Ireland's startup ecosystem is setting the pace for AI adoption in Europe, according to a new AWS report titled "Unlocking Ireland's AI Potential 2025". The report, based on survey data of 1,000 Irish businesses, highlights how agile Irish startups are rapidly integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into their core operations, with 36% of Irish startups embedding AI at the core of their business model, higher than the 29% European average.

Irish startups are also seeing measurable gains from this adoption, with 94% of Irish businesses reporting a significant increase in revenue thanks to adopting AI, with an average 36% revenue increase directly linked to their use of AI.

"The data in this report aligns closely with our observations in the field - Irish startups are demonstrating a strong commitment to integrating emerging technologies," said Niamh Gallagher, AWS Country Lead for Ireland. "Many of these companies clearly recognise that AI is becoming increasingly important for maintaining competitiveness, attracting investment, and pursuing global expansion opportunities."

During the AWS Gen AI Loft Dublin tour, Niamh Gallagher met with Niamh Smyth, Minister for the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with special responsibility for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation. The Minister was presented the "Unlocking Ireland's AI Potential 2025" report and taken through the key findings. During the event, leading Irish startup founders shared how AI is already transforming their industries.

Minister Smyth, praising the role of startups in Ireland's AI leadership, said "These findings make it clear that startups are central to Ireland's digital future," she said. "They're leveraging AI not only to grow, but to lead the transformation of entire industries - from safety tech to genomics and climate solutions."

"This report validates our approach to keeping children safe online," said Rena Maycock, founder of Chirp, a safety-focused tech company. "Using GenAI to enhance our datasets has enabled us to detect and block harmful communications and offer real-time protection for children and families - something that simply wouldn't be possible with conventional tech alone."

"At Jentic, we're building AI-native infrastructure for the agent era, enabling AI agents to dynamically discover, load, and execute the exact tools they need, precisely when they need them," said Dorothy Creaven, Chief Operating Officer of Jentic. "This report reinforces what we're seeing every day: Ireland's startups are not just adopting AI, they're pushing the boundaries of how AI is applied at scale."

"The report reflects what we're seeing on the ground," added Sean Mullaney, Founder & CEO of Seapoint. "AI isn't just enhancing finance tools - it's fundamentally changing how startups manage money, make strategic decisions, and scale. It's enabling us to build the intelligent financial home we always wished we had."

Across Ireland, businesses are integrating AI at an accelerating pace, with 45% now using AI, marking a 32% growth in just one year, up from 34% last year. This growth is outpacing the European average, where, overall, 42% of businesses are now consistently using AI at a growth rate of 27%.

The report also found that Irish businesses reported a 25% year-on-year increase in AI investment, exceeding the European average of 22%.

Wide, but shallow adoption: The two-tier economy

Many businesses, particularly large enterprises, are not leveraging the most advanced uses of AI. This risks a two-tier AI economy between startups and large enterprises. The research identifies three distinct stages of AI adoption in Ireland, outlining the gap between businesses that are merely experimenting with AI and those that are fully embedding it into their operations for transformative impact.

Stage 1: First steps

Two thirds (66%) of Irish businesses are in the early stages of AI adoption, primarily using publicly available chatbots...

Chloe O'Loughlin, a 2nd year student in St. Patrick's Comprehensive School in Shannon, won the Junior category award at the Technovation Ireland Regional Pitch Event (RPE) in AMD's Headquarters, CityWest, Dublin. Chloe has been working on an app to help people with dementia since she started the Teen-Turn after-school program in January.

Twelve weeks of mentoring and support led to the big event, with Chloe winning the Junior category. 65 projects from 8 counties and more than 20 schools were submitted to Technovation from Ireland this year. Chloe will now represent Ireland in the semi-finals of the global competition.

This project was particularly personal to Chloe who had a dream to help people suffering with dementia in a simple and easy way. She said: 'I have relatives with dementia. I see firsthand the effects that it has on them. I wanted to think of something that would help them.'

It was this initial thought that led her to create and develop her app called Brain Track. "The app features a to-do list, calendar, to keep track of different appointments and allows relatives and caregivers to keep an eye on them." An additional feature of the app is a profile page where the user or their relatives can input profiles of the people around them including photos and key details about that person.

