

While some of ORICO’s more ambitious cooling claims will need to be put to the test, the overall direction is clear: quieter, fanless designs that aim to deliver sustained high performance without compromise.

You can find out more information about the product here: https://oricotechs.com/products/orico-x50-thunderbolt-5-enclosure.

AI has become embedded in day-to-day marketing. It sits inside ad platforms, email tools, CRMs, and reporting, whether teams actively label it as “AI” or not.

In Ireland, it shows up in small, practical ways. Search journeys look different, ad platforms suggest more, and customers often arrive with sharper questions than they used to. For agencies such as SWOT Digital, that means helping businesses adapt as AI starts to shape how people search, compare, and choose.

This is where AI Search Optimisation is starting to complement traditional SEO. The goal is no longer just rankings. It’s being the brand that gets referenced, surfaced, and cited when AI tools generate answers.

It puts more weight on clarity, credibility, and usefulness.

Search Is Starting to Feel Like an Answer Engine

SEO has never been a quick fix. It’s months of technical improvements, intent research, content planning, and earning trust. When the foundations are right, visibility tends to follow.

What’s different now is what happens before a click. More searches get answered before anyone clicks. Add in chat tools that help people compare options, and plenty of journeys now end with a shortlist, not a site visit.

That doesn’t make your website less important. Minor gaps show up quickly.

Someone lands on the page, and they shouldn’t have to guess. What do you do? Who is it for? What happens next? Brands that perform well keep it clear and specific.

Content Is Faster to Produce, but Harder to Trust

AI has made content production quicker. Drafts, outlines, rewrites, variations for social, all of that is easier than it used to be.

But there’s a trade-off. A lot of content now looks and sounds the same. Safe advice. Familiar structures. Not much that sticks.

Irish audiences tend to spot vague claims quickly, especially in competitive sectors where every business starts to sound identical. That’s why detail matters more than volume. Real examples. Local context. Clear explanations. Even acknowledging trade-offs can build trust, because it reads like someone who has actually done the work.

AI can help you move faster, but the final version still needs human judgment.

Paid Media Is Getting More Automated, so the Groundwork Matters

Most ad platforms have been leaning into automation for years. AI is accelerating that, and it’s changing what optimisation looks like in practice.

This can work well, but only if the foundations are right. When tracking is unreliable, conversions don’t fire properly, or lead quality is weak, automation can push spend towards the wrong outcome. You often only spot it after the budget has already moved.

Better outcomes tend to come from getting the core pieces aligned. A strong offer, clear copy, a landing page that answers the search intent, and measurement that matches what’s happening in the business.

Reporting Drives the Next Decision

Reporting still takes work. AI can support the reporting summary, but it doesn’t fix missing conversions, misfiring events, or gaps in setup.

When analytics and CRM don’t agree, teams lose time questioning the numbers instead of using them.

What helps most is alignment. What counts as a good lead? What counts as success? Which actions matter? When a team agrees on those basics, reporting becomes useful again.

Customer Experience Is Where AI Becomes Tangible

This is where AI can make a noticeable difference for Irish businesses. Faster responses, cleaner triage, better routing, more consistent follow-ups.

It can also backfire quickly.

Speed matters, but people still want a person for awkward, sensitive, or high-value issues. If the chat keeps sending them in circles, they leave frustrated and less likely to return.

The best setups tend to stay simple. Let AI handle straightforward queries, then make escalation clear and easy.

Governance Is No Longer “Someone Else’s Job”

As AI tools spread, data handling becomes part of marketing work. What gets pasted into tools. What files get uploaded. Where outputs get stored. Who can access them later?

Handle customer data with care. If you wouldn’t send it to the wrong person by email, don’t paste it into a tool.

A short set of internal guidelines is usually enough. It reduces mistakes and helps keep personal information out of places it should not be.

The Real Skills Shift Is Judgement

The real edge is judgment: knowing what to keep, what to discard, and what needs checking.

AI can generate words, but it won’t take responsibility for the outcome.

Good teams use AI like an assistant. It’s useful for getting a first draft down, testing a couple of angles, or tightening a paragraph. The final edit still needs a person, especially where accuracy and tone are concerned.

What to Prioritise

Many buyers now arrive with a shortlist already in mind, often from a quick summary, a comparison, or reviews. That means your message needs to be clear and your claims need to be easy to back up, wherever people first find you.

If your results feel less consistent week to week, you’re not the only one. Search is changing, ad platforms are automating more, and customers are using a mix of tools as they research.

AI can help speed up admin and early drafts. But the important parts still need ownership: measurement you trust, clear messaging, and content with real detail.

Tools will keep changing. Clarity, proof, and an easy next step still matter.

Guest post by Anne-Maartje Oud, who is author of WHAT TO DO IF…? How to Handle Any Situation at Work and Come Out Winning published by Kogan Page, priced £12.99

Presentations might feel like your worst nightmare. You are not the only one, many people recognise this feeling. Here are some practical tips to help you present with greater ease.

• Preparation is key

Know what you want to say before you start. Use a clear structure and tools like a PowerPoint, notes or cue cards if needed. Summarise your message in one clear sentence so you know exactly what you want people to take away.

What to do when presentations make you nervous

Practise it out loud: in your car, in front of a mirror or with others. You can record yourself on video and watch it back, so you can observe your behaviour and hear how you come across. Pay attention to what you do: do you rush, avoid eye contact or lose your structure?

Understand your audience: what they know, what they need and what matters to them. As I always say: “Before you begin to share, make sure you know who is there.”

• Nerves are ok

Feeling nervous is natural, normal and it’s fine. The question is whether it takes over your behaviour.

Organise yourself so you can find some calm. That can be simple: wear something you feel good in, look at the room and take a moment to arrive. Breathing can also help you calm your body. Take a deep breath in, then slowly exhale (a cathartic exhale) letting the air flow out like a soft whistle. This helps reduce stress.

• Use your nonverbal communication

Many people don’t know what to do with their hands. You then see two patterns: hands disappear (behind the back or in pockets) or they start moving without purpose.

Keep your hands visible and use them to emphasise key points. If you don’t know what to do, let them rest naturally at your sides or keep them action ready (as if you are holding a box of chocolate).

Your posture, eye contact and voice determine how you come across. If you stand upright, take space and face the room, people stay with you. If you look past people or only at your slides, they disconnect, so use eye contact. If your voice is calm and clear, people can follow you. If you rush, speak too softly or flatten your tone, they stop listening.

• Be in the moment

During a presentation, stay in the moment and don’t get caught up in what you’ve said or what you might forget. You are the only one who knows your full presentation, so if you leave something out, no one will notice. Additionally, don’t get distracted by looking at your audience. They might seem busy with their phones, but they could actually be taking notes.

• Engage people actively

If you feel like you are stuck, you can always engage with others. Ask a simple question or invite a reaction to bring the focus back into the room, for example: “How do you see this?” It gives you time to think and shows that the presentation is not just yours. It also helps you see where people are, so you can adjust your message if needed.

Conclusion

There are many things to choose from when it comes to calming yourself down. Find what works best for you and what helps you feel relaxed.

If you prepare your message, organise your behaviour and stay aware of what happens in the room, you give yourself a strong foundation to feel more in control and come across with confidence.

Anne-Maartje Oud is author of WHAT TO DO IF…? How to Handle Any Situation at Work and Come Out Winning published by Kogan Page, priced £12.99

See more breaking stories here.

By Selva Ozelli Esq, CPA Author of Sustainably Investing in Digital Assets Globally

On April  29, 2018, I wrote about Ethereum’s (ETH) decentralized nature [quoting a crypto industry founder Dr. Emin Gun Sirer] which qualified ETH as a commodity for US law purposes.    The regulatory uncertainty, regarding whether ETH [and other digital assets] is classified as securities or commodities, has historically been a primary barrier to institutional capital adoption since it created legal risks, complicated custody, and hampered compliance, causing investors to hold back in investing.

Why Ethereum’s (ETH) has finally evolved into a commodity

To remove a major cloud over whether the second most traded digital asset ETH after Bitcoin (BTC) was a  security or a commodity on June 14, 2018, former the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) Director of Corporation Finance William Hinman suggested that ETH in its current decentralized state did not constitute a security, providing temporary regulatory clarity on its legal classification as a commodity.

Litigation to Determine ETH’s Legal Classification

Nevertheless, in the absence of authoritative regulatory certainty from the SEC or the  Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), lawsuits challenged whether ETH [and other digital assets] was a regulated security or a commodity.

NYAG vs. KuCoin (2023): The New York Attorney General (NYAG) filed a lawsuit against crypto trading platform KuCoin a major global cryptocurrency exchange serving over 40 million users in more than 200 countries with a massive selection of over 1,000 digital assets and extensive feature set, including spot, futures, margin trading, and automated bots, alleging it failed to register as a broker-dealer and, in a landmark claim, that ETH is a security under the Martin Act (New York’s anti-fraud law).

SEC vs. Lido/Rocket Pool (2024) Developers: In 2024, the SEC took significant legal action involving Lido and Rocket Pool by filing a lawsuit against their primary distribution partner,  While not targeting ETH itself, the SEC charged developers of liquid staking protocols (stETH/rETH) with selling unregistered securities, highlighting regulatory concern over staking services.

In February 2025, under new leadership, the SEC dropped its lawsuit.  On August 5, 2025, the SEC issued a staff statement clarifying that  liquid staking activities generally do not involve the offer and sale of securities. The SEC now views liquid staking providers as performing “administrative” or “ministerial” functions rather than “managerial” work, meaning they act merely as agents for the depositors.  While general staking is deemed ministerial, “staking receipt tokens” (liquid staking) are considered securities if the underlying asset is a security. The potential for a “staked-as-standard” approach could boost Ethereum’s utility, particularly if the Clarity Act leads to tighter regulations or caps on stablecoin yields.

Consensys vs. SEC (2024): Consensys sued the SEC, challenging its authority to investigate or regulate ETH, arguing that the SEC’s efforts to label it a security are a “regulatory overreach”. This was triggered by a Wells Notice regarding MetaMask. The SEC notified Consensys that it would close its investigation into Ethereum 2.0, deciding not to bring an enforcement action alleging that ETH is a security.

CFTC v. Ikkurty (2024) ETH, BTC, OHM and Klima were ruled to be commodities under the Commodity Exchange Act. This decision, part of a fraud case, provided significant legal precedent backing the CFTC’s authority over crypto spot markets, distinguishing it from security classification.

The SEC & CFTC Issued Clarity on Digital Asset Classification & Regulation

Eight years after I wrote my article concerning the classification of ETH for US law purposes, on March 17, 2026, the SEC and  CFTC finally issued a landmark joint interpretation providing the most comprehensive regulatory clarity for digital assets to date resolving the  uncertainty surrounding ETH [and other digital assets], with U.S. regulators formally classifying it as a commodity, overcoming the primary barrier to institutional adoption that existed in 2018.

The guidance marked a shift from “regulation by enforcement” to a principles-based framework, explicitly stating that most digital assets are not themselves securities.  This  provided regulatory clarity, placing these digital assets under the jurisdiction of the CFTC as opposed to the SEC, allowing them to be listed on designated contract markets for derivatives trading.

The CFTC has indicated a willingness to treat tokens as commodities if they are truly decentralized and not managed by a central party. The agencies define a decentralized system as one that “functions and operates autonomously with no person, entity, or group of persons or entities having operational, economic, or voting control”.  The framework acknowledges that tokens initially sold as part of an investment contract (security) can transition into a digital commodity once the network becomes sufficiently decentralized or functional.

Digital Commodities: Digital assets intrinsically linked to a functional system are commodities with 16 digital assets classified as commodities that represent a significant shift from previous stances that often treated many of these digital assets as securities.

As of late March 2026, these 16 tokens collectively represent approximately 78% to 80% of the total cryptocurrency market capitalization.  As of early 2026, there are over 37 million unique cryptocurrencies and digital tokens created, according to The Motley Fool. However, only about 10,000 to 17,000 are considered active or actively tracked on major platforms like CoinGecko, with a high percentage of the total being inactive, scams, or “dead coins”.  The vast majority of this share is held by BTC and ETH, which together account for nearly 70% of the entire market. The remaining 14 tokens contribute a combined share of roughly 8% to 10%.

1. Bitcoin (BTC)
2. Ethereum (ETH)
3. Solana (SOL)
4. XRP (XRP)
5. Cardano (ADA)
6. Chainlink (LINK)
7. Avalanche (AVAX)
8. Polkadot (DOT)
9. Hedera (HBAR)
10. Litecoin (LTC)
11. Dogecoin (DOGE)
12. Shiba Inu (SHIB)
13. Tezos (XTZ)
14. Bitcoin Cash (BCH)
15. Aptos (APT)
16. Stellar (XLM)

Based on the landmark interpretative guidance issued by the SEC and CFTC on March 17, 2026, native tokens that are intrinsically linked to a functional, decentralized crypto system—such as those used for “gas” (transaction fees) or governance—generally do not meet the definition of an investment contract under the Howey test and are not securities.

Xin Yan, Co-Founder and CEO of Sign, said “The global impact of SEC and CFTC instituting a landmark joint regulatory framework is a positive one. It gives a green light to trillions of institutional capital that’s been sitting on the sidelines. I can see a lot of projects moving past the “Wild West” phase.”

Digital Collectibles: The U.S. SEC under Chairman Paul Atkins has clarified that most NFTs and digital collectibles are not considered securities, treating them instead as digital goods purchased for consumption or collection, similar to physical baseball cards. These assets, including digital art and meme coins, derive value from their own utility or demand rather than the managerial efforts of others, moving away from previous “regulation through enforcement” policies.

SEC Chair Paul Atkins stated that, unlike financial securities, these digital items are not typically investment contracts, emphasizing that their value is often driven by subjective cultural or artistic interest.  Buying an NFT is similar to buying a limited-edition print; you own the token (provenance), not the rights to the underlying artwork with the artist retaining the rights to create derivative works.  Many NFTs are created without the original artist’s permission, which constitutes copyright infringement.

The SEC’s 2026 interpretation clarifies that standard creator royalties do not, by themselves, transform a digital collectible into a security.

While most NFTs are not securities, digital collectibles that are fractionalized (providing fractional ownership in one asset) or structured with an expectation of profit from others’ managerial efforts may still be deemed securities.

Digital Tools: Assets with functional utility, such as membership tokens or digital credentials; these are not securities.

Stablecoins: Payment stablecoins issued under the GENIUS Act are excluded from the definition of a security.

The Stablecoin market capitalization hit a record $320 billion in March, with FATF’s report  quoting Chainalysis flagging that stablecoins accounted for 84% of illicit virtual asset transaction volume in 2025, often involving unhosted wallets and complex laundering techniques designed to obscure fund origins.

Xin Yan, Co-Founder and CEO of Sign—a Singapore-based firm building sovereign digital currency infrastructure—suggests that the Federal Reserve’s hesitation to issue a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) before 2031, despite 49+ CBDC global pilot projects, creates a scenario where “the Fed is not directly competing with private stablecoins, while the slow U.S. CBDC adoption means U.S. commercial banks maintain control of the financial system rather than being disintermediated by a retail CBDC and continue to dominate the domestic financial market.” Yan argues that “the world is dividing into different camps.” The CBDC vs. Stablecoin with China pushing its e-CNY (a CBDC) to enhance state control, while the U.S. leans towards pushing stablecoins to maintain dollar dominance”, a move seen as a defense against China’s potential challenge to the US-dominated payment system.

Digital Securities: Tokenized traditional financial instruments; these remain securities regardless of their on-chain format.

Safe Harbors for Blockchain Activities

The joint interpretation confirms that several foundational activities generally do not involve securities transactions:

Protocol Mining: Proof-of-work validation and mining pool participation.

Protocol Staking: Proof-of-stake validation, including custodial and liquid staking, provided service providers act in an administrative capacity.

Wrapping: Depositing assets for one-to-one redeemable tokens across chains.

Airdrops: Distributions where recipients provide no consideration (money or services) in exchange.

Coordination of Digital Asset Legislation and its impact on Tokenization

The regulatory landscape for digital assets in the United States has undergone a historic transformation, characterized by the enactment of the GENIUS Act (July 18, 2025) and a landmark joint interpretation and memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the SEC and CFTC. This shift, supported by the pending CLARITY Act, marks a definitive end to a decade of “turf wars” over digital asset jurisdiction, aims to stabilize markets, and has initiated a “re-onshoring” of crypto activity to the United States which represents the world’s largest cryptocurrency market, commanding roughly 23.6% of global crypto revenue in 2025 and will accelerate tokenization of financial markets.

Wojciech Kaszycki, CSO of BTCS SA —  (formerly Vakomtek S.A.) is a Polish technology company headquartered in Warsaw recognized as Europe’s first dedicated Digital Asset Treasury Company (DATCO) — believes “The regulatory clarity provided by the SEC and CFTC is a step in the right direction.   It  will speed up tokenization of the global financial markets  to  allow for fractional ownership of expensive, traditionally restricted world assets like private credit, real estate, and infrastructure to bring liquidity, pricing to illiquid assets. Tokenization will make investing easier, thereby helping more people build long-term financial security and share in economic growth.”

While the financial markets are navigating a period of significant volatility driven by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East  with a broader crypto market downturn during 2026, projects tied to AI and RWA tokenization has shown resilience, frequently outperforming other sectors, mirroring BlackRock CEO Larry Fink’s sentiment.

BlackRock, Inc. is the world’s largest asset manager, overseeing a record $14 trillion in assets under management (AUM) as of early 2026 that has made a significant strategic commitment to tokenized funds as of March 2026, positioning the technology as the “next generation for markets”.  In his 2026 Chairman’s Letter to Investors, CEO Larry Fink compared the current state of tokenization to the internet in 1996, arguing that it will fundamentally “update the plumbing” of the global financial system.  Fink argued that tokenization will fundamentally transform TradFi by making investing faster, cheaper, and more accessible, directly impacting how ownership is recorded and traded.

Selva Ozelli Esq, CPA is an international digital asset legal  expert  and author of Sustainably Investing in Digital Assets Globally.  Her  writings are translated into 45 languages and republished in over 200 global publications.  She is recognized as an expert media/TV commentator on global digital asset regulation. tax and technology matters.

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When we think of the Irish language and children, we think of summers spent in the Gaeltacht. Those summers spent in the Gaeltacht are about to get a modern makeover as our children and grandchildren interact with the latest cutting edge AI technology.

As AI is now becoming one of the main tools used by business, it has come as no surprise that the Irish government is backing it. The Irish government is going all in on the AI revolution and is the first government in the world to back AI being used in a country’s native language, starting in the Gaeltacht.

The Government AI initiative has been 5 years in development and is going to be launched by Dara Calleary, Minister for Social Protection; and Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, when the dail resumes after the Easter break. A government source told Irish Tech News that after 5 years in formalising and planning this initiative, the time is right to launch it.

The source also told us that the government was waiting until AI technology including LLM’s was at the stage it is at now, before they could introduce it. Another problem that had to be overcome was getting the AI to understand various Irish accents and dialects. A Kerry accent or a Northern accent such as one from Monaghan is vastly different than say a Dublin 4 accent.

Irish AI in the Gaeltacht

The new initiative dubbed Artificial Irish (AI) is going to have a trial run in the Gaeltacht in the summer. If the trial run is successful, it will get a nationwide launch next year.

The aim of the initiative is to promote STEM and the tech sector to junior cert and leaving cert school kids who are also Gaeilgeoirí. The trial run this summer will be run in various Irish Colleges in the Gaeltacht, and if it is successful, the aim is to add it to the national curriculum.

Barney O’Blarney the chairperson of Gaeilgeoir Forever which promotes Gaelic in a modern Ireland was full of praise for what the government is doing. “It’s a wonderful idea that will be big news all over the world.” O’Blarney added “The first country in the world to promote the use of AI in the country’s native language is s something to be proud of.”

As you will know Irish Tech News has been actively backing AI in some of our podcasts and some of the articles we publish. The new government AI initiative is something we whole heartedly applaud and we look forward to covering it in further detail after the official launch.

In the meantime keep listening to our podcasts and reading our articles on the Irish Tech News podcast as we showcase the latest in Irish and world tech news.

See more stories here.

Research Ireland has announced €4.4 million to support 46 fellowships across all disciplines under its Enterprise Fellowship programme. This co-funded programme enables researchers to gain experience beyond academic settings through defined research collaborations, while providing enterprise partners with access to academic knowledge and skills relevant to their interests.

Dr Diarmuid O’Brien, CEO of Research Ireland, commented:

“The high level of participation in the Research Ireland Enterprise Fellowship programme illustrates a strong appetite across disciplines and sectors for meaningful collaboration between academia and enterprise. This investment supports the mobility and development of research talent by giving researchers experience across both academic and enterprise settings, and enabling the flow of knowledge and skills in both directions. Through these awards, we are supporting the development of solutions to real-world challenges while strengthening connections across Ireland’s research and innovation ecosystem. This is delivering on our recently launched strategy’s ambition to grow Ireland’s talent base, economy, and society.”

The 2025 programme was delivered through two streams – a Partnership stream, and a Placement stream – each designed to support different modes of research in collaboration with enterprise partners.

The Partnership stream supports researchers to undertake full-time research in an eligible research body while working in close partnership with enterprise. 15 proposals were awarded under the partnership stream, with a total investment of €1.3 million.

Some of this year’s Partnership stream awardees include:

Loriane Murphy (South East Technological University), who will work with Green Restoration Ireland Cooperative Society Ltd. to assess the health of Irish peatlands through analysing soil biodiversity, supporting improved restoration efforts and sustainable land management practices;

De Van Vo (University of Limerick), who will work with Eli Lilly & Co to co-design interactive simulations that support inclusive, inquiry-based STEAM education in post-primary schools;

Tess McCann (University College Dublin), who will work with Fighting Blindness to study the mechanisms that lead to retinal regeneration, supporting the future development of therapies for vision loss.

Under the Placement stream, 31 awards were made, representing a total investment of €3.1 million. The placement stream enables researchers to pursue research on placement with enterprise partners worldwide.

Some of this year’s Placement stream awardees include:

Conall McNamara (Trinity College Dublin), who will work with SMBC Aviation Capital to assess the policy, economic and environmental impacts of sustainable aviation fuels, supporting evidence-based pathways to low-carbon aviation;

Andrew McGeever (Atlantic Technological University), who will work with Orreco Ltd. to assess how factors such as sleep, competition and sex-specific differences influence recovery and inflammation biomarkers in athletes, improving understanding of injury risk;

Grace Colley (Dublin City University), who will work with AstraZeneca to use AI to identify and prioritise digital biomarkers to support personalised cancer treatment;

Ehren Dixon (Tyndall National Institute), who will work with Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI) to improve biosensor performance diagnostics, supporting the development of reliable sensors across environmental, healthcare and industrial settings;

Cydney Thompson (Maynooth University), who will work with HIV Ireland to develop a community-led national archive shaped and governed by people impacted by the ongoing HIV and AIDS epidemic in Ireland.

Forty distinct enterprise partners are supporting this year’s awardees, and span small, medium and large enterprises, both indigenous and international, as well as not-for-profit bodies and charities.

The 46 awardees stem from 13 institutions nationwide: Atlantic Technological University (1), Dublin City University (5), Maynooth University (3), RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences (4), South East Technological University (2), Teagasc (1), Technological University Dublin (2), Trinity College Dublin (5), Tyndall National Institute (2), University College Cork (3), University College Dublin (11), University of Galway (5), University of Limerick (2).

See more stories here.

More than 100 women in business from Longford, Leitrim and Westmeath gathered in the Castle Varagh Hotel, Castlepollard, to celebrate International Women’s Day 2026 at an event hosted by the Local Enterprise Offices.

Organised jointly by the three Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs), the event highlighted the role of small businesses in local life and the value of taking part in shared events, developing peer networks and seeking support at the right time. Attendees were encouraged to make full use of the mentoring, training and advisory services available through their Local Enterprise Office.

Longford was strongly represented by guest speaker Áine Farrell of Áine’s Fashion & Lingerie, who delivered an insightful talk on her business journey. She spoke about the realities of growth, the need for firm foundations and the importance of teamwork and adaptability in a changing retail landscape.

The event opened with MC Allyson English of The Mody Collective, who welcomed attendees and introduced An Cathaoirleach, Cllr Aoife Davitt, Westmeath County Council.

A panel discussion and dedicated networking session followed. The event closed with prizes sponsored by each of the three Local Enterprise Offices, celebrating some of the region’s most dynamic small businesses. The tri-county gathering also marked the conclusion of Local Enterprise Week 2026.

Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council, Cllr Garry Murtagh, said, “It is encouraging to see so many women in business from across three counties coming together. Events like this help people make useful contacts, share practical advice and build confidence. Our Local Enterprise Office plays a central role in community life, and this gathering shows the strong talent and commitment that exists right across the region.”

Chief Executive of Longford County Council, Paddy Mahon, said, “Our Local Enterprise Offices are here to help businesses start well, scale well and stay resilient. Events like this bring people together, strengthen local enterprise and shine a light on the hard work being carried out in every town and village. I want to thank all those who took part in this event and encourage businesses to reach out to their Local Enterprise Office to explore the supports available.”

Attendees are invited to save the date for the next Women in Business event, which will take place in County Leitrim on Thursday, 21 May 2026, with further details to follow.

Why choice, not change, will define the future of payments, according to Conor Langford, Visa Country Manager, Ireland

Not so long ago, a wallet was a worn piece of leather in your pocket. Then it moved to your phone. Now, it’s evolving again – becoming smarter, more useful and more closely tuned to everyday life.

Over the coming decade, your wallet will likely change significantly and probably won’t just store payment cards and loyalty points. It could help you decide how to use them – on your terms. With tokenised assets, AI assistance, and programmable money, you will have more control over how you pay, save and move value.

More than a single technology, the most important shift will be choice. Less “one-size-fits-all” finance and more “fit-for-you” finance.

Smarter, faster, more personal

Think of AI as your personal financial concierge. In the next few years, many people may have some form of intelligent digital assistant that suggests the most sensible way to pay and helps them manage finances with minimal effort.
You decide the rules – how much you’re comfortable spending, which accounts and cards to prioritise, and what to block entirely. The technology does the heavy lifting in the background, within the boundaries you set.

Day-to-day, that might mean your AI assistant recommends your debit account for groceries, a rewards card for travel, or a stablecoin for a cross-border payment. Most of the complexity stays hidden, but you have a clear view of what is happening and the ability to override it.

And because these wallets are connected to trusted verification networks, every transaction can be checked in real time. That helps reduce fraud, protects you from fraudulent tokens and makes it easier to trust the services you use.
Instant payments, everywhere

Across Europe, instant payments have already moved from ‘nice to have’ to ‘expected’ in many situations. Over the next decade, that will spread across more banks, more markets and more everyday use cases, until waiting days for a transfer feels as old-fashioned as sending a cheque in the post.

Alongside this, stablecoins – digital currencies backed by traditional money – are emerging as another way to move value quickly – especially across borders. When combined with existing rails and clear rules, they can remove some hidden charges and delays that frustrate both consumers and businesses today.

For a designer in Galway working for a client in New York, or a small business in Waterford selling to customers in São Paulo, being paid almost instantly and using that money the same day will increasingly become the norm. The technology to deliver this exists today – the next step is to scale it, safely and consistently.

The rise of tokenised value

Tokenisation sounds technical, but the idea is simple: representing different types of value in digital form, so they are easier and more secure to move and manage.

Across the next decade, a typical wallet could hold much more than money. It could include small shares of property, digital bonds, cultural assets or carbon and energy-related credits. With a few taps, people could shift between these, or between currencies and rewards, depending on their needs at that moment.

Identity will likely move in this direction. Instead of repeatedly sharing the same documents, you could be able to carry tokenised credentials in your wallet – to prove you are over 18, a subscriber, or otherwise eligible for a service – without revealing everything about yourself each time.

Ownership models could change as well. Instead of buying a car or house outright, people in a neighbourhood might co-own tokenised shares in a vehicle fleet or a local development, giving more people a practical way to participate and invest.

Borderless by design

Europe is built on movement: of people, goods, services and ideas. Payments are catching up with that reality.

As instant payments, stablecoins and tokenised assets mature, day-to-day commerce will feel more naturally cross-border. Small businesses will find it easier to sell outside their home market and get paid quickly, without needing a complex patchwork of local arrangements. At the same time, they’ll still be able to rely on established networks to help with regulation, compliance and fraud risk.

Card networks, account-to-account payments, wallets and other new forms of money – all of this will converge. When that happens, consumers gain more options in how they pay and manage their money, and small businesses gain more options in how they grow.

Faster, fairer, more connected infrastructure

Imagine infrastructure projects in Ireland could run faster and more smoothly, not just with greater trust from the public, but in ways communities can directly benefit from. By the next decade, everyone from pension funds to retail investors to residents affected by a scheme could invest in local projects through tokenised infrastructure bonds held in their everyday wallets.

Housing, transport, energy – all kinds and sizes of projects could be run with much greater efficiency and transparency for end users. Complex public sector supply chains could be instantly navigated by stablecoins, while smart contracts automate milestone payments to contractors, reducing admin, cutting down on disputes and making it easier to see where public money is going.

It is not just the investment; it is purchasing raw materials and even attracting the right talent, without FX fees or settlement delays on cross?border contracts. Even choices over how to power a project could flow through to people at home via tokenised green energy upgrades, allowing households to see and share in the benefits.

The wallet of the future is already taking shape

Rather than a super-app that does everything, the wallet of the future will likely be a network of services and agents that work well together: secure, intelligent and tailored to the person using them.

In that landscape, Visa’s role is not to pick winners among technologies. It is to help make sure that, as new forms of money and value emerge, people and businesses can access them safely, across borders and across platforms. That means delivering access, security and interoperability – no matter how the world pays.

By the next decade, wallets will be faster, safer and more flexible, built around people and giving them real choice in how they earn, spend and move value in their daily lives. And the biggest shift won’t be the interface, but the idea itself: from a static app in the palm of your hand to an always?on, trusted assistant that manages your financial life in a distinctly personal way.

Back in 2020 I had John Brady CEO and Co-Founder of Bowsy on the Irish Tech News podcast. John had just launched Bowsy during Covid and since then Bowsy has grown and are launching a new service powered by AI. John is back on the podcast to talk about what’s happened since we last spoke and the new AI powered service launching in April..

John talks about apprenticeships, careers advice,  remote working, AI, more women in stem and more.

More about Bowsy:

Bowsy is an AI-powered talent assessment and early careers platform that helps organisations identify, assess and recruit high-potential talent more effectively. Our platform combines AI-driven profiling with real-world project assessments to improve hiring decisions across graduate recruitment, early careers programmes and specialised workforce assessments such as driver capability.based on real-world business challenges.

Bowsy helps organisations move beyond traditional CV screening and recruitment channels by providing a data-driven approach to identifying candidate potential, motivation and role fit.

See more podcasts here.

As clocks spring forward, bringing longer and brighter days, Pinergy, the energy transition company, is encouraging Irish businesses to consider whether solar could help reduce energy costs and improve long-term resilience against the backdrop of a volatile energy market.

According to Pinergy’s latest ‘Energy Sustainability Research Study’ conducted in collaboration with iReach Insights, cost savings remain the main reason businesses invest in sustainability measures. The extended daylight hours offer an opportunity for businesses to maximise their energy independence and drive down costs.

With solar and battery technology becoming more widely available and more efficient, Pinergy advises enterprises to think strategically about converting sunlight into a long-term asset.

Daire Keating, Chief Commercial Officer at Pinergy, said: “The longer days are a seasonal prompt for businesses to look again at their energy use and whether solar and batteries could make financial sense for them. Our research shows that cost remains the main driver, but many businesses are still unsure where to start. We partner with our clients in understanding their business needs and subsequent energy demand.  By checking the practical requirements early and exploring finance options businesses are well positioned to make the process much more straightforward.”

Daire Keating shares his top tips below for those considering solar for their business:

Tip 1: Treat Solar as a Long-Term Infrastructure Investment

Solar is often seen first as a sustainability measure, but we need to shift that perspective and view it as a crucial piece of business infrastructure. A well-designed solar system is a strategic asset offering a 20-25 year energy hedge and can help reduce exposure to energy price volatility over the long term, while offering predictable savings and a measurable return on investment. The typical payback is anywhere between 2-6 years, so a great use of precious capital.  Pinergy’s research identified cost efficiencies as the overwhelmingly top driver (68%) for businesses investing in sustainable initiatives. Taking a strategic view of infrastructure investment will enable businesses to align their cost motivations with long term operational efficiencies.

Tip 2: Know Your Energy Consumption Inside Out

Before installing solar, businesses need to understand how and when they use electricity. Optimal solar installations are precisely matched to your daytime electricity demand, so reviewing consumption patterns in advance is essential. This foresight prevents costly oversizing and ensures maximum financial viability.

Pinergy’s Energy Sustainability Research Study highlights an existing energy monitoring gap.  While 46% of businesses actively monitor their energy use, 25% only check it when the bill arrives and 29% say they do not meaningfully monitor it at all. This means many businesses have work to do to fully understand their consumption patterns before installing solar systems.  Our market leading data insight tool, Acutrace, has been an invaluable asset for our clients in arriving at the right decision point for them.

Tip 3: Proactively Check Grid Connection & Compliance Requirements

Installing commercial solar and batteries involves more than fitting panels to a roof. Businesses in conjunction with their energy partners should assess grid connection requirements and capacity, potential export limits, and all necessary safety and building regulations. Addressing these critical factors, from fire safety and structural integrity to electrical compliance, during the feasibility stage prevents delays and safeguards your long-term investment.

Tip 4: Plan for Sustained Performance

A solar system is a 25-year asset, so maintenance and monitoring matter. Its true value comes from consistent performance over its lifetime. Businesses with a plan in place from the outset are well positioned to track system performance and deal quickly with any issues that could affect output. Our proactive approach in conjunction with our clients protects their financial return, and ensures any underperformance is caught and corrected quickly, rather than going unnoticed and eroding your savings. Pinergy’s research found a concerning ‘Sustainability Leadership Vacuum’, with 28% of businesses confirming no single individual or department is formally responsible for driving energy management and sustainability initiatives. That lack of ownership & data can make it harder to get the full value from an energy investment over time.

Tip 5: Explore the Various Funding Options Available

Upfront cost remains a barrier for many businesses, even where the long-term case is strong. Pinergy’s Energy Sustainability Research Study found that 42% of businesses cite upfront investment as the biggest hurdle to energy efficiency measures, while 29% point to difficulties securing finance or capital. Businesses can reach out to our team of Energy Consultants to understand the range of funding options available and what will best suit their needs. There is a wide range of options now available to businesses from our solar-as-a-service pricing models, power purchase agreements right through to green financing packages now on the market.  

See more stories here.

More than 700 primary school students from across County Longford transformed St. Mary’s Community Campus, in Edgeworthstown, into a hub of innovation on Tuesday, 24 March, as they presented their cutting-edge STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) projects at the annual Longford Microsoft Dream Space Showcase.

A series of awards were presented across all three Municipal Districts, and this year’s overall Rising Star award was presented to St Mary’s NS, Edgeworthstown, for their unique project ‘Coding to Communicate.’ The students used their newly acquired coding skills to help communicate with non-verbal classmates and children with Autism.

This year’s Microsoft Dream Space Showcase event also welcomed some of the most prestigious and respected names in the industry, including Ericsson, MTU Cork, EY, KPMG, Storm Technologies and Global Logic. Their presence underscored the high regard and esteem in which this pioneering event is held.

The Ambassador of Hungary to Ireland, Gergely Bánhegyi, was one of the special guests on the day as part of a series of cultural events and collaborative projects linking County Longford with Hungary as part of Ireland’s EU Presidency community engagement programme.

YouTube star Farmer Phil was also in attendance, and he visited a number of agricultural-related projects on the day with children from primary schools all over the county, delighted to meet the social media influencer.

Longford’s Microsoft Dream Space Showcase is the culmination of months of engagement with primary schools in County Longford, which included the delivery of hands-on STEAM sessions by the Microsoft Dream Space teaching team as part of a 10-week Dream Space programme. The programme provided students with the opportunity to enhance their STEM and AI skills through the development of innovative STEM projects addressing sustainability challenges.

Over a 10-week period, students worked with their teachers, Longford County Council’s STEM Engagement Officer, Siobhan Grealy, and Microsoft’s teaching team to develop the STEAM and coding skills they needed for their projects. These newly acquired skills were then put into action by developing an innovative project addressing various challenges related to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

The students celebrated their learnings and presented their projects at the Microsoft Dream Space Showcase event. Now in its fourth year, this initiative provides an opportunity for primary school children to enhance their STEM and AI skills through immersive experiences that help unlock their full potential, while also showing them the possibilities of a future career in the STEM sector. Ultimately, it is hoped that this will lead to all County Longford secondary schools offering computer science as a Leaving Certificate subject.

The collaboration with Microsoft, empowering local schools to participate in the Microsoft Dream Space Showcase, builds on a series of targeted interventions in the area of STEAM education spearheaded by Longford County Council.

Funding received by Longford County Council from the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the EU Just Transition Fund Programme 2021-2027 has been invested into local schools with a focus on accelerating interest and engagement in Computer Science and STEAM-related subjects as students transition from primary to post-primary level.

The ongoing support of primary school teachers throughout County Longford has been vital to the success of the programme while thanks was also extended to secondary school teachers who acted as adjudicators on the day.

Creative Ireland is also funding the building blocks of creativity for this project.

Chief Executive of Longford County Council, Paddy Mahon, said, “What we witnessed at this year’s Microsoft Dream Space Showcase event exceeded every expectation. Longford County Council’s commitment to pioneering STEAM education has created something extraordinary. We’re not just preparing students for future careers; we’re cultivating the problem-solvers who will reshape our world. The council’s leadership in this space has positioned Longford as a beacon for educational innovation across Ireland.”

Longford County Council Cathaoirleach Cllr Garry Murtagh said:

“It was truly inspiring to see the energy and creativity of the students taking part in this year’s Microsoft Dream Space Showcase. This innovative programme, spearheaded by Longford County Council, is helping to create the leaders and innovators of our future. When you see ten-year-old children developing coding skills to solve real-life problems, you know this is something really special. The aim is to see the students continue to nurture these skills into second level and beyond, and ultimately this programme will act as a pipeline into industry, all right here in the Midlands.”

Amanda Jolliffe, Microsoft Ireland’s Dream Space Lead, celebrated the partnership’s impact, saying:

“The energy and creativity on display at Longford’s Microsoft Dream Space Showcase 2026 was truly inspiring. Since launching Dream Space in 2018, we’ve reached over 500,000 students across the country, and events like the Longford Microsoft Dream Space Showcase are a testament to our ongoing commitment to working in partnership with local councils, schools, and industry to provide the opportunity for students in communities across the country to develop their STEM and AI skills.

“It has been a privilege to work with Longford County Council on this initiative for a fourth year, and to see the tangible impact that strong public–private collaboration can deliver. The quality and creativity of the student projects on display speak for themselves, underlining the role initiatives like this play in building confidence, curiosity and long?term ambition among the next generation of STEM leaders.”

The Microsoft Dream Space Showcase continues to build momentum towards its ultimate goal of ensuring all County Longford secondary schools offer Computer Science as a Leaving Certificate subject, creating a seamless pathway for students to advance their technological capabilities.

Overall Rising Star Award: St Mary’s NS, Edgeworthstown: Coding to Communicate

For further information, visit Longfordcoco.ie or follow Longford County Council on social media.

Geotab, a global leader in connected vehicle solutions, has announced the launch of its integrated solution for Hyundai vehicles across Europe. By leveraging OEM-embedded telematics already built into supported Hyundai models, data is transmitted seamlessly to the MyGeotab platform without the need to retrofit any additional hardware. This integrated approach offers a significant cost advantage by eliminating aftermarket equipment and installation expenses.

The collaboration allows fleets to manage their entire portfolio of Hyundai vehicles—including internal combustion engines (ICE) and electric vehicles (EV)—within a single, unified environment. By harmonising native vehicle data with Geotab’s advanced analytics, managers of mixed fleets gain a consolidated view of their operations to drive more informed business decisions.

Key Advantages for Fleet Managers:

Proactive Maintenance & Uptime: Monitoring of engine health, including oil pressure, coolant temperatures, and specific DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) status, prevents costly breakdowns.

Near Real Time GPS: Newer Hyundai vehicles will be able to transmit GPS every 10 seconds (older vehicles will send data at ignition on/off)

Precision Safety Management: Managers can now track driver and passenger seatbelt usage, airbag deployment, ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) forward vehicle distance, hood status and door locks to ensure a safer working environment.

Comprehensive Tire Intelligence: Beyond basic alerts, fleets receive specific tire pressure readings and status indicators for every wheel, significantly improving fuel efficiency and safety.

Future-Ready EV Insights: For electric fleets, the solution tracks state of charge, charging states (AC/DC), and battery cell temperatures, allowing for optimized route planning based on “time to fully charged” metrics.

This deep integration allows fleet managers to transition from reactive monitoring to proactive optimization by leveraging high-resolution insights directly from Hyundai’s factory-fitted sensors.

“Adding Hyundai to our OEM partner network strengthens the breadth of manufacturers European fleet operators can manage through a single platform,” said Christoph Ludewig, Vice President of OEM, EMEA at Geotab. “Our partnership with Hyundai provides our customers with instant access to high-quality vehicle data, from precision safety metrics to critical battery insights. By removing the barriers of hardware installation, we are helping fleets improve their operational efficiency and safety while simplifying the transition to an electrified future.”

 “Our collaboration with Geotab brings Hyundai fleets a seamless, hardware-free telematics experience that turns factory-fitted data services and connectivity into tangible value. From 10-second GPS to predictive maintenance and deep EV insights, operators gain a clearer, faster and more actionable view of their vehicles — all activated remotely and ready to scale.” added Marcus Welz, CEO Hyundai Connected Mobility

The Geotab Integrated Solution for Hyundai is available across more than 40 European markets, including Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Norway, Sweden, and Ireland, among others.

For more information, visit https://www.geotab.com/ie/oem-telematics/

See more stories here.

Guest post by Sophie Jane Lee is a voice and visibility consultant, journalist, founder of Electric Peach, and the author of Beyond Palatable: A Manifesto for Unapologetic Women out now, published by Luath Press

Why I Walked Away from Corporate Marketing, Beyond Palatable explained

For ten years, I worked inside the engine room of modern marketing.

Major brands. High-pressure agency environments. Campaigns built to move people at scale, at speed, and often at all costs. By every conventional measure, it was going well.

Then I started paying closer attention to what I was actually doing.

The Persuasion Machine

Marketing has always been about persuasion. That’s not new. What is new is the sophistication and the subtlety with which that persuasion now operates.

It’s no longer just about selling a product. It’s about shaping identity, manufacturing desire, and engineering the feeling that something is missing from your life until you buy the thing that fills it. I know this because I was part of building the persuasion machine. After a while, it started to consume my life.

The people I worked with in corporate weren’t bad actors. Most were sharp, motivated, and genuinely trying to do good work. But the system itself has one primary directive: growth at all costs. When commercial outcomes take precedence over everything else, the gap between influence and ethics closes.

When the Career Works But the Work Doesn’t

From the outside, my career looked enviably good. I climbed the agency ladder fast, had recognisable clients and a skill set that the market rewards well. But there was a persistent internal question I kept pushing aside: Do I actually believe in what I’m doing?

That’s a harder question to sit with than most people will admit, particularly in environments where pace is celebrated, which often leads to no time for reflection.

Over time, I became increasingly disconnected and exhausted, reaching for anything that would ‘take the edge off’. I was miserable, despite having done everything ‘right’ to build the career I thought I desired.

It all came to a head one day in spring 2017, when I had one of those sliding-door moments that changed the trajectory of my entire career.

I met a woman through a networking group, hit it off, and bonded over our shared belief that the marketing industry needs reform, and decided to start our own agency together to use communication tools to grow businesses committed to positive impact.

That summer, I quit my corporate career and started Electric Peach, a brand storytelling agency for impact-driven businesses.

What Leaving Actually Costs You

Stepping away from corporate culture isn’t just a career decision; it’s a psychological one. It’s deeply entwined with identity, and for me, the transition was extremely rocky. Who was I without the flashy title and well-known brand clients? How on earth do I run a business, particularly one that is committed to doing things differently, with no blueprint?

If you choose to make this leap, you’re not only leaving behind structure and a guaranteed salary. You’re leaving a system that has been defining success for you—progression, status, external validation—and stepping into a space where you have to define it yourself.

That’s genuinely uncomfortable. For me, it meant sitting with some blunt questions:

• What does meaningful work actually look like?
• What should communication be for?
• And what kind of impact do I want my work to have?

Building Electric Peach

Electric Peach was my answer to those questions. Not a rejection of business or growth, but a different approach to both.

The core principle is straightforward: communication should create clarity, not confusion. It should build trust, not manufacture dependency. And it should respect the audience, not exploit them.

In practice, that means working with founders to articulate what they genuinely stand for, building messaging that’s honest rather than over-engineered, and creating visibility that’s sustainable, not just a content treadmill dressed up as a strategy.

This isn’t anti-commercial, in fact commercial outcomes are essential. But businesses that adopt this methodology refuse to treat integrity as a variable. Our mission with Electric Peach is to prove that purpose and profit can, and should, coincide. And we’ve worked with incredible businesses worldwide who’ve done just that.

The ‘Too Idealistic’ Objection

There’s a persistent assumption that value-led businesses trade commercial effectiveness for good intentions. That they’re slower, softer and less competitive. The evidence suggests otherwise.

Purpose-driven businesses, which prioritise positive societal impact alongside profit, outperform traditional companies in growth and innovation. Data shows these companies experience higher revenue growth (+58%), 30% higher innovation rates, and 64% higher employee satisfaction. Furthermore, 63% of consumers prefer buying from companies with strong values.

In a market saturated with polished content and algorithmic noise, what’s becoming genuinely scarce is credibility. Today’s buyers, particularly in B2B and tech, are more sceptical than ever. They can read a manufactured brand voice. They’re resistant to pressure tactics. And they’re increasingly drawn to founders and companies that communicate like actual human beings and live by their values.

Value-led isn’t a softer strategy. It’s frequently a sharper one.

A Shift That’s Already Underway

Look at what’s gaining traction across marketing right now. The old playbook, which focuses on scarcity, urgency, and frictionless conversion at any cost, is losing effectiveness. What’s replacing it is a demand for transparency, substance, and genuine connection.

This goes far beyond sentiment and is an essential strategy for businesses navigating growth in the so-called ‘trust recession.’

In an attention economy, trust is the differentiating asset. And trust isn’t something you manufacture through better tactics. It has to be built through consistent, honest communication over time.

Ireland’s tech sector, for all its sophistication, still tends to optimise for growth metrics while underinvesting in the foundations that make growth sustainable. That’s starting to change. But there’s a real opportunity for founders and marketers who see it early to step in and lead the charge.

The Skills Aren’t the Problem

One of the most clarifying realisations of the last few years is that everything I learned in corporate environments is still useful. Understanding audiences. Shaping narratives. Communicating with precision and clarity. These are powerful capabilities.

The same skills that drive high-pressure sales funnels can be used to help people make better decisions, amplify genuinely meaningful work, and build businesses that hold up under scrutiny. And there’s a gap in the market for this perspective.

We’re in the middle of a gradual, uneven, but undeniable shift toward a business model that has to account for impact, ethics, and long-term value alongside traditional growth metrics,

For those of us working in marketing, communications, or tech, that raises a question worth sitting with: Not just what are we building? But what impact are we creating in the process?

Sophie Jane Lee is a voice and visibility consultant, journalist, founder of Electric Peach, and the author of Beyond Palatable: A Manifesto for Unapologetic Women out now, published by Luath Press

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Irish small and medium enterprises (SMEs) lost almost €19 million (€18.9m) over the past two years through email-related scams, according to new figures published today by FraudSMART, the fraud awareness initiative led by Banking & Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI). The figures come as Tánaiste Simon Harris launches a new FraudSMART SME fraud awareness campaign, in partnership with ISME and business owner and TV personality Brendan Courtney.

Invoice redirection and CEO impersonation scams remain top threats to businesses

Speaking on today’s launch and outlining the types of scams targeted at SMEs, Niamh Davenport, Head of Financial Crime, BPFI, commented:

“The scale of email-related scams targeting Irish SMEs is deeply concerning, with FraudSMART members seeing average losses of over €22,000 per incident. The majority of cases we are seeing are invoice-redirection scams, which often start with, what appears to be, a legitimate email from a supplier known to the business, but which has been hacked or closely copied by fraudsters.

They usually don’t request any payment up front but claim to have moved to a new bank account and ask for their payment details to be updated on the system for future invoices. When a legitimate invoice is issued by the supplier at a later date, the business ends up paying it into the ‘new account’ controlled by the fraudster. CEO impersonation scams, while not as prevalent, can be even more deceptive, where fraudsters impersonate a company’s senior executive in order to convince an employee to disclose sensitive information or make an unauthorised financial transaction.”