Chloe believes that to be a very important feature for the wellbeing of the person with dementia and a reassurance to their loved ones. "If someone with dementia were to forget someone's name, they can go into the app and remind themselves of their name, which would save them the frustration of having to ask the person directly."

Chloe committed to 12 weeks of staying after school with more than 10 other girls in the group to learn to code, develop a business plan and pitch to judges. Her mentor Donna O'Sullivan, who is also a teacher at the school, applauded Chloe for her commitment and dedication to the project and app.

"Chloe has shown tremendous dedication and commitment to attending our Teen-Turn sessions after school each week and made superb progress during that time. We are so proud of what she has achieved and grateful to Teen-Turn for their continued support in developing tech skills for our girls."

Chloe really enjoyed participating in Teen-Turn's afterschool program and said, "I really enjoyed working with everyone in the group. We got tons of different ideas and opinions when putting it all together, and it's great to see how the other projects were coming along."

Chloe also benefited from extra sessions held by Teen-Turn over the midterm in partnership with PayPal and on two Super Session Saturdays, where the girls had the opportunity to gain in-person mentorship at the University of Limerick from academic staff and Immersive Software Engineering students.

On the day of the RPE Chloe said that she was a little apprehensive to pitch to the judges but that she found the experience to be a very powerful one. "I was very nervous, but the judges were really nice and once I started, I was more excited than nervous. They genuinely wanted to find out more about the app and how it works." Chloe was overjoyed to take first place on the day, winning a laptop with AMD chip technology, and is looking forward to the next stage of the competition.

So what does the future hold for Chloe and Brain Track? I definitely want to continue with Teen-Turn and with Project Squad and Technovation in the future because I really enjoyed it.' says Chloe who is very excited at the thought of possibly bringing the app to the market in the future. "I think the app will help people and I want to continue improving it." Chloe hopes that she can make the future a little brighter for those with dementia and their loved ones.

More about Irish Tech News

Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too.

You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like vi...

A delegation of 140 of Ireland's top entrepreneurs, including tech entrepreneurs Liam Dunne of Klearcom, Gareth Sheridan of Nutriband Inc., Alan Doyle of Aerlytix, Eddie Dillon of CreditLogic and Conor Buckley of Granite Digital, are this week travelling to Japan for the annual EY Entrepreneur Of The Year CEO Retreat.

Running from Monday 26th to Saturday 31st May, the retreat will see the entrepreneurs travel between Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto as they participate in a comprehensive programme of executive coaching, education and networking, while also experiencing Japan's vibrant culture and traditions.

This year's retreat will visit sites of major business, academic and diplomatic importance across Japan. Key visits will include SoftBank Corporation HQ where the group will meet with SoftBank President Kunihiro Fujinaga and Executive Vice President Daichi Nozaki, a 'Mini MBA' experience at Hitotsubashi University, delivered by leading Japanese academics Professor Yoshinori Fujikawa and Professor Hiroshi Ono, and Ireland House Tokyo, the centre of Ireland's diplomatic relations in Japan, where the group will meet with Ambassador of Ireland to Japan, Damien Cole.

Later in the week, the group will immerse themselves in Japanese culture in Kyoto before concluding with a visit to the World Expo in Osaka.

Japan is the world's fourth largest economy with enduring strengths in areas including innovation, technology, automotive and manufacturing. The existing trade relationship between Ireland and Japan is strong, with Japan positioned as Ireland's second-largest trading partner in the Asia-Pacific region. Many of the entrepreneurs travelling to Japan are already conducting business there, while others are seeking to expand their markets.

The delegation includes this year's 24 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year finalists as well as programme alumni representing a broad spectrum of industries and representatives from Enterprise Ireland, Invest Northern Ireland and Julius Baer International.

Roger Wallace, Partner Lead for EY Entrepreneur Of The Year, said:

"The CEO retreat is one of the highlights of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year programme and this year we are taking the biggest ever cohort of entrepreneurs on the retreat to Japan, for what will be Ireland's largest annual unofficial trade mission. Supported by Enterprise Ireland, Invest NI, and Julius Baer, our 140 entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to meet with local business leaders, academics and experts while also experiencing Japan's vibrant culture and traditions.