More than two-thirds of SMEs have been targeted with scams in the last 12 months, but less than half have any fraud awareness guidelines and training programmes in place for employees

Ms Davenport added: “According to a recent survey we conducted with ISME, 67% of SMEs say they’ve been targeted by a financial scam in the last 12 months, while 78% have received an unexpected or urgent request that raised suspicion. Most attempted scams are coming through email (88.4%), as well as phone calls (51.2%) and text messages (48.8%). Increasingly, fraudsters combine these channels – for example, following up an email with a phone call or text message – to create a greater sense of urgency and legitimacy.”

“Reassuringly, the majority (80%) of businesses who have received unexpected or urgent requests report taking actions to independently verify the requests before taking any action – for example, by contacting the person or organisation who has sent the request using a phone number or email address already on file, rather than using the contact details in the message received. However, of concern is that more than half (53%) of businesses report not having fraud awareness guidelines and training in place for employees, leaving their business exposed.”

Neil McDonnell, CEO of ISME, added:

“These findings are a stark reminder that fraud is now a day?to?day business risk for SMEs. More than three-quarters (77%) of ISME members who took part in the survey believe that financial fraud is a moderate or serious threat to their business. Falling victim to scams is not only financially damaging but can also fundamentally undermine trust within a business.

Employees, in particular, are often the ones targeted by fraudsters and therefore need to be supported to play a key role in fraud prevention. The good news is that prevention doesn’t have to be complicated. Putting in place simple controls such as verifying any change to supplier bank details, introducing dual approval for higher?value payments, and making sure every member of staff knows the warning signs can make a real difference.

I would encourage all SMEs to put regular fraud training in place for their workforce. FraudSMART also provides a free guide with information and tips on business fraud, and that’s a good place to start.”

Tánaiste Simon Harris launches FraudSMART SME fraud awareness campaign, run in partnership with ISME and business owner and TV presenter, Brendan Courtney

The latest findings come as FraudSMART launches a new SME fraud awareness campaign, being run in partnership with ISME and business owner and TV presenter, Brendan Courtney. The campaign is spotlighting the latest scams being targeted at businesses and offering practical fraud prevention tips through a series of social media videos over the coming days.

Speaking at the launch of the campaign, Tánaiste Simon Harris commented:

“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, accounting for more than two-thirds of business employment in Ireland, according to the CSO. Over 92% of SMEs are what we call micro enterprises, employing less than 10 people, and while these businesses demonstrate remarkable resilience in the face of global uncertainty, unfortunately, they are often the most vulnerable to business-related fraud because they often have fewer resources and lower financial buffers to withstand losses.

It is vitally important that business owners and employees are aware of the risks that fraudsters pose and put the necessary measures in place. I welcome this FraudSMART campaign, which gives practical, free advice to help SMEs protect their money, their data and their reputation.”

Susan Russell, President, BPFI and Chief Executive of the Retail Ireland division of Bank of Ireland Group, concluded:

“Fraud is an evolving threat for businesses of every size, and it increasingly relies on deception as much as technology, creating urgency to try to bypass routine processes.

The strongest protection is to treat fraud prevention as a core part of running a business and to build a culture where staff feel confident to pause, check and challenge anything that does not look right. FraudSMART is supporting businesses with practical, impartial information on the latest scams and how to guard against them, and I encourage SMEs to visit FraudSMART.ie for guidance and resources.”

FraudSMART tips to protect your business:

—  Policies and procedures: Ensure a verification process is in place for requests to change supplier bank account details.

—  Dual authorisation: Require two people from the business to approve any third-party payment electronically.

––  Fraud awareness and training: Ensure staff are given appropriate training on email-related fraud / phishing emails.

—  Invoice checking: Review invoices thoroughly and ensure there are no irregularities.

—  Updated operating systems: Ensure that the latest updates for your computer and mobile operating systems are up-to-date, and set them to automatically update

—  Think before you post: Avoid sharing too much personal information on social media.

Further information is available at FraudSMART.ie. Businesses can also download a free copy of the FraudSMART ‘Protect your business from fraud’ guide.

HyperPath, a recent spin-out from Tyndall National Institute, based at University College Cork, is addressing one of today’s biggest mobility challenges: ensuring reliable, always-on wireless connectivity for systems on the move.

HyperPath was founded on pioneering research conducted within Tyndall’s Wireless Communications Laboratory by Dr Kariem Fahmi and Professor Holger Claussen, which solves the problem of continuous connectivity through an AI-powered software platform that seamlessly fuses and orchestrates multiple unreliable wireless networks into a single ultra-reliable connection.

As cars and autonomous systems become more connected, uninterrupted communication is essential for safety and operational efficiency. However, current networks have limitations, such as cellular coverage gaps, satellite line-of-sight issues, and high costs, which can lead to service interruptions, safety risks, and reduced performance.

HyperPath removes reliance on any single network, providing a stronger and more resilient connection:

—  For automotive manufacturers: Always-on connectivity to support advanced vehicle features, autonomy, and safety systems across urban, rural, and remote environments.

—  For satellite and virtual network operators: New opportunities to deliver hybrid services that combine satellite and terrestrial networks.

The development of HyperPath’s technology was supported through an Enterprise Ireland–funded Commercialisation Fund project, which enabled the team to translate their research into a market-ready solution. HyperPath also benefitted from Enterprise Ireland’s Business Partners Programme and has secured Pre-Seed Start Fund investment, providing crucial support as the company moves into the next phase of growth.

With this foundation in place, HyperPath is now entering a growth phase that will see the expansion of its engineering and commercial teams. The company’s plans for high-value job creation will contribute to Ireland’s growing deep-tech and semiconductor-adjacent ecosystem, adding further momentum to the region’s reputation as a hub for advanced connectivity and mobility technologies.

Dr Patrick Morrissey, Director of Innovation and Industry Engagement, Tyndall, said: “HyperPath represents the type of innovative, high-impact software company that complements and reinforces Ireland’s rapidly scaling semiconductor ecosystem. Its success showcases the Semiconductor Strategy, Silicon Island, in practice, and aligns with Tyndall’s mission to support companies that add capability, depth, and competitiveness to Ireland’s national semiconductor landscape.”

Professor Holger Claussen, Head of Tyndall’s Wireless Communications Laboratory and Professor of Wireless Communications at University College Cork and Trinity College Dublin, said: “With HyperPath, we solved the very hard technical problem to efficiently combine multiple unreliable wireless networks into an ultra-reliable and highly efficient link. We approach the theoretical maximum bonding performance, which currently no other existing link-bonding solution can do with variable wireless links.”

Ger Mc Namara, CEO, HyperPath, said: “We are at a pivotal point in time for resilient, on-the-move wireless connectivity, be it autonomous vehicles, mobile robotics, drone operations or emergency services. The challenges and business impacts associated with single wireless network use can no longer be tolerated. HyperPath is leading the way in delivering AI-optimised, resilient wireless hybrid connectivity”

The Dublin Smartphone Film Festival (DubSmartFF) returns for its 9th year on April 11th, 2026, at The Pearse Centre, bringing together Ireland’s most distinctive and daring mobile filmmakers under one roof, and this year, the programme has something to say.

Headlining the 2026 festival is the Irish premiere of Once Was Too Much, a new documentary from Dublin director Ray Hegarty that offers an unflinching window into the activism of Flames Not Flowers, a Dublin-based feminist collective dedicated to raising awareness of Gender-Based Domestic Violence and honouring the women who have lost their lives to it in Ireland.

“We’ve always believed that mobile filmmaking democratises storytelling,” says Festival Director Robert Fitzhugh. “This year, Once Was Too Much is the embodiment of that belief. These are Irish stories, Irish women, and a Dublin filmmaker using the most accessible tool available to give them a voice. That’s exactly what this festival exists to amplify.”

The 2026 programme also includes the European Premiere of Squashbox, the award-winning short documentary from acclaimed South African filmmaker SJ Van Breda. The film, shot entirely on mobile devices across KwaZulu-Natal and Ireland, tells the story of SAMA-winning Maskandi duo Qadasi & Maqhinga, and made its world premiere at the Sydney Opera House in January, where it took home five major awards. Its European debut in Dublin is a testament to the global reach of mobile cinema.

Now in its 9th year, DubSmartFF remains Ireland’s only international film festival dedicated exclusively to mobile filmmaking. The 2026 programme features over 25 short films across categories, including Best Documentary, Animation, Music Video, and more

Dublin Smartphone Film Festival Event Details

• The Pearse Centre, Dublin
• April 11th, 2026
• 12 pm – 5 pm
• Tickets from €16 — www.dublinsmartphonefilmfestival.com

Cryptocurrency: for iGaming in the Republic of Ireland

Cryptocurrencies have finally crossed into the financial mainstream, with numerous industries now considering them to be a legitimate payment option. The online gaming sector was an early adopter of crypto, bringing them into the equation alongside other options such as debit cards and digital wallets. Established iGaming markets such as the Republic of Ireland offer an excellent insight into how crypto has become firmly embedded in the sector.

Crypto Payments and the Evolution of iGaming

Ireland is a renowned gambling market worth around $1.5 billion. Its success has been built on a willingness to embrace innovative technological developments. Many of the reputable platforms listed on Casino.com Ireland offer players the opportunity to make deposits and withdrawals via crypto. The recognised its speed and cross-border relevance.

Crypto transactions are faster than traditional bank transfers handled by Irish legacy institutions, typically being processed within a few minutes. Operational costs are also lower. Privacy is another key reason why players and operators have adopted crypto payments. Crypto allows players to transact without sharing extensive, personal or financial details. Blockchain technology can be also used to prove that online casino games are fair, giving users much greater confidence in the game outcomes they experience.

True Digital Ownership and the Rise of In-Game Economies

The concept of true ownership of crypto in gaming has been a serious topic of debate for the industry in Ireland and the rest of the world. Developers generally control all in-game items, such as skins, weapons, outfits and other collectables. This model never sat well with players who invested time and money to assemble assets but never truly owned them.

Blockchain technology has changed that dynamic. Through tokenisation and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), players can now trade, own and sell their in-game items across different marketplaces.  The widespread use of blockchain technology has given rise to player-driven economies in which virtual goods have real-world value.

According to Grand View Research, global gaming revenue will grow from $184 billion in 2024 to a projected $205bn this year.  In-game purchases covering microtransactions, downloadable content, battle passes and subscriptions are projected to contribute to 61 percent of that total in 2026.

Crypto enables these trades in an actual, open, tradable financial ecosystem. It appeals to the younger, digitally-versed audience who want flexibility and control. Players can now monetise their time and assets with crypto, transforming the gaming experience into something remarkably more.

Play-to-Earn Models and New Incentive Structures

The emergence of crypto has introduced entirely new gaming models, the most popular of which is play-to-earn (P2E). They are unlike traditional games, where rewards are based on in-game progression. The P2E model allows players to earn cryptocurrencies or tokens that carry real-world value. This model gained traction recently, with millions of users participating in blockchain-based games.

The market was projected to achieve a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 21.3% and reach an estimated market size of $1110.88 million by the end of last year. It has found a particular niche in emerging markets, providing a dual-purpose experience. Players are gaming for entertainment and income.

The P2E model encourages players to play for longer periods. Developers also benefit. Embedding the token economy helps build an ecosystem where users contribute to growth, creating a feedback loop as more players drive more value, which then attracts more participants. P2E is still taking shape, but it is prompting a serious rethink of expectations about what gaming can offer.

Interoperability of the Metaverse, Community Governance and Decentralised Gaming Models

Interoperability is another key reason for crypto’s popularity in gaming. Assets earned on one platform can be used on a different game, unlike in traditional gaming. Blockchain makes the ecosystem more connected as players can carry their assets, identities or currencies across different games and virtual environments.

This interoperability is a core tenet of the metaverse, where gaming worlds are interconnected. The shift is still in its early stages, but momentum is building.  Crypto is also changing the way games run. Developers previously controlled updates, economies and rules. It was an effective model, but it neglected players.

Blockchain introduces decentralised governance through tokens and Decentralised Autonomous Organisations. Players can now vote on updates, economic changes and development priorities. This power makes players more vested in the game and its success, fostering engagement and a sense of community.  Gamers now expect more transparency and participation. They are increasingly more vocal, and crypto is a tool for wielding that influence.

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Guinness Enterprise Centre (GEC), Ireland’s entrepreneurial superhub, has announced that it has invested €50M in growing and enriching Ireland’s largest start-up campus since it was founded 25 years ago. This investment has benefited 1,500 start-ups and makes the Guinness Enterprise Centre the largest non-state investor in facilities for early-stage start-ups in Ireland.

Guinness Enterprise Centre is a non-profit organisation, founded in 2000 by Diageo, Furthr (formerly Dublin BIC), Dublin City Council, Enterprise Ireland, Local Enterprise Office Dublin City and the Guinness Workers Enterprise Fund. Once a warehouse attached to the famous Guinness brewery in Dublin’s Liberties, the Guinness Enterprise Centre now encompasses a five-storey campus, hosting 160 start-ups who benefit from a vibrant ecosystem that provides access to investors, mentors, events and scaling programmes.

The organisation reinvests all revenues into this ecosystem and its facility. In doing so, it has supported start-ups like video game development studio, Black Shamrock, which now employs almost 140 on site at Guinness Enterprise Centre. Other success stories include Astatine, which last year signed an €800M partnership with Aviva Investors to develop a renewables platform, and Circle Internet Group, a Goldman Sachs-backed payments technology company.

Revenues at the Guinness Enterprise Centre reached almost €2.56M last year. The non-profit expects to exceed €3M in revenues in 2026 and by 2030, it expects to reach annual revenues of €4M. Over the next five years, the Guinness Enterprise Centre expects to reinvest €18M in revenues in its campus.

Income is primarily generated through office and co-working space fees, which are kept below market rates to reduce barriers to entry for start-ups. Additional income is generated through conference and event space rentals, further supporting the Guinness Enterprise Centre’s mission to support early-stage companies.

Niamh Collins, Centre Director, Guinness Enterprise Centre, said: “Since the beginning, every euro we have generated has been reinvested back into our ecosystem. When a company pays rent here, they’re not just securing desk space; they’re funding the mentor network, the investor connections, and the programmes that will benefit them, along with future generations of entrepreneurs walking through our doors. This has a compounding impact and underlines why our non-profit status is so important to Ireland’s start-up ecosystem. By tying our own success to the success of our start-ups, we breed more success.”

David Varian, Chairperson, Guinness Enterprise Centre, said: “Few European start-up campuses can point to a comparable level of long-term, self-financed reinvestment, and that distinction matters enormously in an era where entrepreneurial infrastructure is increasingly commercialised or state-dependent. What we have built is genuinely rare: a self-sustaining model that has weathered multiple economic cycles – the dot-com crash, the financial crisis, Brexit, a pandemic – while never wavering from our core mission.

“Twenty-five years ago, Ireland had little formal start-up infrastructure and entrepreneurs often had to look abroad for resources and credibility. Today, Ireland is exporting start-ups globally, and the Guinness Enterprise Centre has been instrumental in that transformation.”

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With under two weeks left to go before the deadline for application, women entrepreneurs across Ireland are being urged to ‘back themselves’ and apply to Visa’s She’s Next programme for a chance to win one of five grants together with mentorship and resources to help their business thrive.

Applications for Visa’s She’s Next Grant Programme will close on April 9th, providing five small Irish businesses with a total of €90,000 in business funding together with expert coaching from some of Ireland’s most respected businesswomen, Aimee Connolly (founder and CEO, Sculpted by Aimee), Breege O’Donoghue (former board member, Primark) and Gráinne Mullins (founder, Grá Chocolates).

Ines Obtinalla, Head of Marketing, Ireland at Visa, said: “While progress has been made, women entrepreneurs in Ireland are still facing barriers to funding and mentorship. Visa backs small businesses with big ambitions, and this programme will deliver the resources and expertise to power our five winners’ next steps.”

2026 Visa She’s Next – What Winners Receive

—  Four women entrepreneurs will each receive €10,000; one overall winner will receive €50,000
—  All winners will receive mentoring from three of Ireland’s leading businesswomen: Aimee Connolly, Breege O’Donoghue and Gráinne Mullins
—  Individual and group pitch preparation sessions
—  Access to ongoing supports available through Visa’s She’s Next alumni network

How to apply

Visa’s She’s Next Grant Programme is open to small businesses and organisations in the Republic of Ireland that are majority owned by women, operating across all industries and sectors. To enter, applicants are asked to complete a short submission on visa.ie/shesnext by 9th April 2026.

To date, Visa’s She’s Next Grant Programme has awarded €215,000 in funding and coaching to 20 women entrepreneurs in Ireland to help them take their next business step. Last year’s winners were:

—  €50,000 grant recipient & overall winner; Claire Fullam – Remi Scalp Care
—  Marian Kennedy – Anewmum
—  Sinéad Ryan – Little Fitness
—  Denise Walsh – Curly Co
—  Lisa Kleiner – Nibbed Cacao

In this interview we catch up with serial innovator Andrew Sheehan, to learn more about his latest interesting venture SustainabilityExamples, see more about it here.

Who are we talking to? Is it a logical journey to what you are working on now?

My name is Andrew Sheehan, and my background spans accounting, marketing, and product. I originally trained and qualified as an accountant in 2013, but moved into marketing early in my career and have since spent nearly 20 years in marketing leadership roles across Ireland, the US, and the UK.

More recently, I worked as a fractional CMO and product marketing consultant for scaling technology companies through my (now dormant) consultancy, ProductMarketing.ie. Through that work, I found myself increasingly drawn to purpose-driven and climate-focused businesses – seeing both the ambition they had and the challenges they faced in communicating and executing on that ambition.

SustainabilityExamples with Andrew Sheehan

The idea for SustainabilityExamples.com started back in 2021, when I kept coming back to the same question: why is it so hard for companies to see what good looks like in practice…and which solutions can actually help them get there?

After several years of hands-on experience implementing a sustainability strategy with a previous employer, combined with working closely with GreenTech and other purpose-driven companies, that question turned into a clear opportunity.

What are you working on now?

I launched SustainabilityExamples.com in 2025 to help close that gap – making real-world climate action more visible, accessible, and easier to adopt and learn from. Since launching, we’ve already helped over 100 companies share their sustainability journey (progress, not perfection) while also showcasing the solutions enabling that progress. That’s been incredibly rewarding and reinforces that this is a problem worth solving.

As a qualified accountant in addition to 20 years of marketing experience, I recently went back to the classroom to study corporate sustainability before leaving my job and pivoting fully into the world of climate entrepreneurship to bring a rare blend of marketing strategy and storytelling to drive progress in this space through SustainabilityExamples.com.

What is SustainabilityExamples.com?

SustainabilityExamples.com is a corporate sustainability engagement platform – think of it as the “Product Hunt for Sustainability”. The place to launch and discover examples of solutions and initiatives driving real progress, every day. At it’s core, it’s about making sustainability action visible, adoptable, and commercially rewarding.

We’re primarily speaking to founders and operators building GreenTech and CleanTech companies, as well as sustainability leaders driving the sustainability strategy inside mid-to-large organisations. They’re all trying to answer the same questions: “What are other companies doing, who are they doing it with…and is it working?”
The journey to building SustainabilityExamples.com came from seeing how fragmented and siloed that process is. Companies don’t lack intent…they lack visibility into credible, verified and real-world examples they can trust and act on.

We also recognise how terrifying it is for companies to openly talk about their progress out of fear of greenwashing and beyond. Companies can communicate with confidence among like-minded peers and stakeholders who value progress over perfection while instilling trust on the platform through built in verification and accountability tools.

What are you currently working on now?

Right now, we’re focused on growing the platforms ecosystem – one companies solution is another companies initiative: Increasing the volume of high-quality corporate initiatives and case studies of solutions being shared for business leaders to learn from, champion, and adopt. Improving discovery features so business leaders can quickly find relevant, actionable examples of initiatives and case studies to implement in their own sustainability strategies.

Building lightweight recognition mechanisms that commercially rewards companies for taking action
Constantly improving the performance dashboard companies use when logged in to show them the correlation between doing good and making a profit with key performance indicators. At the same time, we’re refining the business model. We want to make it easy for companies taking action to gain visibility and recognition while keeping the core learning experience free and accessible for those visiting the platform across the globe on a daily basis.

Tell us about the action gap?

The action gap is the space between intention and execution.

Most companies today, particularly SMEs, want to take climate action for various reasons, but they get stuck at the starting line – unsure what initiatives are credible, what credentials are worthwhile getting, what solutions actually work, or how others in their industry have done it.

In addition, the ESG topic is enormous and intimidating – not to mention the many abbreviations, 100 page reports, and the fear of greenwashing. The result is delay, over-research, or inaction. SustainabilityExamples.com closes that gap by showing what’s already been done so companies can move from ambition to implementation much faster. Busy professionals just want examples of what works.

What is the commercial gap?

Being sustainable needs to make commercial sense. SustainabilityExamples.com was designed to accelerate the commercial gains for companies taking action. The commercial gap is the disconnect between companies taking real sustainability action and the immediate recognition or business value they receive for it. By making these actions visible and solutions discoverable, we help turn sustainability into a competitive advantage – driving more sales, brand equity, and customer trust. Customer trust will form the evolution of SustainabilityExamples.com 2.0

How are you flipping the Sustainability Strategy Model?

Traditionally, companies start with a strategy and then spend months searching for solutions to execute it.
We flip that model. By giving companies access to a curated set of real-world initiatives and solutions upfront, they can start with what’s already working and build their strategy around proven approaches. This reduces the time spent on research, decision-making, and procurement by an estimate 60% while increasing confidence in the outcomes and reducing the fears associated with greenwashing.

How do you link real-world action to UN SDGs?

Each example of an initiative or case study of a solution in action on the platform is mapped to relevant UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), making it easy to connect real-world actions to global frameworks.
This allows companies to align their efforts with widely recognised standards while also improving the user experience for those that want to search for examples of initiatives and solutions by SDG.

Tell us about the growth of the platform in year 1

In our first year, we’ve seen strong organic growth internationally. The platform has about 7k active users championing and adopting progress from the 110+ companies sharing real-world examples of their impact. This has generated nearly 200 leads and collaborations to-date in addition to brand exposure where the conversation is being had.

Companies like Croke Park, The Guinness Enterprise Centre, and Levy Ireland are increasingly using the platform to share their progress while innovative solutions like Positive Carbon, Greentally.ai, and KINTO join are using to showcase their solutions. What’s been most encouraging is that we have companies from all over the world sharing examples, most notably in Ireland, UK, Netherlands, France and Germany. These companies are getting global exposure from users in nearly every continent in the world.

We’ve also made really exciting strategic partnerships with great networks and membership bodies like Business for Biodiversity Ireland, The Sustainable Tourism Network, The Climate Cocktail Club, and more. The company has been making money since month 2 with a strong MRR, ARR and adoption of our upselling mechanisms.

How do you plan to get funding?

We’re currently focused on building a strong foundation through our early revenue streams, and organic growth through our inbuilt networking effects, referrals, and dominance on search platforms and Large Language Models. As the platform scales, we see funding as a way to further develop the gamification features we already have in place to encourage more companies to share their progress and users to engage with this progress.
The long-term vision is to become the go-to discovery layer for corporate sustainability, and we’ll explore funding options that help us because the Trip Advisor for Sustainability while maintaining the integrity of the platform.

How can people learn more?

You can explore real-world initiatives and solutions, or launch your own, at SustainabilityExamples.com.
We’re always looking for companies to share what they’re doing and for leaders who want to learn from others.

What are your sources of information and inspiration?

A lot of our inspiration comes directly from observing how companies currently approach sustainability – where they get stuck, how they research, and what slows them down. We also draw from the broader startup and product ecosystem, particularly platforms that have successfully made complex / siloed information personal, discoverable and actionable like Intercom, Product Hunt, Trustpilot to name a few.

Anything else we should have asked?

One important question is: “Why now?” The urgency around sustainability has never been higher, but the processes for taking action are still fragmented, inefficient and not yielding fast enough returns.
We believe the next phase is about visible impact and smarter execution. And that starts with making real-world examples visible, verified, accessible, and easy to act on.

See more interviews here.

By David Stephen

There is a recent report on NBC News, Iran fires missiles at remote U.K.-U.S. base, claiming long-range capabilities it previously denied, stating that, “Iran has fired missiles at the joint U.K.-U.S. Diego Garcia military base in the Indian Ocean, claiming the strike shows it is capable of longer-distance attacks than previously known.”

What is the impact of Iran War on AI Safety, Alignment?

“The distance of the attempted strike could indicate that Iran has capabilities for long-distance attacks that it has previously denied, with the base the same distance from Iran as much of central Europe. It is unclear, however, if the missiles carried a payload or how far such an attack could truly reach, as neither missile reached its target.”

Iran is not as powerful as the United States militarily, but in this war, Iran is showing that it has the capacity to hurt. And it is still unclear, to what extent, as the conflict ploughs on.

If Iran is able to hit specific targets in the Middle East, causing damages, losses and disruptions, it indicates that the protective coverage of a military superpower may not be as thorough, as sophisticated weapons become more ubiquitous.

There are several nations in a number of continents that the United States can hit, and they would not be able to respond in any consequential way, which may result in them surrendering early enough.

However, for Iran, that is not the case, given its military facilities and coveted geography of overseeing a chokepoint — the Strait of Hormuz.

If precision missiles are leveling up countries that should not stand a chance against a superpower, what does it mean in an era of artificial intelligence?

AI

There are lots of governments and corporations that can now build AI base models, with capabilities of all kinds — positive or otherwise. This means that all the risks that major AI companies warn about can be obtained by some AI model of some country or company, even if they do not allow access [for public use.]

So, it is possible to have private AI models [be able to] do many of the things [that are not allowed] under guardrails by the leading AI chatbots.

It means those private AIs can suggest, recommend, refer, connect dots and do so much negativity, without any regulation or outrage.

The datasets to build AI models are already public. The processors to build it are obtainable one way or the other. The architecture and deep learning libraries are public knowledge, so there is nothing that says it cannot be done, however intensive, so long the team has resources.

Now, while there is often an outcry, when some AI model is misused in public, and then adjustments follow, it does not seem like there is a need to make any AI model safe or aligned to certain values, if it will not be used in public. So, the raison d’être, for AI safety and alignment are principally business prudent.

Also, there is no safety architecture that means that an AI base model cannot be trained unless it is safe or aligned. Most safety and alignment are done, post-training.

This makes it obvious that general AI safety and alignment may not exist.

Is AI Safety and Alignment Futile?

AI is already used in war and will continue to be a tool of combat. Humans have factions. Tensions will often flare sometimes resulting in conflagrations like the Iran war.

Because there is no foundation training architecture for safety for AI, it cannot refuse to be used at war, as its decision [or its non-existent agency]. Also, there are ways to have misaligned and unsafe AI cause problems, if suddenly made accessible to the public, in some situations.

The erstwhile rush towards benchmarks and evaluations may not be as necessary, since even lower tier AI can cause substantial damage when unsafe, unaligned and used as targets for certain outcomes.

The whole AI safety interest has been largely driven commercially and now, it is shown that except some new innovation can match training with safety, track AI models that connect to the internet for certain safety marks or have advanced models seek out unsafe models, using a fresh technique that checks against those on a leaderboard, then AI safety and alignment maybe futile.

Conceptual Brain Science

The possibility for general AI safety could stem from explorations of improbable architectures, taking cues from conceptual brain science.

It is possible to look at new ways for penalty data, weakening from certain algorithms where there is no safety and then the need to have some base model time out if unconnected to the internet, where it may get vetted.

These could be established, and explored, as paths towards general AI safety and alignment, because what unsafe AIs maybe used to do between enemy nations in the coming era, could be devastating.

It is possible to underscore the approach from the postulation in Conceptual Biomarkers and Theoretical Biological Factors for Psychiatric and Intelligence Nosology.

David Stephen currently does research in conceptual brain science with focus on the electrical and chemical configurators for how they mechanize the human mind with implications for mental health, disorders, neurotechnology, consciousness, learning, artificial intelligence and nurture. He was a visiting scholar in medical entomology at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, IL. He did computer vision research at Rovira i Virgili University, Tarragona.

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refurbed, Ireland’s leading online marketplace for refurbished goods, has launched an exclusive new partnership with GoPro,  the global brand recognised for its versatile action cameras. As part of this collaboration, refurbished GoPro products will be made available exclusively via refurbed in Ireland, Denmark and Sweden.

This is refurbed’s first major consumer electronics (CE) brand partnership in the camera category, which shows the growth in demand for refurbished goods beyond smartphones and laptops. The partnership builds on a successful pilot phase, during which sales of GoPro products on refurbed increased by 195%, demonstrating strong consumer demand for high-quality refurbished cameras.

This demand was particularly evident in Ireland last year. refurbed, now marking its 5th year in Ireland, saw an increased demand for refurbished cameras among its Irish consumers in 2025.  Compared to 2024, there was a year on year growth of 329%. Refurbished devices typically cost up to 40% less than their brand-new counterparts, so customers are getting a high-quality product at a fraction of the price.

From now on, customers in Ireland, Denmark and Sweden can purchase refurbished GoPro HERO9, HERO10 and HERO11 models exclusively through refurbed. All devices originate from customer and channel returns and are professionally refurbished by GoPro and its partners. The refurbishment process includes thorough inspection, functional testing, cleaning, and quality assurance, with key components such as batteries replaced where necessary. All products meet original performance standards, including full waterproof functionality.

“With GoPro, we are expanding our offering into an exciting new product category and showing that refurbished can go far beyond smartphones,” says Kilian Kaminski, Co-Founder of refurbed. “This partnership allows us to bring highly attractive, premium products to more consumers, while making them more accessible and sustainable at the same time. It also serves as a strong example of how brands can successfully collaborate with refurbished marketplaces.” 

GoPro also emphasised the importance of the collaboration, stating: “We partnered with refurbed to make GoPro products available to more customers through a trusted refurbished marketplace, with a strong focus on quality and sustainability.” 

The partnership underlines a broader industry shift, with more leading brands embracing refurbishment as a way to extend product lifecycles and reach new customer segments.

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Waterford’s Walton Institute at South East Technological University (SETU) and IrelandQCI project consortium partners have worked with Q*Bird, the Dutch leader in quantum secure communication, to successfully deploy Ireland’s first multi-node, entanglement-based Measurement-Device-Independent Quantum Key Distribution (MDI-QKD) network.

The deployment forms part of the IrelandQCI project, the country’s national quantum communications initiative and a key contributor to EuroQCI, the EU-wide federated quantum communications infrastructure.

Operating over Ireland’s existing fibre infrastructure, the telecom-grade network transitions quantum security from research environments into live national infrastructure. It safeguards research, education and critical systems while enabling interoperable quantum connectivity across Ireland and Europe.

Importantly, it has been designed from the start with an expandable architecture in mind, so that any additional Q*Bird QKD Node can connect to the network with a single fibre link and then gain full quantum connectivity around the network.

A major milestone for Ireland’s national quantum infrastructure

‘’This multi-node deployment represents a major milestone for Ireland’s national quantum infrastructure,” said Dr Deirdre Kilbane, Director of Research at Walton Institute at SETU and Coordinator of the €10 M IrelandQCI project, which is co-funded by the European Commission and the Irish Government’s Department of Communications, Culture and Sport.

“By integrating Q*Bird’s operational MDI-QKD Falqon® Series across research institutions, data centres and national networks, we are enabling secure, interoperable quantum communication while also creating a platform for other research institutions to join. It strengthens Ireland’s sovereignty over critical communications and contributes directly to EuroQCI and Europe’s federated quantum network vision.”

The hub-and-spoke architectural network comprises of four End Nodes, one Center Hub and one Quantum Optical Switch for a scalable metropolitan deployment and uses ESB Telecoms dark fibre for the quantum communication channel. The End Nodes are located in two Dublin data centres, Dublin City University and Trinity College Dublin, while the Center Hub is hosted at Asiera (formerly HEAnet), Ireland’s National Education and Research Network.

The collaborative expertise of Walton Institute at SETU, Asiera and Q*Bird were responsible for the successful deployment of the highly secure connection between the strategic Dublin city locations. The Q*Bird Quantum-Optimized Optical Switch enables dynamic, secure routing of qubits around the network, ensuring full multi-node connectivity of QKD keys, without relying on trusted intermediaries.

Industry-grade security for research, education and critical infrastructure

At the core of the network is Q*Bird’s Falqon Series, enabling entanglement-based quantum key distribution over operational fibre networks. Detector-side exploits have been identified by security authorities, including Germany’s Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), as the most critical attack vector in earlier QKD implementations. Q*Bird’s devices completely remove the requirement to trust any measurement devices, thus establishing an architecture with a security model resilient against both present day cyber threats and future quantum-enabled attacks.

This ensures long-term cryptographic protection for sensitive research data, governmental communications and critical infrastructure systems, while addressing harvest-now-decrypt-later (HNDL) risk scenarios.

Interoperability by design, resilience by architecture

The network’s hub-and-spoke architecture of Q*Bird devices, along with the Quantum Optical Switch, enables precise synchronisation, dynamic routing and multi-node quantum key distribution. Designed for interoperability and compatibility with existing fibre infrastructure, it provides an open foundation for future integration with emerging quantum technologies such as quantum processors, sensors and modems.

“With this deployment, we continue demonstrating that secure, multi-node quantum networks are not theoretical constructs but operational systems ready for national infrastructure,” shares Dr Joshua Slater, CTO of Q*Bird. “By combining field-proven hardware with MDI-QKD protocols, we deliver infrastructure resilient against both contemporary cyber threats and future quantum attacks. With this deployment, we are fully prepared for expansion and collaboration with additional research and educational institutions.”

Towards a federated European quantum network

Dr Ingrid Romijn, CEO and Co-Founder of Q*Bird, added, “National security cannot depend on laboratory-grade assumptions. Quantum security must operate within live infrastructure, under real-world conditions. Ireland’s deployment not only reinforces Ireland’s position as a European hub for quantum secure connectivity, but also shows that scalable, sovereign and interoperable quantum networks can be implemented today over existing fibre and integrated directly into national communications infrastructure.”

“As quantum computing advances, defensive architectures must evolve accordingly. By eliminating detector vulnerabilities and enabling interoperable, cross-border quantum key distribution, we are building infrastructure that protects current communication networks and the integrity of future digital infrastructure.”

Q*Bird’s Falqon® Series has been purpose-built for operational, interoperable and sovereign quantum communications, supporting metropolitan, national and cross-border deployments. By securing Ireland’s research and education backbone and critical digital assets, this deployment positions Ireland as a key operational node within EuroQCI.

Designed, engineered and field-proven, the Q*Bird quantum network demonstrates how entanglement-based MDI-QKD can form the backbone of Europe’s future quantum secure infrastructure that is scalable, vendor-interoperable and resilient against the full spectrum of present and future threats.

With this milestone deployment, Q*Bird and Walton Institute at SETU, reinforce Ireland’s leadership in quantum secure communication and accelerate the transition from quantum research to quantum resilient infrastructure. The network delivers a future-ready and scalable foundation for expanding Ireland’s quantum connectivity, enabling new research, education and critical infrastructure partners to join the secure, interoperable ecosystem.

The second half of 2025 saw Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) under siege from persistent hacktivist groups. Threat actors such as Keymous+ and NoName057(16) maintained activity across the area, despite coordinated law enforcement operations designed to take down these groups.

According to NETSCOUT’s latest DDoS Threat Intelligence Report, over 8 million attacks were recorded globally, with 3,331,570 targeting EMEA, nearly twice as many as the next most heavily targeted region. Looking at the region in greater detail, additional findings from NETSCOUT’s report revealed:

—  The top five targeted countries in EMEA were: Germany, Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa
—  Keymous+ conducted 249 DDoS attacks between February and September 2025. India, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, France and Morocco were among the nations most affected
—  Wireless telecommunications carriers retained their position as the most frequently targeted industry by threat actors, as the attack count rose to 1.3 million, around an eight per cent increase from the previous six months
—  Only 50 per cent of EMEA attacks in this time period contained a single vector, signifying the escalation in attack complexity as multi-vector tools become more frequently employed by adversaries

Richard Hummel, director of threat intelligence at NETSCOUT, discusses how hacktivist groups and the democratisation of cyberattacks are driving attack activity in EMEA:

“During the second half of 2025, pro-Russian hacktivist groups such as NoName057(16) and Keymous+ conducted sustained and coordinated DDoS campaigns, disrupting online services across organisations in the EMEA region. These attacks coincided with holiday traffic in Western and NATO-aligned countries, and primarily targeted the government, financial services and telecommunications sectors, reinforcing these groups’ stance against nations they deem to be acting in opposition to Russia. The DDoS attack on France’s national post office in December was a prime example of how European allies of Ukraine have become systematically targeted by hacktivists.

“Further to this, AI integration into DDoS-for-hire services has been a major catalyst in democratising DDoS attacks in the region. The entry barriers for unskilled and novice actors continue to be demolished as conversational AI and illicit LLM tools are incorporated into the attack development process. By using simple language prompts, novice actors can launch sophisticated, multi-vector campaigns, with malicious LLMs like KawaiiGPT offering these services for free.

“In response, enterprises across EMEA need to maintain increased vigilance. This necessitates organisations investing in automated detection and mitigation software and having access to the most up-to-date threat intelligence to safeguard themselves and combat against evolving, persistent DDoS threats.”

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.

Studio Ulster, a world-class virtual production facility today announced the expansion of the groundbreaking studio’s team, hiring in roles across all divisions. With vacancies posted in technical, stage, and commercial roles, Studio Ulster is opening the doors to new possibilities for talented production crew in Northern Ireland.

These new roles will enable Studio Ulster to meet the growing demand of Virtual Production services, a rapidly expanding area within media production in an already thriving Northern Irish film ecosystem. The Studio’s most recent productions include ‘No Way Off’, a survivor thriller starring Maria Bakalova, David Wilmot, and Andrew Gower. No Way Off is written by Gaby Hull, and produced by Matthew James Wilkinson of the UK’s Stigma Films, and Jamie Harvey. Laura Rister is executive producer through her company Esme Grace, which is financing the film alongside Head Gear Films, Northern Ireland Screen, OnSight and Altitude. Head Gear Films packaged the project, with Phil Hunt, Compton Ross and Charlie Kemball as executive producers.

This follows the release of Titanic Sinks Tonight to critical acclaim in December, a docudrama for BBC produced by Stellify Media, the first production to shoot at the studio and one of BBC iPlayer’s most popular historical documentaries in 2025.

Studio Ulster is the result of a £72 million investment and partly funded through the Belfast Region City Deal. Developed by Ulster University in partnership with the Belfast Harbour Commission and supported by Northern Ireland Screen, the studio boasts large scale, virtual production facilities with the latest high-end equipment. It is designed to elevate the commercial studio capability for real-time visual effects across the UK and Ireland. It is one of five CoSTAR Screen Labs, part of a UK-wide initiative to lead global innovation in screen technologies all supported by £75.6 million of AHRC funding and £63 million of new industry investment.

Roles are across the Commercial, Stage, Finance, and Operations teams and include senior positions including Virtual Production Producer, Bidding Producer, Strategic Engagement Manager as well as entry and mid-level roles across operations and finance. The immediately posted roles include the following:

Strategic Engagement Manager – The Strategic Engagement Manager will provide senior level executive and project support to the CEO and executive team of Studio Ulster, a high-profile, publicly funded creative technology company and subsidiary of Ulster University. The post holder will operate as a trusted extension of the CEO’s office, supporting governance, strategic coordination, stakeholder engagement, compliance documentation and the effective execution of complex, multi-partner activity across industry, government and academia.

Virtual Production Producer – In partnership with key production, creative and technology leadership, this role creates and executes Studio Ulster and the client’s vision for Virtual Production in line with the operations teams running and maintaining Studio Ulster’s Volumes, as needed.

Bidding Producer – The Bidding Producer is responsible for supporting the Commercial team in sourcing, assessing, and winning new projects; compiling detailed proposals while balancing available resources and creative project needs.

Declan Keeney, CEO said: “This is a rare opportunity to join one of the most advanced virtual production environments anywhere in the world. Studio Ulster is not simply a workplace, it is a living, evolving creative technology ecosystem where world-class talent, cutting-edge research, and global production converge under one roof.

“Demand for our facilities and services has exceeded our ambitious forecasts. As major productions and international partners look to Northern Ireland as a destination for next-generation content creation, we are scaling rapidly. We are now expanding our team to meet that demand and to ensure Studio Ulster continues to set the benchmark for excellence in real-time production.”

Richard Williams, NI Screen added: “Northern Ireland’s screen industry continues to grow at pace, and the expansion of Studio Ulster’s team reflects the increasing global demand for the world-class talent and facilities we have here. Virtual production is opening up exciting new opportunities for local crew, and roles like these will help ensure Northern Ireland remains at the forefront of innovation in film and television production.”

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Two students from University College Dublin have been announced as winners of the third annual EirGrid CleanerGrid Competition, following an event held in Dublin.

Team members Peter McHugh and Rory Tobin from UCD’s Master’s of Energy Systems Engineering claimed first place for their data-driven model to reduce offshore wind dispatch down by optimally siting and sizing flexible energy storage systems, focusing on battery energy storage and hydrogen.

With a top prize of €12,000 (€6,000 for the winning student team and €6,000 for the student’s third-level institute), this year’s theme asked students to explore “Opportunities and challenges in accelerating offshore wind potential.”

The award was presented to the winners by a panel of expert judges – Louise O’Flanagan, Head of Asset Management and Engineering at EirGrid, James Ives, CEO of XOCEAN, Dee Kehoe, Continuous Professional Development Director at Engineers Ireland, Dr. Brendan Cahill, Programme Manager for Innovation & International Research at SEAI and Dr. David Tosh, Lecturer in Terrestrial Ecology and Course Director at Ulster University.

The CleanerGrid competition run by EirGrid, the operator and developer of Ireland’s electricity grid, aims to foster innovation and creativity by encouraging students to showcase their skills in solving critical energy challenges, with a focus on sustainability, efficiency and clean energy technologies.

Entrants were asked to present innovative, practical solutions that address both the opportunities and obstacles in developing Ireland’s offshore electricity infrastructure.

Among the ideas put forward by the three competing teams of finalists included the use of autonomous underwater vehicles and a dashboard to monitor wind turbine outages off Ireland’s coast. These teams were selected from a strong field of thirty-two submissions, involving 115 students across nine higher-level institutions.

Following the event, the students spoke positively of their experience.

“Offshore is a relatively young industry in Ireland, so to be able to learn more about it has been really interesting. We might have done a lecture or two in our course before, but we understand the landscape much better now,” said McHugh.

“We started looking at the project back in October, so we had plenty of time to think about the prompt and decide what we wanted to do.”

Tobin added, “There is a big drive to increase the number of renewables on our grid, and our project looked to address how that can be achieved successfully with offshore. I really enjoyed the process, and energy is an industry I would be interested in working in, in the future.”

Congratulating all the teams on an engaging series of presentations, EirGrid Chief Transformation, Technology and Offshore Officer Liam Ryan said, “This is our third annual CleanerGrid completion and year-on-year it is fantastic to see the projects designed by third-level students. Offshore wind has the potential for transformative opportunities for Ireland and is essential for strengthening our energy security, reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and meeting our climate targets. Bringing students and young people with us on that journey is key.

“Through our third-level institutions, these students are immersed in the latest cutting-edge innovations, and their research and fresh thinking are more valuable than ever, as we move toward delivering Government targets for a sustainable, resilient, renewable energy system. We extend our sincere thanks to everyone who participated in the competition and to the three teams who presented in today’s final.”

Version 1, the global digital transformation and technology leader with its roots in Ireland, today opens its new Dublin headquarters and AI Studio at Four Park Place, marking a defining milestone in the company’s three-decade journey to a 3,700-person, global technology organisation.

The opening, attended by Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke TD and Minister of State for Trade Promotion, AI and Digital Transformation Niamh Smyth TD, represents a significant inward investment in Ireland’s economy and positions Dublin as a global premier hub for enterprise AI innovation.

Alongside the new headquarters opening, Version 1 announced 250 new jobs across its operations. The company also recently shared plans at the UK-Ireland Summit to add 400 jobs in Northern Ireland following engagement with Invest NI. These investments underscore Version 1’s commitment to building and retaining critical AI skills locally and strengthening the competitive advantage of the markets it serves across Ireland, the United Kingdom, mainland Europe, India and North America.

The new facility goes beyond a traditional corporate headquarters. The AI Studio has been designed as a space to harness the power of technology by co-creating solutions to complex problems alongside customers from all sectors. It will also be available to schools, universities and community groups in an effort to democratise technology, reflecting the company’s view that AI must carry a social licence and be developed responsibly.

Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke TD, said:

“Version 1 is a blueprint for how Ireland creates, retains and scales world-class technology companies. This new headquarters represents significant inward investment in Ireland’s economy and talent base and cements our position as a premier hub for AI and business transformation services at a time when nations are competing for AI leadership. The creation of 250 new jobs is a strong vote of confidence in Ireland’s skilled workforce and innovation ecosystem, and I wish the team at Version 1 all the very best.”

Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation Niamh Smyth TD, said:

“Ireland’s ambition is to be at the forefront of responsible AI adoption. It is fantastic to see homegrown companies like Version 1 leading the way. Version 1’s new AI Studio demonstrates what is possible when an Irish enterprise combines deep technical expertise with a genuine commitment to community partnership and skills development. This investment will benefit not only Version 1’s global customers but also the broader Irish economy and society. I warmly welcome Version 1’s announcement of 250 new jobs, a landmark commitment to Irish talent and a powerful signal of confidence in Ireland’s growing AI ecosystem.”

Roop Singh, Chief Executive Officer of Version 1, said: “This is more than an office opening. It is a statement of intent. Thirty years ago, Version 1 was founded in Dublin with a commitment to making technology deliver extraordinary business outcomes and citizen welfare. That commitment has not changed, but the scale and ambition have. Our principal belief is that AI enhances human capability; it does not replace it. This studio is where we will prove that, working alongside our customers and communities to build AI solutions that are practical, governed and grounded in real business outcomes.”

Enterprise Ireland has worked very closely with Version 1 over a number of years to support its international growth journey.

Kevin Sherry, Executive Director, Enterprise Ireland, said:

“Version 1’s continued growth and investment in Ireland is a powerful example of an Irish company winning on the global stage. The opening of this AI Studio positions Ireland as a serious centre for AI innovation and reinforces our ability to develop and retain world-class technology talent. Supporting Irish-owned companies to achieve greater scale is a priority for Enterprise Ireland, and we are committed to supporting Irish companies on their journey to become international leaders in their field. Ambitious companies like Version 1 embody Enterprise Ireland’s mission that Irish-owned, globally focused companies will be the primary driver of our economy.”

Version 1’s approach to AI is built on four principles: that AI should enhance rather than replace human capability; that business and people-focused outcomes must come before technology choices; that co-creation with customers delivers faster, more practical results; and that organisations must prepare their people, skills and culture for AI to succeed.

Newcode is establishing a presence in Dublin as part of its international expansion, following a seed funding round of more than €5.7 million backed by Alliance VC, The LegalTech Fund and other major investors.

The company, which already has operations in Oslo, Sweden, Finland and New York, is positioning the Irish move as a significant step in growing its provision of AI-powered solutions across Europe, with plans to hire 30 people in Dublin.

Speaking about this latest development, Maged Helmy, co-founder and CEO, said: “As we expand our international footprint, we’re excited to establish our presence in Ireland, starting with 30 new hires planned in the first year as we scale and invest in one of Europe’s most dynamic technology and professional services markets. With operations already across Denmark, Oslo, Sweden, Finland, Palo Alto, and New York, Dublin is the natural next step in our growth.”

Newcode enables firms and enterprises to run intelligent, auditable, and context-aware workflows across their legal operations. The company is pitching its agentic AI platform as a digital co-worker for legal teams that sits between a firm’s systems, data and applications. Lawyers describe the workflow and define the outcome, and Newcode’s AI agents handle the reasoning and execution required to deliver the work. The company says that approach sets it apart from more conventional legal AI tools.

Agentic AI refers to autonomous systems that can think, plan, and act independently to achieve complex, multi-step goals with minimal human supervision.

Photo credit : Steven Sim

Unstoppable women. We build. We lead. We win, at Techstars Startup Weekend

By Billy Linehan

Techstars Startup Weekend Women Dublin 2026 took place from 20–22 March at Baseline Community in Dublin, bringing together more than 70 participants for an intensive 54-hour startup programme focused on building early-stage ideas. This was my first visit to Baseline Communities, an independent enterprise workspace in Dublin.

The event was opened by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Ray McAdam.

It followed the standard Techstars Startup Weekend format. Participants pitched ideas, formed teams, developed concepts with mentor support, and presented to a judging panel at the end of the weekend.

Early-Stage Ideas Focus on Real Problems

The range of ideas this year was broad but grounded in identifiable problems. Teams were working on concepts spanning electric vehicle support tools, mental health applications, ADHD support platforms, and solutions linked to local and agricultural needs.