"Japan is renowned as an innovative leader across various industries, including manufacturing, electronics, automotive and robotics, with world-class Japanese companies such as Sony, Honda, and Yamaha. It is a country rich in opportunity for entrepreneurs looking to expand beyond traditional markets and into the wider Asia-Pacific region, an area which continues to move from strength to strength. This retreat is an opportunity for Irish entrepreneurs to delve deeper into new market opportunities in Japan and expand their knowledge of business and trade in the region.

"More broadly, our CEO Retreat is designed to enable entrepreneurs to have the space to step back, engage with their peers and think differently, to embrace new ideas and to push themselves even further. The retreat is also an opportunity for entrepreneurs to deepen business relationships with fellow participants, often leading to fruitful collaborations, which is a core element of the Entrepreneur Of The Year programme. We hope the retreat will inspire and energise our entrepreneurs and may even be the spark that ignites some great new and exciting business possibilities for this talented group of business leaders."

Since its inception, the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Ireland community has grown into a tight-knit network of 650 alumni who harness each other's wealth of experience, with three-quarters (75%) conducting business with one another. Together, the ...

A new research study from UK fintech startup Nuke From Orbit, highlights a sharp rise in smartphone theft across the country and the growing impact on how people use their devices.

As thefts soar and public trust in police and tech providers declines, the findings point to a security crisis that is reshaping digital habits for millions of Britons.

According to the study, which surveyed 1,000 UK adults (18 years and above), 29% have now experienced phone theft, up from 17% just a year ago. The surge is fuelling widespread anxiety and has started prompting consumers (5% or greater) to scale back their use of mobile banking, email, social media and digital wallets.

The findings reveal a nation struggling with digital vulnerability. 67% of consumers say they are most concerned about unauthorised access to their bank cards or accounts, underlining the financial risks of losing a smartphone. Despite this concern, 34% of users still rely on the same or similar PINs for multiple apps and to unlock their devices - a risky behaviour that continues to undermine security efforts.

"The findings are deeply worrying," said James O'Sullivan, CEO of Nuke From Orbit. "In the past 18 months, we've seen a perfect storm: thefts are rising, personal security is lacking, and users are stuck in risky habits. It's unacceptable that nearly one in three people have had their phone stolen. The current solutions - and the police response - simply do not match the scale of the problem."

Everyday phone habits are also contributing to increased theft risk. Nearly half of respondents (47%) say they use their phones in public several times a day - a figure that rises to 71% among 18-25-year-olds, making them easy targets for opportunistic thieves. This visibility, especially on public transport or in busy urban areas, significantly increases the likelihood of theft.

Yet many victims are reluctant to report the crime. The research shows that those who have not experienced phone theft are almost three times more likely to report it than those who have, indicating a breakdown in trust and expectations around police intervention.

Public opinion is divided on who should take responsibility for improving smartphone security. While 44% believe phone manufacturers should lead the charge, 30% say the onus is on users themselves. Interestingly, those who have never had their phone stolen are nearly three times more likely to report theft than those who have - suggesting that personal experience often leads to disillusionment.

A Call for Urgent Action

Nuke From Orbit is calling for stronger, more coordinated action on smartphone safety. The Rising Threat of Smartphone Theft: Consumer Behaviour and Security Challenges report highlights the need for improved consumer education, closer collaboration between tech providers and law enforcement and more integrated security solutions to better protect users and their data.

CEO James O'Sullivan has been actively engaging with stakeholders, from meeting with officials at Downing Street to working alongside ethical hackers to identify system vulnerabilities, pushing for faster progress across the sector.

"We need to shift how we approach smartphone safety," added O'Sullivan. "With greater awareness and stronger protections, we can reduce the impact of this growing threat and help prevent it altogether."

See more stories here.

A survey from the Ireland Chapter of the Project Management Institute (PMI) shows that more than half (56%) of project managers believe remote or hybrid working has a positive impact on project success rates.

The research involving over 100 project management professionals also found that the average cost of failed projects during the last 12 months was approximately €653K - down 11% from last year's estimated cost of failed projects at €710K.