Latifat Abisola Olagoke, working on a mental wellness application, described the value of the weekend in moving from idea to execution:

“I was excited for my idea to be selected and to have the chance to really flesh it out and pitch it.”

Dwiparna Pal, a software engineer developing a platform to connect entrepreneurs and investors, highlighted both the intensity and the energy of the format:

“There’s a lot I’m taking away from this, particularly what can be done within a short space of time. The energy here is very high.”

Mentoring and Practical Input

Mentoring plays a central role in the Startup Weekend model. Structured input over a short period allows teams to test assumptions, clarify their value proposition, and improve how they communicate their ideas. In this case, teams were generally open to challenge and willing to iterate quickly.

Participants also heard from experienced contributors across the ecosystem, such as leaders of female entrepreneurship initiatives including Máirín Murray of TechFoundHer, and Denise McQuaid of Awaken Angels.

AI, Judging and Emerging Themes

Volunteer Deirdre McCarthy observed that hackathons now face a new challenge:

“All hackathons now face the AI challenge, whereby participants can produce really impressive sounding business plans and visually appealing pitch decks. The judges challenge was to delve a little deeper to determine whether the projections were realistic and could withstand some well-informed questioning.”

In this case, the judging panel brought experience across sustainability, design, innovation and technology, which was evident in the depth and focus of the questions. The strongest teams used this process well, demonstrating domain knowledge and adding substance beyond what was presented in their initial pitches.

A number of recurring themes emerged across the weekend. Several teams addressed challenges linked to an always-on, resource-constrained environment, including burnout, ADHD support, mental and physical performance, and behavioural patterns such as impulsive spending. Others focused on structural issues such as housing constraints and overtourism.

Alongside these challenges, teams also identified new opportunities, including gender-specific health approaches, support tools for electric vehicle maintenance, and personalised, AI-enabled financial services.

Winning Teams Announced in Dublin

The winning teams reflected a mix of technical and social problem-solving.

First place went to EV Toolkit, developed by Lisa Ruttledge, Victoria Miller, Ciara Close and Claire Cui, a platform designed to support independent mechanics with the tools, data and diagnostics required to repair electric vehicles without relying on main dealerships.

Second place was awarded to Buddy Bee, a peer-support platform aimed at helping adults with ADHD achieve meaningful goals through structured accountability and community support.

Third place went to Spherio, an AI-driven platform offering personalised fitness and nutrition plans tailored to different stages of a woman’s life.

Two teams received honourable mentions. Dopamine Delay focused on addressing impulsive spending behaviours among people with ADHD, while AXXis was also recognised by the judges.

Organisers and Community Support

The event was led by Evelyn Nomayo, founder of Phase Innovate, and a volunteer organising team, supported by a wider network of mentors, speakers and ecosystem partners. Delivery was consistent with previous editions, with a clear structure and strong participant engagement over the course of the weekend.

Nomayo said the focus of the event is on creating the right conditions for early-stage founders to progress ideas:

“When women are given the space, tools and community to innovate, incredible things happen. Techstars Startup Weekend Women Dublin is about unlocking that potential, empowering women to turn ideas into startups and startups into lasting impact.”

There was a strong mix of expertise and experience across participants, alongside a clear sense of innovation and energy throughout the room.

Thanks especially to Miren Maialen McDonald, (volunteering on her third SWWD) and Deirdre McCarthy for their support.

Next Step: Global Pitch Competition

Winning teams from 29 cities, including Dublin, have been invited to take part in the Techstars Startup Weekend Women Virtual Global Pitch Competition, scheduled for 13 May 2026.

Sponsors and Partners

Techstars Startup Weekend Women Dublin is supported by organisations across Ireland’s
innovation ecosystem including: Enterprise Ireland, LEO Dublin City Council, Baseline, TechFoundHer, Guinness Enterprise Centre, Huckletree, Catalyst Noir, Awaken Angels, Agile Executives, Furthr, DiverseIn, APNI, Zile Organics and Phase Innovate.

Read about Techstars StartUp Week Women 2025

Billy Linehan

Billy Linehan writes about innovation, tech for good and entrepreneurship for Irish Tech News. He leads Celtar Advisers, working as a business mentor with SMEs and startup founders, and co-founded StartUp Ballymun, Dublin’s longest-running entrepreneurship series. He was a mentor at Techstars Startup Weekend Women Dublin 2026, mentoring seven teams, and has previously supported the event as both a mentor and a judge. In recent months he has reported from technology and innovation events in Rome, Las Vegas, Orlando and Dublin.

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Guest post by Adam Spearing, VP of AI GTM, EMEA at ServiceNow

Organisations in Europe are under pressure to adopt AI at speed, all the while operating in a highly complex and ever-changing regulatory and risk environment. Even now, the EU’s AI Act is shifting the landscape for organisations operating in the region, with Article 72 of the AI Act coming into force and creating new regulations on the monitoring of high-risk AI systems. For these organisations, scaling AI safely in this complex regulatory environment is a constant challenge. They face the risk of fragmenting systems, as well as losing visibility of how AI is used or introducing unmanaged risk.

The real opportunity is not to be found in buying new yet disconnected AI tools, but when AI is embedded directly into secure, governed workflows from the very start. For those facing regulation headaches, integrating governance tools into a workflow alongside data is becoming increasingly vital. Forward-thinking companies are even adopting a predictive approach when it comes to AI, anticipating risks and regulatory changes and mitigating them before they occur.

Building AI that lasts

Taking a more thoughtful, measured approach pays off when it comes to AI. Companies who hold back from ‘rushing in’ to AI and adopt a more thoughtful approach can actually accelerate faster over the medium to long term. Imagine it as something like an ‘AI factory’ – business leaders need to qualify which processes will benefit, assess the ‘right’ level of AI, then deploy that within governed workflows. An important part of that is ‘qualifying out’ which processes are not suitable due to AI due to factors such as risk. Having a data model and AI integrated deeply into governed workflows means that governance can scale without fragmenting. In today’s world, this is crucial.

The EU AI act has made it urgent to find a path between embracing AI too rapidly and feeling paralysed by fears around risk and compliance. Over-cautious companies are set to fall behind, but rushing blindly into AI carries the risk of creating governance debt: organisations without adequate governance cannot demonstrate compliance, and will not be able to scale and reap the benefits of AI.

Many organisations are still stuck in this gulf between responsiveness and responsibility: business leaders need responsiveness from generative AI, delivering insights rapidly, but also must keep regulators happy by behaving responsibly. Having workflow-native AI means that requirements such as transparency and oversight in the EU AI Act become architectural, with governance built in, rather than bolted on, after the fact, to disparate AI tools.

Combatting future risk

As I see it: reactive AI governance is a hindrance; proactive AI governance is an accelerator to business value. The next challenge is operationalising this through what I call ‘governed acceleration’. With new AI regulations emerging in different regions and adherence reaching across borders, forward-thinking organisations are turning to AI tools themselves to be prepared for this evolving governance landscape. Chosen correctly, the right AI technology can help organisations stay ahead of the systems that govern AI, by enforcing compliance, for example. This means that the right technology choices deliver a self-reinforcing, circular advantage. Governance is growing in importance, with the role of the CIO now encompassing issues such as model training, algorithmic bias and organisational culture.

As a result, a clear governance structure is key. There should be a single, well-defined owner of AI governance, be that the legal department, the chief data officer, the CIO or a chief AI officer. This person or team takes responsibility to implement consistent frameworks around third-party AI tools, assessing and managing risks and regulatory compliance. This enables organisations to innovate quickly and confidently, while maintaining control.

When governance becomes invisible

When it comes to gathering a real-time enterprise view of these interrelated risks, centralised software platforms have come to the fore. Such platforms offer an enterprise-level view across the key assets needed to run an organisation: technology, people, facilities, third parties and data.

These real-time platforms offer the ability to manage risk in an unobtrusive way, with controls embedded in workflows. Employees change passwords or complete training modules in response to controls within the platform and often have no idea that what they are doing is mitigating risks. When it comes to implementing AI safely and legally, strong and continuous employee training and AI literacy programs are vital.

End-to-end software platforms also have an important role to play in helping to manage AI models within an organisation, and this is particularly important in regulated industries such as financial services. These platforms allow organisations to manage models within the platform, assuring that they meet required regulatory standards. The end-to-end software platforms also ensure that models align with policies and remain within defined risk tolerance levels.

Responsibility to move faster

With regulations such as the EU AI Act meaning that every organisation must plan carefully around compliance and risk, balancing responsibility and responsiveness has grown in importance. Organisations must take a measured approach, building AI into the daily workflows that define their business, and ensuring governance is baked in with it.

Having a clear structure in place to deal with compliance is a vital first step. By doing so, organisations can unlock the transformative power of generative AI, agentic AI and whatever comes next – embracing responsibility to innovate faster.

About Adam Spearing – VP of AI GTM, ServiceNow

Adam Spearing is ServiceNow’s EMEA Head of AI Innovation.  Adam is dedicated to empowering customers to unlock the full potential of ServiceNow’s AI capabilities for impactful business transformations.  As a trusted advisor to numerous C-suite executives across the EMEA region, he leverages extensive industry knowledge and diverse professional background.

Adam has over three decades of experience in enterprise software, bringing a wealth of expertise to his current role. Notable previous roles include Chief Revenue Officer at SUSE and various senior leadership positions at Salesforce, including Senior Vice President of UKI Solution Consulting, EMEA Field Chief Technology Officer, and Vice President of EMEA Platform Sales.

About ServiceNow

ServiceNow (NYSE: NOW) is the AI control tower for business reinvention. The ServiceNow AI Platform integrates with any cloud, any model, and any data source to orchestrate how work flows across the enterprise. By unifying legacy systems, departmental tools, cloud applications, and AI agents, ServiceNow provides a single pane of glass that connects intelligence to execution across every corner of business. With more than 80 billion workflows running on the platform each year, ServiceNow helps organizations turn fragmented operations into coordinated, autonomous workflows that deliver measurable results. Learn how ServiceNow puts AI to work for people at www.servicenow.com.

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As rising fuel prices and ongoing energy volatility puts pressure on margins, businesses are turning to data driven strategies to improve efficiency and control costs. New findings from Geotab Inc., a global leader in connected transportation, video and asset tracking solutions, show how organisations are reducing fuel waste, cutting idling by up to 30%, reducing collisions and accelerating electrification.

These insights come from Geotab’s fifth annual Sustainability and Impact Report. In the report, Geotab examines how organisations across five continents are using connected vehicle data to lower emissions, reduce fuel costs and improve road safety.

“Fuel volatility is a reminder that sustainability is a business strategy,” said Neil Cawse, Founder and CEO of Geotab. “When integrated with a pragmatic focus on short-term value, sustainability measures can drive both efficiency and profitability. Every operational improvement is an immediate, measurable step toward resilience and growth.”

Real-World Impact: How Global Fleets Are Using Data to Decarbonise

Across industries and geographies, organisations are already translating fleet data into measurable environmental and financial outcomes. In 2025 alone, Geotab-connected electric vehicles travelled more than 870 million miles (1.4 billion kilometres), as fleets used data to make more informed decisions about vehicle efficiency, driver behavior and electrification strategy.

Postal & Logistics (Belgium): bpost SA saved €1.6 million in fuel costs — equivalent to 1 million liters of diesel — by using EV data from Geotab to right-size its 10,000-van fleet and optimize charging schedules as it targets 100% CO2 neutrality by 2030.

Construction & Infrastructure (UK): Tarmac reduced idling by 30% within three months, achieved 25% improved fuel economy, and cut speeding violations by 50%.

Public Transit (Italy): Autolinee Federico achieved a 20% fuel reduction and approximately 40% decrease in violations and fines through driving behavior optimization and tachograph compliance.

Wholesale Distribution (U.S.): Richards Building Supply projected $195,000+ in annual savings from a 90-day pilot with Geotab Vitality, with a 41% improvement in safe driving behavior and 8% reduction in collision risk.

Municipal Government (U.S.):The City of Carmel, 2025 Geotab Innovation Award Winner for Sustainability, used a custom dashboard to validate emissions reductions from a biodiesel fuel pilot program.

As fleets face pressure from energy costs, emissions regulations and operational risk, many are turning to connected vehicle data to identify efficiency gains and guide long-term electrification strategies.

“Geotab’s greatest contribution to sustainability is helping the transportation industry optimise operations. Everyday we see businesses reduce fuel use, cut emissions and make more strategic choices around electrification using data and AI insights. But sustainability is a collective effort, so we must also hold ourselves accountable. This report highlights both the progress of our customers and the steps we are taking as a company to reduce our own impact,” added Cawse.

Geotab’s Sustainability Progress

Alongside customer impact, the report also outlines Geotab’s own progress.

CDP Climate Change score improved to B, reflecting strong performance in environmental policies, risk disclosure, and industry collaboration.

EcoVadis Silver Medal sustainability rating, placing Geotab in the top 15% of companies assessed.

Reduced Scope 2 emissions by 42.5% year-over-year (location-based) — an 87.5% reduction from the 2019 baseline.

Reduced Scope 3 emissions by 14% through supplier engagement and the adoption of primary activity-based data, providing a more accurate reflection of its true value chain impact.

First Climate-Related Disclosure Report published, voluntarily evaluating climate risks and opportunities under different future climate pathways.

Product Carbon Footprint baseline established for the Geotab GO device and core hardware portfolio — enabling targeted reduction across the product life cycle.

8,500+ lbs of devices recycled through the GO Recycle program, a 52% increase year-over-year

The company continues to work toward its science-based target of reducing absolute emissions across Scopes 1, 2 and 3 by 50% by 2030, with a long-term commitment to reach net-zero emissions by 2040.

Investing in People and the Transition

Geotab is investing directly in its workforce’s shift to cleaner transportation. More than $2 million USD was provided through the Geotab Electric Vehicle Incentive, which offers employees a subsidy of up to $6,000 USD to purchase or lease an EV . The company maintains 41 free EV charging stations, offers full reimbursement for employees who commute using public transit, and launched a zero-emission electric pool car program for business travel in 2025.

Geotab was recognised with a SEAL Business Sustainability Award for its sustainable transportation program and an EPEAT Purchaser Award for sustainable IT procurement. The company was also ranked the #1 commercial telematics vendor worldwide for the fourth consecutive year by ABI Research.

About the Report

The Geotab 2025 Sustainability and Impact Report is an annual report highlighting how Geotab is reducing emissions and environmental impact across its operations. The latest report covers January 1 to December 31, 2025 results and was prepared with reference to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards and aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol. Geotab has also released a complementary Climate-Related Disclosure report, which provides a comprehensive analysis of Geotab’s climate strategy in full alignment with the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations.

The full report is available in English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Dutch. View the 2025 Sustainability and Impact Report and learn more about sustainability at Geotab at: https://www.geotab.com/uk/about/corporate-sustainability/

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Fexco, a global leader in payment solutions, has announced that its Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) is now available to acquirers and merchants worldwide through the Visa AcceptancePlatform.

Through this collaboration, acquirers connected to the Visa Acceptance Platform can now enable DCC using Fexco’s proven technology and Visa’s in house cross-border solutions. DCC allows cardholders to see the transaction amount in their home currency at point of sale and online checkout, helping them better understand the cost of their purchase before transaction is completed.

The integration is designed for scale and efficiency, supporting more than 200 acquirers globally by integrating Fexco’s DCC solution, the Visa Acceptance Platform and Visa’s CyberSource payment gateway. It enables acquirers to add DCC with minimal complexity, while creating opportunities to support international spend and enhance the payment experience for international customers. For cardholders, the solution provides greater clarity and choice when paying abroad or online.

Sean Crowe, CEO of Fexco Financial Services, commented:

“This partnership with Visa marks a significant milestone for Fexco and the payments industry. By combining Fexco’s expertise in DCC with Visa’s global acceptance infrastructure, we are delivering a first-of-its-kind integration that empowers acquirers and merchants to offer enhanced customer experiences while driving growth.”

Andre Machicao, Senior Vice President, Visa Acceptance Solutions added:

“Cross-border commerce continues to grow, and consumers increasingly expect clear and predictable payment experiences wherever they choose to pay. By combining Fexco’s expertise and Visa’s world?class FX and treasury capabilities across multiple markets and currencies, we are extending Dynamic Currency Conversion across the Visa Acceptance Platform, giving acquirers and merchants a straightforward way to meet these expectations while supporting global commerce.”

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Guest post by Julian Lighton author of Navigating Your Next: Discover the Career You Want and the Path to Get There.

There has been much debate since Paul Graham’s provocative 2024 article coining the term ‘Founder Mode’ about its benefits vs ‘Manager Mode’ and how they impact success in the scaling transition. My own view is that a more balanced mindset and skills set is required – an entrepreneurial leadership approach.

Navigating successful growth

I’ve spent over twenty years working with over a hundred VC and PE backed early stage and scaling businesses in both tech and other industries, including some of the most successful businesses in their categories, such as Gainsight, Renaissance Learning, Corsair Gaming and SnapNurse. Based on this experience, the transition between founder and scaling is the single most important test of a CEO’s adaptability and leadership. Most leaders underestimate how personally challenging it is and how much they need to change as they climb the staircases of growth.

Here are five changes in mindset and skillset that are key for successful growth and building companies that are built to last:

From identity as founder to identity as leader:  From “I do it” and “I decide” to “We do it” and “We decide.” The founder’s initial motivation—often deeply personal—must now become collective. Why does the team care? Why should they go the extra mile? If you can help your people answer “Why do we want this?” (know why) and help them see themselves in the company’s success (care why), you unlock discretionary effort and loyalty that no compensation package alone can buy. The CEO’s job becomes less about being the smartest person in the room and more about building teams that can make great decisions without you, without constant intervention. The focus shifts to hiring and retaining great people and letting them be responsible, setting very clear direction (the what not the how), building culture, and putting in place the right incentives and feedback loops. It’s about shifting from heroics to scalability.

From implicit to explicit: Scaling requires clarity. Being implicit – carrying everything in the CEO’s head does not scale. Scaling requires clarity about roles and responsibilities; plans that everyone can understand and follow – communicating simply and exactly what is required, why it matters, and who will do what; governance and decision making; metrics and more important than all of that clear culture.  A study by Columbia Business School found that when you add more than 20% new joiners, priorities, and values get diluted and team cohesion and psychological safety can break down. Without clear definition and communication about who is responsible for what, teams become inefficient, drop balls, and experience internal friction. This undermines performance and accountability, trust and collaboration erode and performance suffers.

From who got you here, to who will get you there: People who worked when your organization was smaller often break when you try to scale. No amount of ambition or capital can compensate for the wrong team members with the wrong skills or a lack of alignment. Scaling exposes weaknesses in team leadership, skills, and coordination. Ask yourself: do you have the right people in the right seats for this stage of growth? Are your team leaders and teams aligned, and does everyone understand the goals and the urgency? Invest in hiring and developing talent density in teams. Ensure the team’s incentives (care why) and goals are in sync with the business’s direction (know why).

From measuring, to measuring what matters: What really drives success at what stage of growth? Ruthless prioritization is essential. In scaling organizations, it’s common for teams to focus on metrics that were appropriate for the previous stage (staircase) of growth e.g. product adoption vs revenue; new business vs repeat business; revenue vs profits. But without visible progress markers and regular, disciplined check-ins, accountability wanes. A scaling CEO must ask, are we tracking the right metrics, measuring outcomes that actually matter not just feel good. Further, if you’re not measuring execution at a granular level, you risk drifting or burning out while making little real progress.

From control to trust: Moving from transactional management to trust-based leadership. In founder mode, you can often get by with direct orders; at scale, you need buy-in, trust, and mutual commitment. Relationships—not just transactions—are the glue that holds high-performing organizations together, especially under stress.  Successful scaling CEOs believe that people are the primary drivers of value creation. As I’ve seen time and again, a brilliant plan or product can fail if the team is not aligned, motivated, or trusted to execute. The plan is 10 percent; the people are 90 percent.

If you’re stuck in your scaling plans, step back and diagnose your organization across these five areas.

Julian Lighton is regarded as one of Silicon Valley’s leading strategy practitioners and business coaches, as the former Chief Strategy Officer at four, billion-dollar revenue, public tech companies. He’s also the author of Navigating Your Next: Discover the Career You Want and the Path to Get There (out 11th June 2026 US/28th April UK, Forbes Advantage Books).

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Minister of State with special responsibility for Employment, Small Businesses and Retail, Alan Dillon has welcomed the publication of the Fourth Progress Report on the National Space Strategy for Enterprise 2019–2025, highlighting another year of strong growth and international success for Ireland’s space sector.

Welcoming the report, Minister Dillon said:

“Ireland’s space sector continues to grow in scale and international reputation, driven by the strength of our innovative enterprises and our long-standing partnership with the European Space Agency. Ireland’s €170 million commitment to ESA programmes to 2030, agreed at the Council of Ministers in November 2025, will support the continued expansion of space-focused enterprises in the years ahead.”

The report confirms significant progress across the Strategy’s objectives. with 15 of the  19 priority actions now completed and the remaining actions progressing as part of the Government’s commitment to developing a strong, innovative and economically sustainable space-active industry in Ireland.

Ireland’s Space Sector continues to grow

Government investment in the Irish space sector increased significantly in 2024, with €32.17 million allocated to programmes with the European Space Agency (ESA). This represents a 43% increase since the launch of the Strategy in 2019. The investment delivered strong returns. In 2024:

• Irish companies and researchers secured 55 ESA contracts valued at €24.56 million,
• 116 Irish companies were actively engaged in ESA programmes by year end, a 66% increase since 2019, and surpassing the Strategy’s original goal of 100 companies.

Ireland’s industry capability was further strengthened through targeted skills development initiatives. During 2024, Space Industry Skillnet delivered 1,088 training days to 389 participants across 102 companies, supporting the continued growth and competitiveness of Ireland’s space-focused enterprises.

Irish companies also maintained a strong international presence throughout the year, participating in key global trade events forging new partnerships, and strengthening Ireland’s reputation as an agile and innovative contributor to the global space economy.

Together, these achievements highlight Ireland’s expanding footprint in the global space economy and demonstrate the success of strategic collaboration with the European Space Agency in driving enterprise growth and innovation.

Concluding Minister Dillon said:

“As we look to the next phase of Ireland’s space strategy, we do so with ambition and confidence. Our companies, researchers and innovators have shown that Ireland can lead in this rapidly evolving sector, and the Government will continue to back that ambition with investment, partnership, and a clear strategic vision for the years ahead.”

Work on the fifth and final progress report under the current Strategy is now underway. Preparatory work has also begun on the next iteration of the National Space Strategy for Enterprise, beginning with a preliminary scoping exercise.

This process will include public consultation and extensive stakeholder engagement, helping to shape the future direction of Ireland’s enterprise-led activities in the global space sector.

The progress report can be accessed here: National Space Strategy 2019-2025: Fourth progress report

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Barryroe National School in Bandon, Co. Cork, has done it again, taking home the top prize at the Engineers Ireland STEPS Young Engineers Award for the second consecutive year.

The national competition, which saw over 12,000 primary school students register in 2025, challenges children to dream up engineering solutions that can make life better in their communities. More than 270 volunteer engineers, trained through the STEPS programme, visited participating 3rd and 4th classes nationwide to support students’ ideas.

This year’s winning creation, Sole Extenders, is an ingenious shoe prototype with a built-in hydraulic lift designed to help people safely reach high shelves without the need for stools or ladders. Developed by team The Engines – third-class pupils Saoirse Twomey, Willow Frankish, Jack Kelly, Edward Casey, Byron Hourihane and Cathal O’Regan – the device aims to reduce injury risk and boost independence.

Drumcrave National School in Stragelliff, Co. Cavan, was named runner-up for its forward-thinking project, TTS Community Water Supply. Created by Tech Titans – Amber Kelly, Evan Lee and Rían McManus Kearns – the team impressed judges with a timer app that tracks household water usage, connects to real-time local water-supply levels, and alerts users to shortages. Designed to raise awareness, reduce bills and encourage more mindful water use, the project showcases how young engineers can empower entire communities to adopt more sustainable habits.

Left to right: Runners-up of the Young Engineers Award winners 2025-2026, Evan Lee, Amber Kelly, Rián McManus Kearns of Drumcrave National School in Stragelliff, Co. Cavan

Praising this year’s entrants to the STEPS Young Engineers Award, Damien Owens, Director General of Engineers Ireland, said: “Engineering is about applying science to real-world problems and designing solutions that help people. It is wonderful to see the students at Barryroe National School excel once again with such a creative. Congratulations to all of this year’s entrants for their imagination, teamwork and dedication. The future of Irish engineering is indeed in good hands.”

The winning and runner-up schools receive an engineering workshop from Designer Minds, and all finalists receive a trophy, medals and framed certificates. All participants receive a certificate of achievement and an online show.

The Walton Institute at South East Technological University (SETU) is marking 30 years of ICT research and innovation and five years as a recognised research institute, highlighting three decades of collaboration with more than 800 partners worldwide on projects worth over €485 million. Marking this milestone in the same year that Ireland assumes the EU Council Presidency underscores the importance of research institutes such as Walton in contributing to European innovation, technology development and cross-border collaboration.

For thirty years, the Walton Institute for Information and Communication Systems Science has played an important role in advancing communications and digital technologies. Since its establishment as the Telecommunications Software and Systems Group (TSSG) in 1996, the institute has secured more than €155 million in competitive research funding while working with partners across industry, government and academia.

Professor Marie Claire Van Hout, Vice President for Research, Innovation and Impact, SETU, says “Walton Institute plays a central role in SETU’s research and innovation ecosystem and in strengthening Ireland’s international research presence. Its work demonstrates how a technological university can connect research excellence with regional innovation and global collaboration.’’

Led by Executive Director Dr Kevin Doolin and Director of Research Dr Deirdre Kilbane, Walton has built a strong international reputation for both fundamental research and applied innovation. Since its designation as a Research Institute in 2021, it has strengthened industry collaboration and grown its research capacity across several strategic technology domains.

Dr Kevin Doolin, Executive Director, Walton Institute, SETU, joined the team in 2004 and has seen the growth of Walton over the years. “What began as a telecommunications research group in Waterford has grown into an international research institute working with organisations across Europe and beyond. Our focus has always been on turning research into practical outcomes that support industry innovation and economic growth in the region.”

Today, the institute comprises more than 80 students, postdocs, research scientists and engineers, and maintains an active collaboration network across 60 countries. Its work spans several key technology areas, including artificial intelligence, future communications networks, quantum communications, smart energy, digital health, smart cities, agri-tech and immersive technologies.

Walton is particularly recognised for its expertise in AI systems, advanced communications networks and digitalisation, supporting organisations to adopt new digital technologies and move research outcomes from the laboratory into practical use.

Strengthening Ireland’s research, infrastructure and innovation ecosystem

Walton continues to play an important role in national innovation programmes supporting digital transformation across industry and public services. This includes the Enterprise Ireland ICS Technology Gateway and the ENTIRE European Digital Innovation Hub, where researchers work with SMEs, public sector organisations and multinational companies to test and deploy emerging digital technologies.

The institute also maintains strong engagement with European research initiatives. Walton researchers currently participate in 20 strategic European research clusters, contributing to discussions that help shape technology policy and research priorities at the EU level.

In 2025, the university was recognised as Ireland’s leading technological university for Horizon Europe funding, securing almost €13 million to date, along with over €11.5 million for the EuroQCI Initiative. As Ireland prepares to lead the Council of the European Union, this level of participation demonstrates the contribution Irish research institutes make to Europe’s digital and innovation agenda.

Building talent and global careers from the south east

The success of the Walton Institute is built on the expertise of its multidisciplinary research teams, including engineers, scientists, designers and technical specialists.

Dr Deirdre Kilbane, Director of Research, Walton Institute, SETU, explains the impact of Walton’s success on the Irish ICT sector. “Walton’s collaborative research environment continues to attract masters, PhD and postdoctoral researchers from across the world to live and work in Waterford. Many Walton alumni now hold senior roles in universities and global organisations, including Mastercard, Google, Workhuman, Citi and Sun Life, extending the institute’s international network.”

As the Walton Institute marks its 30-year milestone, it continues to strengthen its role in Ireland’s ICT research ecosystem, working with industry, government and international partners to develop technologies that support economic growth and societal progress. With Ireland preparing to take on the EU Presidency, institutions such as Walton highlight the strength of the country’s research capability and its contribution to Europe’s innovation future.

EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum has completed a €2 million investment upgrade of its visitor experience, with a strong focus on cutting-edge AV technology and immersive digital storytelling. This is the most significant transformation since the museum opened, further cementing its status as a world-class cultural attraction and a global leader in storytelling.

The new galleries, opening on 26 March 2026, expand the exhibition footprint by 2,000 square feet and introduce a suite of new digital installations and interactive systems. Visitors will now experience newly expanded galleries with more immersive, multi-sensory storytelling, exciting new technology, and a deeper emotional connection to Ireland’s emigration story.

“EPIC is a digital-led experience, so we spend plenty of time and energy checking out the latest AV technology,” said Luke Smith, Director of Technology at EPIC. “Whilst our technology has served visitors well to date, we wanted to add a new level of interactive and immersive experiences. Our new galleries use cutting-edge technology to deliver great storytelling and emotionally rich experiences. I am really looking forward to seeing how our visitors react – and I believe they will be surprised and delighted.”

Advanced AV Systems Powering the New Galleries

At the heart of the new Welcome Gallery is a custom-built interactive installation featuring approximately 9 square metres of Absen microLED, with a 1.2mm pixel pitch. The display is integrated into a bespoke table exhibit and paired with over 250 metres of programmable LED neon tubing, creating a dynamic, immersive light sculpture.

“Using microLED instead of conventional screens allows for tailored layouts, bezel-free display and wider viewing angles,” Smith explained. “Combined with the LED lighting, it creates a significantly more engaging experience that surrounds the visitor from the moment they arrive.”

Sensor-Driven Interaction in ‘Isle of the Senses’

The new Isle of the Senses gallery introduces Nexmosphere LiDAR sensors, enabling highly precise, proximity-based triggering of audio and visual experiences.

“These sensors are more configurable and precise than infra-red or camera-based systems,” said Smith. “They integrate with BrightSign media players and allow us to deliver highly responsive, personalised interactions.”

The same system is used to activate modern interpretations of Pepper’s Ghost illusions, blending a 19th-century theatrical technique with contemporary sensor technology and custom programming.

Ireland’s Largest Interactive LED Floor

A key centrepiece of the upgrade is a 28 square metre interactive LED floor, the largest of its kind in any Irish museum or attraction. Featuring a 1.92mm pixel pitch, the floor allows visitors to interact with animated vessels representing 1,500 years of Irish emigration – from early sailing currachs to modern aircraft, transforming EPIC’s iconic Sea and Sky sculptural installation into an immersive, multi-media experience

“Our visitors will walk across the floor and interact with ships and planes as they travel,” Smith added. “There are also a few surprises built into the experience – including a hidden ‘Easter egg’ for those who look closely.”

Technology Partnerships

All hardware was supplied and configured by Rockbrook, Ireland’s leading museum AV technology provider. Interactive and digital content was developed by Glasgow-based studio ISO, one of the world’s foremost digital experience design teams.

A Digital-Led Museum Experience

“EPIC has always used technology in a surprising and immersive way to bring Irish emigration stories to life,” said Aileesh Carew, CEO. “This upgrade raises the bar for visitor experiences all over the world, combining design, technology and storytelling in a way that is both innovative and deeply human.”

Alongside the gallery upgrades, EPIC has also launched a new museum app to support accessibility and multilingual engagement, further extending its audience-first, digital-first approach.

The upgraded galleries open to the public on Thursday 26 March 2026, marking a key milestone in EPIC’s wider 10-year anniversary programme.

Further information

Neville Isdell, EPIC Founder

EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum was founded by Neville Isdell, former Chairman and CEO of the Coca-Cola company.  Isdell’s own family emigrated from Belfast when he was a boy.  He founded EPIC to showcase the profound impact of the Irish on the world. This new investment reinforces his enduring commitment to being world-class and setting the standard for museum experiences in Ireland, and beyond.  “If it’s not world-class, it’s not worth doing,” is the essence of his vision for EPIC.

Opening dates

The upgraded galleries will open to the public on Thursday 26 March 2026. This major investment marks a key early milestone in EPIC’s wider 10-year celebrations, with further anniversary programming to be announced later in 2026.

For more information on EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, visit www.epicchq.com.

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On Friday morning last, it popped up on my Facebook page (that I rarely visit) that this day was World Storytelling Day.

My head immediately flooded with stories that my mother used to tell us when we were children. Mostly, I remember sitting around an open fire. We did not have much money, and my father was away in England working, as there was no work to be had in Ireland. 

Sitting by the fire, trying to eke out heat from the remaining coal and sticks. My mother use to wrapping potato skins in a damp newspaper and banking the back of the fire to keep it going for longer.

My mother was a Republican, and her father fought in 1916 and ended up, after the rising, in Frongoch concentration camp in Wales.

However, we still had a picture of the Queen Elizabeth hanging on our wall. At the time, I took it for granted. When I was older, I inquired as to why we had the picture of the Queen on our wall. Her reply was that the Queen gave your father a job when no one in Ireland could.

Hard times 

When I was growing up, it was always hard times, not that I ever noticed, as my mother somehow managed to keep my sister and me well fed and warm.

Does anyone remember sheets made from flour sacks or old army (FCA) coats for bed blankets?

Now I realise that when we three were sitting close to the open fire seeking heat, and my mother Celia was telling us stories of her younger days, it served two purposes.

The stories reminded her of good times from her youth.

It was years later when I realised how lonely she must have been without my dad.

Harder Times 

Every night she would relive her youth, which involved hard work from an early age, and going to dances. (She loved to dance).

Her father died when she was only a child, leaving her mother to raise seven children.

Also, there were always ghost stories!

The one I remember best, and curiously, the story my daughter remembers best, as in later life she told all her stories to my daughter.

When she was still a child, my mother was sent to live and work for an uncle a long way from her family home.

Ghost Story 

“One morning, on her way back to the farm, driving the pony and trap up a long laneway after delivering milk to the shops in the nearby town, her attention was drawn to the local hearse approaching in the distance.

As the hearse approached, she could see the coachman whom she would have known and the four black horses with plumage on their harness.

When she got to a wider part of the lane, she pulled in to let the hearse pass – but it never did.

On approaching the farm gate, her uncle was waiting and opened it for her. She told him to keep an eye out, as the hearse was coming up the lane behind her.

He replied that the hearse driver must be lost, or new, as no one along the lane has died recently.

The following morning, the uncle whom my mother loved dropped dead while shaving himself to get ready to go to morning mass.”

Stories are what make us who we are. 

By Executive Coach Andrew Keogh of Aristo.ie

Millions of mobile, broadband, and TV customers will once again see their bills rise from 1 April due to annual price rises from some of Ireland’s biggest telecom providers.

The move toward ‘annual’ price increases began in 2022, with telecom providers using an inflation-linked formula to set yearly price rises. This has meant that households have seen the cost of their broadband and mobile plans soar by hundreds of euros over the last four years.

Although inflation-linked pricing is being replaced with an annual flat-rate rise for newer customers (after mounting concerns from Comreg), these mid-term hikes can still cause a price shock.

The changes to monthly bills may seem small, but the cumulative cost over multiple years can really add up – especially for households with more than one contract on the go.

So what do the price rises mean for customers?

Based on a typical family with 1 SIM-only contract, 1 Bill Pay contract, and a 1GB broadband & TV bundle, the increase since 2023 could have amounted to over €600 if they had stuck with the same supplier and hadn’t switched when their contract ended.

To combat this year’s hikes, Switcher.ie has put together some money-saving tips on how to futureproof against annual price rises and cut your costs.

1. Switch to another discounted plan when your contract ends

Plan ahead and start your broadband bargain hunt before your contract ends. Use comparison websites with an eircode checker to quickly find the cheapest options in your location. Ensure you factor in the price after the promotional period, as well as crucial features such as speed, contract duration, and any rewards or perks.

2. Bundle your broadband, TV & mobile

Combine your broadband, TV and mobile services into a single package to reduce your monthly expenses. Many Irish households rely on streaming services like NOW and Netflix for sports and entertainment. Bundling broadband & TV, and adding your mobile SIM-only plan can lead to significant savings compared to individual plans.

3. Haggle for a better deal

If you really don’t want to leave your current provider, tell them you’re thinking of leaving before jumping, and they may just pull out all the stops to keep you. Use comparison sites to find cheaper options and ask for a price match. You might get a lower price, but it’s not guaranteed.

4. Switch to SIM only 

Save money with a SIM-only deal. If your phone contract is up and you’re still happy with your phone, shop around for the cheapest SIM-only plan and try the smaller, no frills providers (they use the same networks as the bigger brands). Unlike bill-pay contracts, which include the cost of a new device, SIM-only deals just charge for calls, texts, and data, offering huge savings and flexible, shorter contracts.

Eoin Clarke, Telecoms Expert at Switcher.ie comments:

“Households will face a bundle of price hikes on April Fools’ Day. Once again, some telecom giants are pushing up prices, with a few SIM-only contracts surging by over 15%.

This year, more providers have moved towards a flat rate annual increase, which means that customers know what to expect – but it doesn’t necessarily make it less costly. SIM-only customers could be stumping up an extra €2.50 per month, even on budget plans, due to flat-rate annual price rises.

Even if your monthly price rise seems small, if you have several contracts running and you haven’t switched over the last 3 or 4 years, you may now be paying up to 30% more than you did in 2023 just to keep in touch with friends and family, surf the internet or stream TV.

The good news is that providers are, as ever, jostling for new customers, leading to some healthy discounts, welcome credits and great perks. Our advice is – don’t delay and switch providers when your contract ends. The best deals are always offered to newcomers, so take advantage of any introductory discounts and bill credits.

If peace of mind is more important or you’re not keen on switching too often, remember: the cheapest deal isn’t always the best value in the long term. Compare contract length, annual price increases and ‘thereafter’ price once your discount ends. Lock into a broadband deal with long-term savings, or a SIM-only plan with a ‘price for life’ pledge.”

According to a recent survey by bunq, Europe’s second-largest neobank, more than a third of Irish users say they are more honest about money with AI than with other people, pointing to a shift in how people seek financial guidance.

The study, which surveyed 1,000 Irish respondents, shows that 36% of consumers feel more comfortable opening up to AI about their spending, while a further 37% say they are just as honest with AI as they would be with another person.

This growing openness suggests that AI is becoming more than just a practical tool; it is emerging as a judgment-free space where users feel more comfortable confronting their financial habits.

“People often start using AI in a very practical way, before they trust it emotionally. That psychological distance — almost like opening up to a stranger on a train — can make it easier to be honest about money, which in turn brings the real benefit: saving more of it. Over time, as people test the advice and see what works, the relationship shifts. It starts to feel like a thinking partner rather than a calculator,” said Dr Nick Hobson, behavioural scientist and Consulting Director at Influence at Work.

“And that opening up may travel further than the AI conversation itself. It works like a sort of social gym. It offers a low-stakes space to rehearse the tricky conversations, asking for a raise, setting financial boundaries with family, without the fear of judgment that comes with the real thing. Once people experience what honesty about their finances actually produces, the barrier to having those conversations with other people gets lower. The practice spills over, and they show up to the human conversation a little more prepared, and a little less afraid.”

This sense of psychological safety is translating into real-world impact. Nearly half (49%) of Irish users have already used AI to support a personal finance decision, with many turning to it in moments of financial stress.

For many, the results are tangible. One in three respondents says AI helped them save money in the past year, with more than a quarter of those reporting savings of over €500.

Joe Wilson, Chief Evangelist at bunq, said: “It’s a dynamic time. People are increasingly turning to AI for help with everyday decisions – and it only works when it’s genuinely built around their lives. Whether it’s understanding your money or making more informed choices, the value comes from reducing friction, not adding more noise. The real impact happens when AI moves beyond being just another feature and becomes something people actually rely on, because it consistently makes things easier.”

As users grow more comfortable opening up to AI, trust remains closely linked to established financial institutions. Two-thirds of respondents say they trust AI tools developed by their bank more than generic chatbots, highlighting the role of institutional trust in turning curiosity into action.

Internationally, Ireland is emerging as one of the stronger adopters of financial AI. Irish users are already ahead of those in the UK and the United States when it comes to integrating AI into everyday financial life.

Social entrepreneurs supported by Social Entrepreneurs Ireland are up to 50 per cent more likely to succeed than those without our backing. That’s according to Social Entrepreneurs Ireland, as it opens its Ideas Academy and Impact Programme for applications. Since 2004, the not-for-profit has supported over 630 social entrepreneurs across the country who are driving solutions in areas such as mental health, housing, the environment and education.

Speaking at the launch of this year’s programme, which remains open until 20th April, Director of Development at Social Entrepreneurs Ireland, Michelle Noone, said:

“We know the impact that our programmes have on people and communities across the country, and in 2025, an independently verified report demonstrated how Social Entrepreneurs Ireland contributes to the success and growth of social enterprises across Ireland, with employment, sales, and future funding increased by up to 50 per cent and innovation boosted by up to 80 per cent.

“There is a wealth of incredible ideas out there, and we encourage budding social entrepreneurs and those with more established solutions to social issues to apply for our Ideas Academy and Social Impact programmes, to bring their concepts to the next level.”

The Ideas Academy is a three-month programme designed to provide budding social entrepreneurs with the knowledge and tools needed to move from a concept to a tangible pilot.

The Impact Programme is a nine-month programme that supports experienced social entrepreneurs to scale up tried-and-tested solutions to tackle Ireland’s biggest social challenges. Programme participants receive mentorship and peer support.

Impact Programme alumnus and internationally recognised designer, Kim Mackenzie-Doyle, founded The B!G Idea to prepare young people for the fastest-changing world in history. The free all-Ireland programme bridges classrooms and industry, equipping thousands of students with creative problem-solving skills, mentors, and confidence to turn their challenges into opportunities, shaping their futures and those of society.

Carlow-based Mackenzie-Doyle said: “With The B!G Idea, I saw an opportunity to support young people right now, while fostering and developing the next generation of social entrepreneurs in the longer term.

“Social Entrepreneurs Ireland has been invaluable in developing The B!G Idea, from the tailored mentoring, expert training and financial support received from the Impact Programme in 2022, through to my current participation in another Social Entrepreneurs Ireland programme.

“Anyone who has a vision and can demonstrate the impact of their idea should consider applying for The Impact Programme.”

Social Entrepreneurs Ireland has partnered with energy company DCC plc since 2011. Since the partnership began, Social Entrepreneurs Ireland has received over 3,500 applications from all across Ireland.

Donal Murphy, Chief Executive Officer at DCC plc, said

“DCC plc is proud to support Social Entrepreneurs Ireland again in 2026. Over 660 social entrepreneurs have been directly supported over the duration of the partnership. In addition, Social Entrepreneurs Ireland alumni have created 463 jobs and generated €39.8m in income, so we know that this partnership works!

“We look forward to helping this year’s successful applicants to develop and refine their ideas to affect positive change across Irish society.”

Social Entrepreneurs Ireland will hold information sessions for interested individuals and organisations on 31st March. Register and apply for the Ideas Academy and The Impact Programme at https://www.socialentrepreneurs.ie/our-programmes/.

Landmark Technologies, an Irish provider of IT and cybersecurity services, has announced the results of new research which reveals that 38% of office workers in Ireland wouldn’t be able to do their jobs without the help of artificial intelligence (AI). The survey found that over half (55%) believe their job will significantly change due to AI, while 43% are concerned thatAI will make their role redundant. To combat this, 64% of office workers are actively learning AI skills to stay relevant in their roles.

The research, carried out by Censuswide on behalf of Landmark, surveyed 1,000 employees in the Republic of Ireland on their AI concerns and behaviours as it becomes ever more prevalent in Irish workplaces. A majority (87%) of office workers say they use AI tools for work and, of these, almost half (48%) use them daily.

The research suggests that, as adoption of AI continues to increase, so too does the associated risk. Of those who use AI tools, a quarter (25%) use them to summarise contracts or legal documents, 23% leverage AI tools to make decisions without human oversight, and 18% analyse confidential company data.

In the past 12 months, one-in-ten (10%) employees have entered confidential company data into an AI tool, such as ChatGPT, that wasn’t approved by their employer. Some 18% of employees completed a work task using an AI tool without checking it for accuracy, while 11% sent AI-generated content to a customer without reviewing it. Nearly half (48%) say they trust AI-generated content for critical work decisions.

With the AI boom showing no signs of slowing down, Landmark’s research points to a need for organisations to ensure that the correct processes are in place. Nearly a quarter (24%) of employees say their organisation does not have an AI usage policy, while just two-thirds (66%) have received training on safe AI usage.

However, due to its increasing proliferation, nearly half of office workers (49%) believe AI fatigue will set in and see organisations returning to more traditional ways of working. Some 47% believe that we are currently experiencing an AI bubble, and it will burst.

Ken Kelleher, Managing Director, Landmark Technologies commented: “Two-in-five Irish employees now say AI is essential to doing their job, which is a remarkable shift in a very short space of time. It points to the crucial role AI is playing in Irish workplaces through automation, time savings, and enhanced decision-making. Yet our research shows many organisations have not kept pace with this change. The human element remains vital, and businesses need to prioritise AI training and upskilling to align with evolving technological demands and stay competitive.

“With employees sharing confidential data on unapproved tools and using AI outputs without checking them, strict oversight is needed. Employers must ensure stringent processes are in place to protect not only their own business data and operations, but those of their customers too.”

See more stories here.

Cavan County in the Republic of Ireland may seem like an unlikely place for entrepreneurs to flourish, but nothing could be further from the truth. Technology specialist John Hyland’s innovative ClubSpot app has transformed how grassroots sports organisations operate on a daily basis.

The platform bears operational similarities to the  Ireland betting apps listed on BettingTop10.ie, which are effectively a one-stop shop for bettors to fuel their passion. By bringing sports betting, online casino games and other verticals under one umbrella, gambling operators have made the sector far easier to navigate. Hyland has applied the same ethos to ClubSpot, and his efforts have helped the company quickly become a major player in a hugely competitive industry.

The Metamorphosis of ClubSpot

While recuperating from an injury during his time at University College Dublin, Hyland shifted his gaze to a question many people had previously taken seriously. Why did only a small set of fans contribute financially to their teams, while thousands more remained emotionally attached yet commercially distant? His research into Cavan’s GAA organisation revealed a clear imbalance, showing that a small circle of committed backers sustained the structure, leaving the wider fanbase untapped.

Hyland’s vision was far-reaching – if engagement could be increased, inflow could accompany it. That idea metamorphosed into a digital site created to bring structure to sports at the local level. ClubSpot did not think of reinventing sports organisations, but focused on the systems that surrounded them. Membership registration, communication channels, fundraising efforts and compliance processes were brought into one space.

The early days were lowkey, with Gowna GAA Club becoming the first client. This was a testing ground where theory met reality and of the results were immediate. The club made more income through the platform in seven days than it had in the previous year. Growth then followed, although not without pressure because demand outpaced development capacity in the first months, a familiar issue for start-ups. However, the foundation did not fold, with clubs recognising the value of reducing administrative burdens on volunteers while opening new sources of revenue. From that small beginning in Cavan, a framework began to take shape that would extend far beyond its original setting.

Scaling from Rural Ireland to a Global Stage

Many people are under the misapprehension that all business in Ireland must pass though Dublin. ClubSpot has gone against that school of thought with quiet defiance. From its headquarters in Stradone, the organisation has extended its presence into the United Kingdom, United States and Australia, creating a user base that now exceeds half a million. This growth has not been in isolation, as support from Enterprise Ireland provides both validation and practical assistance, which open doors to international markets and connect the company with potential clients. Trade missions, particularly those linked to sporting events overseas, helped accelerate expansion. The Irish government’s broader vision for sports technology has also played a role.

The creation of an international sports diplomacy strategy by Helen McEntee in the United States showed a recognition that sport can act as a cultural bridge and an economic driver. Events linked to baseball, American Football and golf have tightened ties between Ireland and the US, making a fertile ground for organisations operating at the intersection of sport and technology. ClubSpot has placed itself within that space, with the platform extending beyond Gaelic sports into soccer, rugby, basketball and athletics, giving a unified system adaptable to different cultures. The company’s decision to prioritise long-term development over rapid exits has informed its trajectory. Funding came largely from individuals rather than venture capital firms seeking early returns on investment. This approach gave room for steady development without the pressure of premature scaling. In an industry often drawn to urban locations, ClubSpot’s story gives a different narrative – one where global ambition grows from local roots.

Redefining Grassroots Sport Through Technology

ClubSpot’s core intent is to address a problem that has long existed beneath the surface of community sport. Teams rely heavily on volunteers, but the administrative demands put upon those individuals have developed steadily more complex. Registration systems, financial tracking, communication with members and compliance requirements create a workload that can overwhelm even the most committed organisers. The platform’s response is practical and transformative. By automating routine processes, it gives room for volunteers to focus on the human side of sport rather than paperwork. Membership fees can also be collected without stress, communications streamlined and records kept with clarity. The impact goes beyond efficiency as ClubSpot introduces new ways for people to engage with their clubs.

In Cavan alone, tens of thousands of users interact with their county’s digital site, with a huge portion actively contributing through purchases and fundraising initiatives. This expansion of participation modifies the financial base of sports at grassroots level. A separate events arm has added another dimension, creating fundraising activities that generate meaningful income for participating clubs. The model shows that technology, when applied strategically, can help strengthen rather than replace traditional community structures. They also help by giving local clubs tools comparable to those used by elite clubs such as Manchester United and Real Madrid. What began as an observation during injury recovery has grown into a system that changes how clubs operate, engage and sustain themselves in an increasingly digital world.

See more breaking stories here.

More than 80 secondary school students from across the Midlands have completed an immersive week exploring the future of engineering, advanced manufacturing and technology through the #Dreambig2026 programme, an industry-led initiative led by the ATIM Cluster of advanced manufacturing companies, designed to inspire the next generation of STEM talent.

Dreambig is a programme developed by the ATIM (Advanced Technologies in Manufacturing Cluster), a Technological University of Shannon initiative. Through their company visits and hands-on workshops, students visited 18 advanced manufacturing and engineering companies spanning sectors including medical technology, robotics, construction innovation, materials science and precision engineering.

Students also engaged directly with engineers and innovators and participated in hands-on robotics and coding workshops at Irish Manufacturing Research in Mullingar and Technological University of the Shannon, Athlone Campus. Students see first-hand how industry is embracing DREAM (Digitalisation, Robotics, Engineering, Advanced Manufacturing, and Materials) and showing young people that you don’t need to go far to discover world-class opportunities in the Midlands.

The Advanced Technologies in Manufacturing (ATIM) Cluster is an industry-led manufacturing cluster funded by Enterprise Ireland and hosted at the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS). It was established to accelerate innovation, competitiveness, and sustainable growth across Ireland’s manufacturing sector.

Caitriona Mordan, Cluster Manager of the ATIM Cluster, said the programme is about much more than technology.

“At its heart, #Dreambig is about aspiration, helping young people imagine ambitious futures for themselves and showing them that world-class careers in science, engineering and innovation can be built right here in their own communities. Dreambig is a powerful example of what happens when companies, educators and local partners come together through a cluster.

By working collectively, we create more opportunities for young people than any organisation could achieve alone. DreamBig gives students the space to connect directly with innovative manufacturing companies, discover their talent, and see a future for themselves in the Midlands.”

Now in its third year, the programme continues to grow with increasing participation from both schools and industry.

Professor Vincent Cunnane, President of Technological University of the Shannon, said:

“Dreambig is proof of what happens when a university, industry, and schools come together around a shared purpose: showing young people that modern manufacturing is creative, high-tech, and full of opportunity. Through this partnership with the ATIM Cluster and regional employers, Dreambig is building a connected pathway from the classroom to higher education to high-impact careers right here in the Midlands.

That’s core to our mission as a technological university, and it’s exactly what the national agenda for access, participation, and regional development demands. TUS is proud to be at the centre of that journey, because the earlier we back a young person’s dreams, the bigger the impact for them, for their community, and for the region.”

Across the Midlands, companies are designing products, developing technologies and delivering solutions used around the world, demonstrating that world-class innovation can thrive in regional Ireland. By connecting students directly with these businesses, #Dreambig aims to nurture ambition, confidence and curiosity while showing young people they can pursue cutting-edge careers without leaving their communities.

The first Innovate for Ireland national centre, ‘Decarb-AI: AI-Powered Pathways to Climate Resilience’ has been announced today. Created in partnership with AIB and Research Ireland, the €5.7m Decarb-AI national centre will aim to harness the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate Ireland’s transition to a climate-resilient, low-carbon future.

Decarb-AI will welcome 30 iScholars across three intakes. Eight iScholars – from China, Ghana, India, the UK, France, Ireland and Kenya – have already commenced their research.

All of these iScholars will undertake fully-funded, four-year PhDs under the supervision of leading academic researchers from Irish higher education institutions, which are: University College Dublin (lead institution), Trinity College Dublin, Dublin City University, Technological University Dublin, University of Limerick, University of Galway (via the Irish Centre for High-End Computing – ICHEC), and University College Cork. The iScholars’ research at Decarb-AI research centre will focus on using cutting-edge AI to advance climate mitigation and adaptation across Ireland, with key focus areas including:

—  AI-optimised renewable energy systems and data centre sustainability
—  Machine learning for water quality forecasting and peatland restoration
—  Earth-observation and biodiversity modelling for land-use policy
—  AI-supported sustainable finance tools for SMEs
—  Transparent AI decision-support systems for real-time decarbonisation planning

The launch of Decarb-AI is a major milestone for the Innovate for Ireland programme. It follows on from the programme’s successful launch in early 2025, which saw the recruitment of the first cohort of 11 iScholars working in a variety of research disciplines. iScholars are outstanding researchers with entrepreneurial qualities and a passion for sustainability.

Yvonne McCarthy, Head of Sustainability Research, AIB, commented: “Tackling climate change requires both ambition and innovation. AIB is proud to partner with Innovate for Ireland on Decarb-AI, an initiative that brings world-leading researchers together to accelerate Ireland’s transition to a low-carbon economy. By supporting the development of AI-driven tools for energy and sustainable finance, we’re helping to unlock some of the solutions that will ensure that businesses and communities can make meaningful progress on decarbonisation that allows them to thrive.”

Dr Diarmuid O’Brien, CEO of Research Ireland, commented: “By combining advanced AI research with real-world climate challenges, Decarb-AI has the potential to generate solutions that are both scientifically rigorous and nationally impactful. This initiative will train the next generation of interdisciplinary leaders and strengthen Ireland’s credentials in climate research innovation.”

Andrew Parnell, Lead PI and Professor of Data Science for Weather and Climate at University College Dublin, commented, “AI is the catalyst required to solve the multi-objective problems inherent in climate resilience. Through Decarb-AI, we are fostering a research environment where advanced data science meets urgent environmental necessity through our new iScholars. Our focus is on creating scalable, academically rigorous, and industry-ready outputs ranging from peatland restoration to sustainable finance. We must ensure that Ireland remains at the global forefront of excellence in AI and sustainability.”

Dr Simon Boucher, Chief Executive, Global Innovators Ireland, commented: “The opening of the Decarb-AI national centre is an important step towards realising the Innovate for Ireland vision of establishing Ireland as a world-leading hub for sustainability innovation and helping to address the world’s most pressing challenges.”

Applications for a second cohort of researchers to Decarb-AI will be invited from ambitious candidates with backgrounds in AI, data science, engineering, environmental science, ecology, geography, finance, and related fields who want to build high-impact AI solutions for climate resilience.

Are you out of contract or looking for a better deal for your mobile phone? If so, there are some great SIM Only deals available in Ireland right now with huge savings to be made over long contract plans.

We’ve teamed up with Switcher.ie, the free and impartial price comparison and switching service, to find the best SIM Only deals available every month.

Check back regularly to stay informed of the latest deals and offers, and visit the Switcher.ie website to order one of these great packages.

Best SIM Only Deals

For consumers seeking an affordable, commitment-free SIM-only option, 48 offers a flexible prepay solution, available exclusively through Switcher.ie. Their SIM-only plan, requiring a monthly top-up of €10.99, includes 100GB of 4G data, 5,000 minutes, 5,000 texts, and a 17GB EU/UK roaming allowance. Offer ends 25/03/2026.

48 also provides a separate prepay plan for those requiring unlimited 5G data. This plan requires a monthly top-up of €12.99 and offers 5,000 minutes, 5,000 texts, unlimited 5G data, and a 20GB EU/UK roaming allowance.

Alternatively, Clear Mobile presents another budget-friendly SIM-only option. They deliver unlimited data and calls, plus 10,000 texts, for a monthly fee of just €12.99 on a 30-day rolling bill-pay contract. This also incorporates a 23GB EU/UK roaming allowance. Furthermore, customers who sign up now will receive their first month free of charge.

The Unlimited Plan from Sky Mobile also presents a strong value proposition, offering unlimited data, calls, and texts for €15 per month on a 12-month bill-pay contract.

Virgin Mobile’s Mobile 15 Plan is a highly competitive option, priced at €15 per month on a 12-month bill-pay contract. This plan delivers exceptional value with unlimited data, calls, and texts.

(If you’ve come across this article after some of these deals may have expired, check out our main SIM Only category page to find the latest offers.)

An international team of astronomers, led by a PhD student at University of Galway, have made the groundbreaking discovery of a second planet in the same system where they discovered another planet last year.

Detected at an early stage of formation in the disc around a young star, the young planet named WISPIT 2c is estimated to be about 5 million years-old and most likely ten times the mass of Jupiter.

The star, WISPIT 2 is located in the constellation of the Eagle, a prominent equatorial constellation visible in the summer northern hemisphere (July-November) along the Milky Way.

The study was led by PhD student Chloe Lawlor from the Centre for Astronomy at the School of Natural Sciences and the Ryan Institute at University of Galway, in collaboration with PhD student Richelle van Capelleveen, Leiden Observatory, Netherlands and postdoctoral researcher Guillaume Bourdarot, Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Garching, Germany.

This major find for the field of astronomy makes WISPIT 2 only the second-known young (and still forming) multi-planet system. WISPIT 2 may resemble the young Solar System with now two gas giant planets embedded in its multi-ringed dust disk. This includes the now confirmed planet WISPIT 2c and the planet WISPIT 2b, which was discovered last year by the same research team (led by Richelle van Capelleveen at Leiden Observatory and Dr. Laird Close from the University of Arizona).

The new planet is a very young gas giant based on the temperature and its radius from the atmosphere spectrum. It is twice as massive as the previously detected WISPIT 2b and orbits four times closer to its host star, which makes it incredibly difficult to detect with ground-based telescopes.

The study has been published in Astrophysical Journal Letters.

The presence of this second planet was detected using the European Southern Observatory’s (ESO’s) Very Large Telescope in Chile’s Atacama Desert. By linking several telescopes together to act as one giant instrument, the research team was able to observe regions very close to the star.

The team detected carbon monoxide gas, a chemical that is commonly found in the atmospheres of young giant planets. Carbon monoxide leaves a strong and distinctive chemical signature in telescope data, providing the crucial evidence needed to confirm the planet’s existence.

Chloe Lawlor, PhD student, Centre for Astronomy, School of Natural Sciences, University of Galway, said: “After the initial discovery of WISPIT 2b, which I was also involved in, we suspected there might be another object in the system. At first, we weren’t sure if it was a planet or a very large dust clump. We very quickly made follow-up observations using the Very Large Telescope Interferometer, an incredible setup where multiple telescopes can be connected to form a large virtual telescope. This allowed us to take what we call a spectrum, which is essentially a chemical fingerprint, revealing the elements and molecules in an object’s atmosphere.

“Carbon monoxide is one of the key signatures we are looking for in young giant planets. When we saw it clearly in the data, that was when we knew we had something significant. There was definitely an element of disbelief. I didn’t expect to be the one to find a second planet in the system. When I sent the spectrum to my supervisor Dr Christian Ginski, it was a huge shock and upon further examination, he confirmed I’d found a planet!

“WISPIT 2 will become an important laboratory to study planet formation.”

To uncover the hidden planet, the research team used the European Southern Observatory’s (ESO’s) Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI), which captured an image of the object and allowed also for the first study of its atmosphere. The team specifically used the recently upgraded instrument GRAVITY+, which allows the light from all four of the eight metre telescopes of the ESO to be combined. This challenging technique using cutting-edge instrumentation was fundamental to detecting the new planet, because the star outshines the planet signal by a factor of thousands.

Professor Frances Fahy, Director of the Ryan Institute, University of Galway, said: “The discovery of the planet WISPIT 2c is a remarkable achievement and highlights the world-class astrophysics research taking place at University of Galway. The Ryan Institute is proud to support research that pushes the boundaries of scientific discovery. I warmly congratulate PhD researcher Chloe Lawlor on this breakthrough and Dr Christian Ginski for his leadership and dedication to astronomy research. Discoveries like this capture the imagination and can inspire a whole new generation of astronomers.”

The new discovery offers scientists a rare opportunity to study how massive planets form and evolve, shedding new light on the early processes that ultimately led to the formation of Earth.

Dr Christian Ginski, Lecturer at the School of Natural Sciences, University of Galway, said: “Finding these young planets in formation is the culmination of a lot of work by scientists and engineers alike. When I started out in my career, we had only a few hundred exoplanets discovered (as opposed to the many thousands that we know now) and being able to take a direct image of any planet was considered an incredible challenge.

“It still boggles my mind that now we are at the level where we can take a peek at the planets as they are forming. I also feel very privileged to work with a whole bunch of brilliant young scientists who know how to make the most of the observational facilities that are now available to us.”

To coincide with the research being published, the European Southern Observatory (ESO) – the world’s foremost international astronomy organisation – has featured a photo of WISPIT 2c and WISPIT 2b forming around the young star WISPIT 2.

The study was supported by the Ryan Institute at University of Galway.

See more stories here.

On March 5th, 2026, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD, and Minister for Education and Youth, Hildegarde Naughton TD announced that almost €6 million in funding would be used to support thirty-two projects designed to engage the public in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) through the Research Ireland Discover Programme.

The Research Ireland Discover Programme is a national initiative to widen participation in STEM. This year’s projects will engage with people of all ages, from early childhood through to adulthood, through creative, community-embedded, and inclusive approaches to STEM engagement.

Research Ireland Discover Programme awards NCI

NCI’s STEM for All: Multiple Inclusive STEM Engagements for Families, Communities project, led by Professor Paul Stynes, Dean of the School of Computing, has been awarded €60,000.00 in funding.

About the project

The STEM for All project builds on Research Ireland funded programming, supporting STEM identities, skills, and aspirations of children and families facing significant socio-economic challenges in Dublin’s Inner City by creating multiple, accessible, inclusive opportunities for disenfranchised families to gain confidence, competence, and a sense of belonging in STEM, and the research and innovation world

Professor Paul Stynes, Dean of NCI’s School of Computing, shares, “This funding allows us to further advance our research into inclusive STEM education, building a stronger evidence base on what works in engaging children and families from underrepresented communities. As Principal Investigator, it enables us to evolve and scale our programmes in a way that is both research-informed and community-driven, strengthening pathways into STEM from an early age through to future study and careers.

It also reinforces NCI’s role in leading impactful, inclusive research that connects education, community engagement, and long-term societal outcomes.”

NCI’s Early Learning Initiative (ELI) is a grassroots public purpose project addressing systemic inequalities; empowering at-risk children to discover their STEM identities through creative, engaging experiences that encourage scientific thinking.

STEM is embedded across ELI’s early intervention programmes: STEM Play & Learn (home visits, ages 4–6), weekly Coding Clubs (ages 7–12), Senior Coding Club (ages 13–16), STEM events for families. Local advocacy, accessible family learning, and parent engagement are central to inclusive education, building science capital, and resilient communities.

Recognising parents’ profound role in shaping children’s learning outcomes and aspirations, ELI’s programming expands, incorporating insights from their 2024 Parental Attitudes to STEM and Digital Technology research, including findings from in-depth case studies exploring long-term STEM engagement in disadvantaged families.

To deepen impact and engagement several new elements will be introduced: Think Like a Scientist pilot, an initiative aimed at bridging a gap in children’s scientific understanding through inquiry-based learning; bespoke parent technology clinics; and STEM 101 sessions demystifying core concepts, giving parents tools to support their child’s learning. In parallel, ELI is developing longitudinal analysis framework exploring how sustained participation in the STEM programmes influences young people’s aspirations and progression to third-level education.

Brigina O’Riordan, Assistant Director of ELI’s Community Services Programmes, shares, “This funding will enable children and families in Dublin Inner City to engage in high quality, accessible, and engaging STEM learning experiences, building confidence, curiosity, and awareness in the scientific method. This programme is intentionally designed to promote access, inclusion, and diversity, with strong participation from underrepresented groups, supported by NCI as a safe and welcoming community space.”

Research Ireland New Foundations scheme awards NCI

Research Ireland’s New Foundations scheme supports eligible researchers who intend to pursue research, networking, and/or dissemination activities within and across the diversity of disciplines. At the end of February, Research Ireland announced the New Foundations Awardees for 2026. National College of Ireland has received one of the awards for dementia research led by the ProBrain Lab in the Psychology Department of NCI’s School of Business and Social Sciences.

The project, SUSTAIN CST: Supporting Sustainable Access to Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) for People with Dementia in Ireland, led by NCI’s Dr Michelle Kelly and Dr Caoimhe Hannigan in partnership with Engaging Dementia, has been awarded €11, 726.01 in funding.

About this project

Cognitive stimulation therapy (CST) is an evidence-based intervention that improves cognition, communication, and quality of life for people with dementia. Although CST is recommended in Irish health policy, it remains difficult to access. This project will co-develop a national CST Implementation Plan in collaboration with dementia stakeholders. The Plan will be evaluated using a validated mixed-methods implementation science approach. Building on previous research, the project aims to improve the availability and sustainability of CST across Ireland, develop resources to encourage CST delivery, and promote meaningful support for those affected by dementia.

Dr Michelle Kelly, Associate Professor in Psychology at NCI’s School of Business and Social Sciences, shares, “We are delighted to be awarded funding through the Research Ireland New Foundations programme. I would like to acknowledge the continued support of Research Ireland in enabling the ProBrain Lab to conduct impactful, collaborative research that addresses key societal needs.”

Dr Caoimhe Hannigan, Associate Professor in Psychology at NCI’s School of Business and Social Sciences, shares, “This project is focused on making a real and practical difference for people affected by dementia. By working closely with stakeholders to develop and implement a national plan for Cognitive Stimulation Therapy, we aim to improve access to meaningful supports that enhance quality of life.”

NCI shortlisted at the Education Awards

National College of Ireland has been shortlisted in eight categories for this year’s Education Awards.

More about the Education Awards

Founded in 2017 to honour excellence and innovation across Ireland’s higher and further education sectors, the Education Awards were designed to highlight achievements in areas such as student success, infrastructure, sustainability, and digital learning. The Education Awards aim to promote and encourage positive change in education, building a culture of continuous improvement across Ireland’s educational landscape.

Below is the full NCI shortlist:

Best Research Project: National College of Ireland – Availability of Cognitive Rehabilitation for People with Dementia in Ireland (CR-Ireland)

Best Education Outreach Award – Community & Public Engagement: National College of Ireland- STEM Family Learning in the Community

Career Impact Strategy– Employability, Access & Skills Development: National College of Ireland

Best Library Team: National College of Ireland -Academic Support Centre

Most Innovative Digital Transformation: National College of Ireland –LibMaps

Innovative Access to Third-Level Education: National College of Ireland –The P-TECH Programme

Apprenticeship Programme Award – Education Provider: National College of Ireland –The IFS Apprenticeship

Best Collaboration Award – Domestic (Public Good, Culture & Social Impact):The Autism Acceptance Festival

It is a particularly exciting time for NCI as the College is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. News like this only adds to the celebratory atmosphere across both NCI campus buildings and it encourages everyone to keep striving towards their goals.

Professor Gina Quin, President of NCI, shares, “The recent Research Ireland funding announcements alongside the news of NCI being shortlisted at the Education Awards, has greatly aligned with our 75th Anniversary Celebrations. This funding will not only allow research to evolve, but it will also help our staff work towards the larger mission of NCI which is to change lives through education. The research conducted will touch many lives and it will be highly rewarding to see that work positively helping those in our local community and beyond. I would also like to congratulate all those who have been shortlisted at this year’s Education Awards; it is brilliant to see NCI represented nationally in so many categories.”  

See more stories here.

UGREEN have launched a new series of Thunderbolt 5 compatible devices and have sent us their Revodock Maxidok 17-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station to take a look at. This dock is jam-packed with ports, specs and features which allow you to connect and charge all of your devices, store data externally and transfer it between connected devices at blistering speeds.

As this is a Thunderbolt 5 device, it caters to the higher end of the laptop and display market, but it is also backwards compatible and still works extremely well when connecting to devices with standard USB-C.

If your devices support Thunderbolt, though, the convenience and speed at which you can transfer data is so fast it seems unbelievable at times!

What’s in the Box

Along with the dock, UGREEN include everything you will need to get up and running. There is a 240-watt external power adapter to power everything. It comes with 3 different cables with plug tops to suit the main world regions. There is a heat sync for an NVME drive and a screwdriver included for installation.

UGREEN Revodock Maxidok 17-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station Design and Specs

We have reviewed many UGREEN products over the years and have always been impressed with their build quality and design. With the Revodock Maxidok, though, UGREEN have really upped their game, and everything about this product has a really premium look and feel.

Starting with the box, the hinged opening presents the dock front and centre of the packaging and feels more reminiscent of what you would see with a fancy watch, and it’s a good indicator of the effort that has been put into the overall product. All of the accessories included are also of high quality and well packaged.

Moving on to the Revodock Maxidok itself, the premium material vibe continues. The steel chassis feels solid and is finished in a two-tone space grey type colour and copper, which is diagonally split along the sides.

The front face of the device has the power button, 3 x USB-C ports, a micro and full-size SD card slot, capable of 312MB/s transfer and a headphone jack. The bottom of the device has a hatch and bay for an M2 NVMe drive, with the back of the device having the remainder of the ports.

These include: 2 x Thunderbolt 5 Downstream ports, 1 Thunderbolt 5 Upstream port, 1 x DisplayPort, Audio In & Out ports, 3 x USB-A ports capable of 10Gbps and a 2.5GbE Ethernet port. The device can also supply 240 watts to charge devices and power peripherals, and you can keep everything secured to your desk with a Kensington lock.

Some of the other headline features include:

• All-in-one expansion: 17 ports for data, video, networking, storage, and charging.
• Ultra-fast data transfers: Supports up to 120Gbps unidirectional bandwidth and 80Gbps bi-directional bandwidth
• Built-in NVMe PCIe Gen4 x4 M.2 slot: Open and edit 4K assets and large files directly, with no waiting around for copying or loading. More affordable than upgrading internal device storage.
• Flagship multi-display support: Supports three independent displays (Windows), two independent displays (Mac), as well as single 8K@60Hz or dual 6K@60Hz outputs.
• Built-in 2.5GbE network port: Transfer large files such as 4K footage quickly and reliably. No need to worry about flaky WiFi connections.
• 24/7 stable performance: Advanced thermal engineering keeps performance stable even throughout 24/7 high-load testing, with the surface remaining under 40°C.

Day-to-Day Use

For a high-spec device such as the Revodock Maxidok, there are a number of consumers out there who have the right equipment chain and workflow process that will make this device seem like a “must buy”, but it is also a really useful device to have outside of these scenarios.

The first people who will clearly benefit from a device like this are people who are in the Apple ecosystem and mainly do their day-to-day computing on a laptop or tablet. Apple devices have been Thunderbolt compatible for some time, and as they release new devices, they generally update the versions of Thunderbolt they are compatible with. The latest iPad Pros are compatible up to Thunderbolt 3, which is still faster and more capable than USB-C, and the latest MacBooks are Thunderbolt 5 compatible, so the Revodock Maxidok is ideal for use with these products.

While there are many Windows-based machines that support older Thunderbolt standards, the number that are Thunderbolt 5 compatible is still fairly low, so I think it is fair to say Apple users will appreciate the Revodock Maxidok more. At least for now.

So why is the Revodock Maxidok so useful? There are many reasons. If you have a recent MacBook Pro, for example, and you didn’t want to pay the Apple tax to include a larger SSD for storage, with the Revodock Maxidok, you can install an external NVMe drive, which you can read and write to at a speed comparable to or exceeding what is available to you with the internal drive on your Mac. Large files can be stored on this drive and accessed at full speed when needed.

This isn’t like connecting a USB drive and waiting a lifetime for that 4K video project you were working on to transfer between devices. The Revodock Maxidok will allow you to max out the Thunderbolt 5 transfer speeds with the correct NVMe SSD installed in the dock.

During our testing, we installed a Crucial P510 1TB M.2 NVMe drive in the Revodock Maxidok. This drive is apple of 11000MB/s read and 9500MB/s write speed. Thunderbolt 5 allows you to take full advantage of these crazy speeds and at a capacity which costs a lot less than what Apple would charge you.

For anyone who works with large file sizes or has to transfer folders containing thousands of smaller files, you will know how much of a pain this process can be using traditional external hard drives.

Using Thunderbolt 3, 4 and 5 compatible devices with NVMe above, we transferred folders containing 40 GB of audio files and 100 GB of videos to see how fast it performed in the real world.

Transferring the 40GB folder from the Revodock Maxidok to an M5 iPad Pro 11 took about 20 seconds. Copying it from the iPad back to the NVMe drive took around 15 seconds.

With a Thunderbolt 4 compatible MacBook Air and a Thunderbolt 5 compatible MacBook Pro, the transfer times back and forth between the Revodock Maxidok for the 100GB folder ranged from 15 to 20 seconds. For files of this size, it pretty much feels instant. No matter what cable, device or protocol, be it Thunderbolt or USB-C, you can transfer data at incredibly fast speeds compared to most external drives.

The next key feature of the Revodock Maxidok is when you are connecting external displays. The beauty of Thunderbolt displays is that you can daisy chain cables between them for data transfer and, in some cases, for power too. Revodock Maxidok supports 3 independent displays with Windows, one 8K display @60Hz, or dual 6K monitors at 60Hz with Mac.

With the recent launch of updated MacBooks, which can now come equipped with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, the Revodock Maxidok will be able to support both single and dual 8K@60Hz displays, or triple 4K@144Hz displays.

What that means is that you can connect your MacBook Pro to the Revodock Maxidok via Thunderbolt 5. Extend your display to two additional monitors and power any accessories connected via USB. The Revodock Maxidok becomes a hub of connectivity for both data and charging your devices. It removes clutter as you can daisy chain devices, and it also removes the need for dongles or other peripherals to connect things like micro SD cards.

And that brings us on to the other main feature of the Revodock Maxidok. It becomes one device to power them all! Rather than having multiple chargers or places to charge your laptop, tablet, phone and watch or earphones, you can connect everything to the Revodock Maxidok. It removes further clutter and reduces the number of devices you need to keep everything charged.

Conclusion

The Revodock Maxidok is an incredibly well-connected and spec’d device. If you already have devices such as a MacBook, iPad or Thunderbolt displays, this device won’t need a sales pitch, and its convenience and capability are obvious.

Being able to connect and charge all of your devices, add external storage up to 8TBs and connect to it at blistering speeds while removing clutter and the need for multiple devices to keep on top of things means the Revodock Maxidok 17-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station is a 100% recomemndaiton if the use cases above sound familiar to you. And even if they don’t, having all this connectivity, storage and power available in one device will be of use to many.

The Revodock Maxidok 17-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station is available to purchase directly from UGREEN on their website or from Amazon, with stock available this week. Both sites currently have pre-release sale prices available.

The Irish Tech News Podcast is now 10 years old ,and over the years we have covered a wide variety of tech topics over 1700 episodes. To celebrate this milestone I have a very special guest, Alexia Cambon appearing on the podcast. Alexia, is a senior director of research at Microsoft and I caught up with her at the recent Microsoft AI Summit in Dublin.

Alexia talks about her background, AI in the work place, intelligence work, writing for AI, copilot, and more.

More about Alexia Cambon:

Alexia leads research for the Future of Work & M365 team as a Senior Director at Microsoft, working to identify emerging research opportunities and delving into customers’ most pressing workforce challenges. She co-leads Microsoft’s cross-company research initiative examining AI’s impact on productivity and performance, and is a seasoned presenter and speaker with a passion for storytelling and creative thinking. Alexia’s areas of focus include AI, hybrid work design, and organisational culture. She has written for HBR and The Guardian, and has been featured in NPR, Forbes and The Times (UK).

See more podcasts here.

Ireland’s European Climate Pact Ambassadors will this week be attending the Pact’s Annual Conference in Brussels, held this year under the theme of ‘Together in Action’. Together with Ambassadors from other member states, Ambassadors Dr Laura Kirwan and Martin Brocklehurst will be showcasing their work in driving grassroots community climate action throughout Ireland.

As a Sustainability Lead at Nutritics, an Irish-headquartered global leader in food data technology, and an expert in eco-friendly food systems, Dr. Kirwan has drawn on her extensive experience to create a sustainable menu for the event using the “Footprint” software, a digital tool allowing for the analysis and creation of eco-friendly dishes. An experienced thought leader on the role of food in fighting climate change, Dr Kirwan previously spoke at COP29, and served as a delegate at last year’s UN World Food Forum.

Joining Dr Kirwan will be Martin Brocklehurst, whose work as an Ambassador centres on the role of citizen science in driving grassroots climate action, advocating for citizen science as a key part of implementation plans for major global environmental resolutions. A veteran of climate action, Brocklehurst has spent over four decades involved in environmental efforts in the public sector, as well as with academic and NGO clients on major EU projects.

The Annual Conference represents a landmark moment in the European climate calendar, bringing together over 500 citizens, policymakers, businesses and community leaders from all 27 EU member states to connect in a shared celebration of the collective action needed to drive Europe’s transition to a climate-neutral future.

See more stories here.

The ISPE Ireland Affiliate flagship event, INSPIRE, will take place on Thursday 14th May 2026 at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork. More than 600 attendees from across Ireland’s thriving pharmaceutical and life sciences sector are expected to gather for a day of collaboration, insight, and opportunity.

INSPIRE will bring together industry leaders, innovators and emerging talent, with a strong focus on shaping the future of pharmaceutical manufacturing, digital transformation, and workforce development.

A key highlight of the event is a large-scale trade exhibition featuring over 60+ vendors, showcasing the latest technologies, services, and solutions supporting the life sciences industry. Attendees will have direct access to cutting-edge innovations and technical expertise.

Alongside the exhibition, ISPE Ireland will host a dedicated Careers Fair in partnership with NIBRT (National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training). This initiative aims to connect students, graduates, and professionals with leading employers, supporting the continued growth of Ireland’s talent pipeline.

The event will be hosted by well-known Irish media personality Anna Daly, guiding attendees through a dynamic programme of keynote speakers, panel discussions, and interactive sessions. A special highlight will be a motivational keynote address by comedian and broadcaster Dermot Whelan, who will share a unique perspective on performance, mindset, and resilience in today’s fast-paced industry.

The day will also offer extensive networking opportunities throughout the day, culminating in an evening BBQ and live entertainment session. Guests will have the unique opportunity to step pitch-side for a game or two alongside well-known Irish sports stars, adding a fun and memorable close to the day while encouraging even more informal networking.

Speaking ahead of the event, Carolann Power, ISPE Ireland Affiliate said: “As one of the organisers of ISPE Ireland Inspire, we’ve placed a strong focus on creating networking opportunities alongside a dynamic trade show. This event will bring together professionals and providers in one space, making it easy to build connections, explore new technologies, and have the conversations that drive real progress across the industry.”

INSPIRE is free to attend, with registrations expected to fill quickly due to high demand.  Tickets are available on Eventbrite by searching ISPE IRE INSPIRE 2026.  Follow all updates through the ISPE Ireland LinkedIn Page.

See more stories here.

HubSpot, the agentic customer platform that helps organisations grow better, has announced plans to launch an investment of €40.35 million in an AI-native R&D programme in Ireland focused on foundational AI systems engineering. HubSpot is supported by the Irish government through IDA Ireland.

The programme will advance AI R&D across three core domains: AI Platform & Ecosystem, Product & Infrastructure, and AI-Native Go-To-Market Transformation. This multi-year investment anchors high-value AI systems development in Ireland and further establishes Dublin as a strategic global hub for HubSpot’s AI engineering.

Anchoring foundational AI systems in Ireland

The programme is focused on foundational AI systems: the core infrastructure, platforms, and capabilities that will power HubSpot’s AI-native growth for years to come. Key areas of work include:

AI platform & ecosystem: Scalable AI platforms, tools, and interfaces to enable faster, safer deployment of AI across HubSpot’s product suite and partner ecosystem.

Product & infrastructure: Embedding AI into HubSpot’s core infrastructure and product layers to improve performance, reliability, and customer value.

AI-native go-to-market: Reimagining how HubSpot builds, ships, and supports products in an AI-native way, from internal workflows to customer-facing experiences.

This work will support HubSpot’s long-term goal of reaching 500,000 customers by 2028, building on its current base of more than 288,000 customers in over 135 countries globally.

“This is a strong vote of confidence in HubSpot’s AI-native R&D vision,” said Rich Archbold, GM and SVP Business Systems, Security & BizTech at HubSpot. “With support from IDA Ireland, we can anchor more of our most advanced AI systems engineering in Ireland and accelerate the multi-year AI-native transformation of our platform.

“Ireland is at the heart of that strategy, and the depth and ambition of the engineering and AI talent here gives us the confidence to take on some of our most complex technical challenges. The work we’re doing will shape the foundations of our platform for years to come and unlock new ways for our customers to grow in an AI-native world.”

Ireland as a global AI systems engineering hub

HubSpot has built a significant and growing presence in Ireland, with approximately 1,300 employees nationwide, including over 350 R&D employees. While 63% are based in County Dublin, 37% work across the rest of Ireland, giving HubSpot a national footprint with representation in almost every county.

This hybrid workforce model, combining in-person and remote roles, enables HubSpot to access AI and engineering talent across the country, while contributing to regional economic participation beyond Dublin and strengthening Ireland’s position in global AI development.

Minister Peter Burke, Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment said: “HubSpot’s decision to invest over €40 million in a new AI native R&D programme is a strong endorsement of Ireland’s position as a global leader in advanced technology and innovation. The company’s long term commitment will create new opportunities for talent across the country and support the continued evolution of our innovation ecosystem. I wish HubSpot every success as they embark on this next phase of growth.”

Michael Lohan, CEO, IDA Ireland added. “I want to congratulate HubSpot on the launch of their AI-native R&D programme. Artificial Intelligence is a key growth driver called out in IDA Ireland’s strategy and it’s encouraging to see R&D projects focussing on this area. This significant investment is a great vote of confidence in the engineering and innovation capabilities available in Ireland.”

See more stories here.

By Joe O’Regan, founder of Intrinsic CFO, fractional CFO to some of Ireland’s most exciting startups and the current Chair of ACCA Ireland.

There isn’t a founder on the planet who wakes up one morning and thinks, “Today is the day I need a CFO.” The realisation is always a more gradual one.

The importance of Financial Leadership

Numbers become more opaque to interpret. Revenues could be rising, but cash flow feels squeezed. Hiring decisions start to carry more weight. Investment conversations begin to surface. Overall, the business is moving forward, but the financial picture is becoming more complex rather than clearer.

It’s at this stage that bookkeeping and compliance no longer suffice for what the founder(s) need. They need financial leadership to scale up. And crucially, someone who understands not just their numbers, but how those numbers compare to other companies at a similar stage and in a similar sector.

The CFO myth

It’s a commonly held belief that only the likes of Fortune 500 or large companies can afford a CFO. However, financial strategy becomes critical long before a company reaches enterprise size.

For small and mid-sized companies, the services of a full-time CFO are not necessarily required. That said, having access to a fractional CFO on a part-time basis can make all the difference.

In a nutshell, the role of a fractional CFO is to bring senior-level financial expertise to the business minus the full-time cost. Yes, spreadsheets will be present, but the real role is translating financial data into decisions that shape growth, resilience and long-term sustainability.

Generally, founders don’t lack ambition.

But while revenue targets may be clear, that clarity doesn’t always follow through into other areas of the business. The ambition is seldom matched with a structured financial roadmap. If profit margins, cash runway, funding requirements and the purpose behind spend are vague, this can be the death knell for a growing startup.

A good fractional CFO doesn’t just report the numbers. They challenge assumptions, join up the dots between strategy, sales, hiring and funding, and help ensure that every major cost supports a clear commercial objective.

Managing cash flow before it manages you

In the world of start-ups and scale-ups, “exit” or “profit” are the words everyone wants to hear. “Cash flow” just doesn’t have the same allure.

But cash flow is the kingmaker when it comes to growing your business.

A company can be profitable on paper and still struggle to meet short-term obligations. Or just a few late payments could derail operations. That’s before unexpected expenses or seasonal fluctuations create pressure.

This is also where an experienced fractional CFO adds value beyond the ledger. They can help founders understand when to use non-dilutive funding such as grants. And, just as importantly, when not to. Grants can be powerful at the right stage, particularly for innovation, R&D or market expansion, but they should support strategy, not distort it or distract the team from customers.

Fundraising is another area where early financial leadership pays dividends.

Investors may be interested in your product or service, but they’re really paying attention to how the economics function in your business. Clear financial models, realistic projections and transparent reporting build credibility. Even companies not actively seeking investment benefit from operating with this level of discipline because it strengthens internal decision-making as well as external perception.

A fractional CFO also saves the founder time to do what they do best. While no one doubts their commitment, it’s no use to the business for a founder to burn the midnight oil wrestling with spreadsheets. With the right financial leadership in place, founders can focus on customers, product and team with the knowledge that the financial engine is being actively managed and challenged.

Why tech companies feel it sooner

Growing companies across the commercial spectrum require robust financial expertise. However, tech companies often feel the pressure earlier than most.

Scaling quickly, moving into new markets and recurring revenue models ramp up complexity rapidly.

In addition, metrics such as customer acquisition cost, lifetime value and burn rate become central to survival. But before sophisticated dashboards and CRM reporting, there is a more fundamental question: who is the ideal customer and how do we reach more of them?

A strong fractional CFO doesn’t just look at CAC in isolation. They work with founders to understand the customer persona, the sales process and the pipeline. It’s the CFO’s role to sense-check whether time and money are being spent on the right prospects rather than “kissing frogs”. In many early-stage companies, financial leadership means helping to bring structure to commercial thinking, not just financial reporting.

Because a fractional CFO works across multiple companies, they also see patterns. What worked in one go-to-market motion, pricing model or funding strategy can often be adapted to another. That cross-pollination of experience is hugely valuable to founders who may be building and scaling for the first time.

Financial leadership enables opportunity

It’s important to realise that your fractional CFO is not there to be a buzzkill.

They’re not looking to restrict opportunities. They’re there to ensure you’re taking calculated risks rather than moonshots in the dark.

That requires independence as well as involvement. The best fractional CFOs act like a true member of the leadership team, present at board meetings, engaged in strategy and growth discussions, while still being independent enough to challenge, ask the hard questions and hold the business accountable to its own goals.

Markets shift, costs fluctuate and opportunities appear and disappear quickly. Companies that thrive are those that combine vision with financial insight and critical thinking. Instinct has its place, but it can’t be relied on solely to grow a business.

The startups that make it see finance as a strategic tool, one that connects product, customers, funding and growth, and treat it as such.

Joe O’Regan is the founder of Intrinsic CFO, fractional CFO to some of Ireland’s most exciting startups and the current Chair of ACCA Ireland.

See more breaking stories here.

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) has announced that it awarded more than €20 million in Government funding to 34 new national energy research awards under the SEAI National Energy Funding Programme in 2025. This comprises of 25 Research, Development and Demonstration (RD&D) projects and 9 Energise Fellowships. Funding for these awards is provided by the Government of Ireland through the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment.

The RD&D projects funded by SEAI span small, medium, and large-scale initiatives across critical energy areas including offshore wind, bioenergy, district heating, green hydrogen, sustainable transport, forecasting, smart buildings, carbon capture, and environmental and climate targets.

The Energise Fellowships Programme supports early-career and mid-career researchers, building national research capacity, strengthening the Irish energy research ecosystem, bridging the research to policy gap and accelerating the development of future research leaders. The 2025 Energise Fellowships are supporting research across areas including energy poverty alleviation, offshore renewable energy, carbon capture, energy efficient buildings, biofuels, and green hydrogen.

In 2025, SEAI collaborated with three co?funding partners in the RD&D call, each supporting strategically important research themes:

• Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine – co-funding research on sustainable feedstocks for anaerobic digestion
• Climate Change Advisory Council – co-funding the development of low?emission and equitable transport strategies
• Met Éireann – co-funding a project on renewable energy forecasting in Ireland’s changing climate

SEAI acknowledges the value of these partnerships in scaling up national research impact and supporting evidence-based climate and energy policy.

The 2025 SEAI National Energy Funding Programme awarded grants to project leads in several of Ireland’s leading universities, technological institutions, and public-service and private-sector research organisations nationwide. These include University College Cork, University of Galway, Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, University of Limerick, Maynooth University, Technological University of Shannon, TU Dublin, Munster Technological University, Atlantic Technological University, Teagasc, the International Energy Research Centre (IERC), Tipperary Energy Agency, HeatGrid Ireland Ltd and Dowmann Limited.

The programme will benefit a broad selection of organisations across all projects and fellowships with 16 receiving funding as leads or partners and 29 as collaborators.

Speaking on today’s announcement, Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment Darragh O’Brien, TD said: “I am delighted to see the award of these 34 innovative energy research projects and fellowships. Ireland recently reached a landmark of 8GW of renewable energy. The best way to deliver long term energy independence and affordable costs for Irish households and businesses is to continue to deploy home-grown renewable energy at scale. Recent events in the Middle East have reiterated the importance of reducing Ireland’s dependence on imported fossil fuels. These projects will explore important areas of research, that in turn can enhance the delivery of sustainable, secure, and affordable energy for all.”

William Walsh, CEO at SEAI, added: “These projects have the potential to transform Ireland’s energy system. From floating wind, to using AI to enhance the efficiency of renewables, this research is on the cutting-edge of technology and international best practice.

“Reducing our reliance on fossil fuels will mean a cleaner, healthier, more resilient and competitive future for our country. It will reduce our energy bills and put our country on a more secure footing. At SEAI, we fund the research that will make that vision a reality. Congratulations to the teams awarded this funding and thank you for the significant contribution you have made, and are making, to Ireland’s energy transition.”

The full list of RD&D awarded projects can be found here and the Fellowship awards here. A small number of awards are pending commencement and will be added to the database once finalised.

Details of 2026 SEAI Research Calls will be announced on the www.seai.ie/seai-research/research-funding

Information on all SEAI-funded energy research projects is available on the National Energy Research Database.

For general research queries: energyresearch@seai.ie

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Orchard Thieves has announced the launch of the Orchard Thieves Creator Marketplace to support emerging Irish creators through what the brand has called the ‘Foxpack’ – a creator platform built to explore a more culturally driven approach to brand collaboration. Developed in partnership with THINKHOUSE and powered by the agency’s creator marketing capability, The Love Network, the Foxpack marks a shift away from traditional creator campaigns towards a scalable, structured and culturally embedded model of collaboration.

The Foxpack builds on Orchard Thieves’ Be More Fox brand platform – celebrating instinctive creativity, cultural awareness and the ability to spot the moments others miss. The Foxpack invites creators who embody this mindset: culturally sharp, creatively bold and plugged into the social moments shaping culture.

From pre-drinks and house parties to festivals, the Foxpack will engage emerging Irish creators with paid opportunities, skill development, guidance on content production and brand partnerships. Moving beyond traditional influencer marketing, rather than working with the “same faces in the same ways”, Orchard Thieves is building what it describes as a living community of emerging creators known as the Foxpack.

For Orchard Thieves, the ambition is cultural relevance over superficial reach, prioritising authentic storytelling, real communities and creator relationships over polished ad-replication. Research from System1 shows that creator-led content consistently outperforms traditional brand advertising in driving attention and emotional engagement.

Jim Geraghty, Marketing Manager at Orchard Thieves Cider said: “As the #1 GenZ cider brand, Orchard Thieves has always been a brand rooted in social culture and real shared moments. With the Foxpack, we’re investing in authentic partnerships with emerging creators who shape culture, not just follow trends. It’s about supporting new talent while building a more disruptive, future-focused approach to creator marketing.”

Dave Byrne, Head of Creative at THINKHOUSE said: “Orchard Thieves has always been a future focused brand, working with up and coming creators to deliver campaigns that really land with audiences. The Foxpack now gives us the chance to discover the next generation of creators and work with them to make content that connects with cider fans all over Ireland.”

The Foxpack has been designed as a scalable community enabling Orchard Thieves to collaborate with a diverse creator pool throughout the year. The launch will be supported by two hero brand ambassador creators, alongside a broader recruitment phase inviting emerging Irish talent to apply via a dedicated microsite.

By expanding its creator network, Orchard Thieves is exploring new ways brands in Ireland can collaborate with the next generation of creative talent. Find out how to join The Foxpack today, visit: https://www.orchardthievescider.ie/join-the-foxpack

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Teachers motivated by desire to make a difference

• 41.1% cited a love of learning and education.
• 28.1% of teachers said they chose the profession because of a desire to make a difference.
• 24.2% said they were inspired by a teacher from their own schooldays.

Teachers going above and beyond

Concerns over senior cycle reforms and resources

Teachers call for stronger engagement with policymakers

Snapshot of a profession defined by resilience

Employers need to dramatically change the way they are delivering learning and development if they want to engage and retain Gen Z employees as they enter the modern workforce, a new report has found.

The Irish research report, prepared by the Learnovate Centre in Trinity College Dublin for WorkJuggle, is called Learning in the Age of TikTok: How Gen Z is Shaping the Future of Learning and Work.

It investigated the learning and professional development requirements of Gen Z, which usually refers to those born between the mid-1990s and early 2010s, making them the youngest generation currently entering and establishing themselves in the workforce.

The research found that effective learning and development (L&D) for Gen Z requires a fundamental shift from traditional, passive training models to a dynamic, purpose-driven and highly relational approach that delivers regular feedback.

Three core area differences between Gen Z and previous generations are highlighted in the report: they want to know why they are learning something, they want ‘bite-size’ pieces of micro-learning and they really value human-centriclearning.

Purpose. Gen Z don’t want to just learn something for the sake of it, especially if they feel it is not relevant to them. They want to know why they are learning. It has to be something that is meaningful to them and to their roles. The data overwhelmingly shows Gen Z requires learning to be anchored in purpose.

Multi-format content. The research highlighted a significant contraction in learner’s attention spans. Accustomed to the speed and variety of digital platforms, Gen Z demands micro-learning — short bite-sized information in video, image or text format.

Human-centric support. Despite their digital fluency, Gen Z highly values authentic mentoring and feedback from others. Mentorship is important to them as is peer-to-peer learning.

Gen Z are digital natives and represent the first generation to have grown up fully immersed in digital technology with their formative years shaped by smartphones, social media and on-demand access to information.

However, they show a strong preference for meaningful in-person interactions at work and consider face-to-face communication highly important and are more engaged if training is delivered by people and in person. Mentoring and opportunities to learn collaboratively are crucial. Regular updates, engagement and feedback are also important to Gen Z.

The research also shows that while social media plays a significant role in the lives of Gen Z, with TikTok one of the most widely used platforms, Gen Z’s relationship with platforms is complicated. The report – quoting previous international research – highlighted that nearly half had reported that they wished TikTok, Snapchat and X were never invented. But one key impact of TikTok has been to establish short-form video as a dominant form of content delivery.

As part of the report, a survey of Gen Z employees was conducted which found that the three main barriers to learning for this generation are: lack of time, content that is too long and content that is not engaging.

It also found that the benefits and perks that matter most to them are: work-life balance, competitive salary and career growth opportunities.

Workplace culture and values is also critical including issues like diversity, transparency, mental health supports, flexibility and autonomy.

The Learnovate Centre/WorkJuggle report was compiled from a survey of Gen Z employees, qualitative data from interviews with key L&D professionals as well as a review of existing literature.

WorkJuggle Founder Ciara Garvan says: 

“The data overwhelmingly indicates that Gen Z requires learning to be anchored in purpose. The survey of Gen Z employees highlights that this cohort places a high importance on values and purpose and demands to understand not just what they are learning, but why it is relevant to their personal career trajectory, the company’s mission, and any broader social impact.

“Without this foundational context, training is perceived as obligatory, leading to low engagement. This preference for intrinsic motivation means they seek a coaching process – one that empowers them to find their own solutions and align their development with organisational goals – rather than a passive, prescriptive consultancy approach.”

Learnovate Centre Managing Director Nessa McEniff says: 

“This report provides important insights for employers who are looking to hire and retain the next generation of the workforce. They need to change the way they are approaching learning and development in order to meet the needs of Gen Z. It shows that employers need to focus on the why, deliver content in multi-formats and provide regular, personalised feedback delivered in a coaching style. This learning can be consolidated with mentoring to help build their expertise and career development.

“This research shows that it is crucial to listen to this cohort of learners and incorporate their feedback into their learning experience to create a sense of ownership of their learning and maintain engagement.  By taking into account the above, organisations can improve the effectiveness of training programmes not just for Gen Z but for all employees.”

Learnovate Corporate Learning Researcher and report author Frank O’Reilly added:

“The findings from our research show the traditional approach to workplace learning is failing Gen Z. While 74% spend at least one hour a week on work-related learning, Gen Zs are less likely to engage in one-size-fits-all training programmes. Instead, they show a strong preference for bite-size content and in-person training as well as peer-to-peer learning and coaching. Gen Z needs a fundamentally different model built around purpose, multi-format content, rapid feedback and meaningful mentoring.”

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