Conducted by the Ireland Chapter of PMI, the survey was carried out to tie in with its annual national conference, Navigating The Next Wave, in association with EY. The event explored the next wave of project management innovation and impact and featured Dr Lolly Mancey, Anthropologist, Futurist, and Innovation Advocate as keynote speaker.

The latest survey from the Ireland Chapter of PMI also revealed that remote or hybrid working was among the leading sustainability practices within the sector. The others were choosing sustainable suppliers and partners (20%), waste management practices (18%), sustainability KPIs (12%), and measurement of carbon emissions during projects (11%).

On the topic of sustainability, 55% of project management professionals say it is a key factor when outlining project delivery models. Furthermore, 76% revealed that companies are more interested in sustainability compared to a year ago and over a third (35%) view it as very important in terms of managing projects.

However, despite the perceived positive impact of remote or hybrid working on project success rates and sustainability efforts, some 47% of project managers said that they are expected to be in the office more now compared to a year ago.

Furthermore, the research found that the biggest challenge when it comes to managing remote or hybrid teams concerns communication issues - cited by almost half (48%) of respondents. Lack of collaboration, scheduling conflicts, lack of team culture, and lack of visibility were the other leading challenges in this regard.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, power skills (including communication, problem-solving, collaborative leadership and strategic thinking) were deemed to be the most crucial for project managers in the future.

Peter Glynne, President of the Ireland Chapter of PMI, said: "Project management across Ireland is fast evolving with the ambition, scale and complexity of projects ever increasing. Project management professionals need to be able to navigate this next wave of innovation - something which we discussed at our annual conference. That means adopting workstyles and deploying technologies that enable the sector to drive success, manage costs, and support sustainability. It also means addressing any barriers and upskilling for the future, otherwise the potential to drive real impact for Ireland through ambitious projects will be lost."

Jennifer Ryan, EY Ireland Transformation Delivery Business Consulting Partner, said: "EY were delighted to once again be title sponsors for the PMI National Conference. At EY, we understand that project management is on the cusp of transformational change with the introduction of technological change and new work practices. As such, we're delighted that this year's conference highlighted the transformative potential of AI, the importance of sustainability, and the future of work. At EY, we recognise that organisations and Transformation Management Offices (TMOs) are already adapting in response to these three themes, particularly as they realign the capabilities that they require to maximise the efficiency of the delivery of transformation."

See more stories here.

Ireland's inaugural Internet Governance Forum (IGF) took place last week, 22nd May in Dublin. This landmark event was hosted by .ie and organised by a multi-stakeholder team made up of experts that are passionate about internet governance. The event brought together experts from across business, government, education and civil society to work together to shape how the internet is managed in Ireland.

The Internet Governance Forum (IGF), formally established by the United Nations in 2006, is a global initiative to promote open policy discussions that shape the future of the internet. Besides the Global IGF, many nations or regions host their own local IGF events to bring together the local internet community and discuss local internet policy issues.

Ireland's trusted national domain registry, .ie, believes it is now time for Ireland as a digital nation, home to some of the world's leading tech companies and a strong internet ecosystem, to join the global conversation.

This inaugural IGF in the country welcomed a variety of prolific speakers across government, academia, business and industry to engage with current and emerging trends surrounding internet governance and look ahead at Ireland's digital future.

The predominant themes underpinning the IGF included regulating online spaces, moving beyond a compliance checklist focus, diversity and inclusion in internet governance, and ethical approaches to AI. One of the crucial areas of focus for the forum was the threat to cybersecurity across the globe, due in part to growing geopolitical uncertainty.

Cybersecurity and Geopolitical Uncertainty

The 20-year review of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS+20) is set to happen this year. The creation of the IGF is an outcome of the first WSIS, and its mandate is set to expire in 2025. It is crucial for Ireland to be a part of the global conversations around the future of how the internet is governed.

In a time of such political and economic disruption, the digital world is also turning its focus to cybersecurity threats which have heightened amid ongoing geopolitical risk.

The World Economic Forum has shown that cybercrime increases during times of global crisis, with major events like pandemics, wars, tariffs and climate change events often being used by opportunistic cyber criminals to capitalise on confused or well-intentioned individuals. During the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020, the online world experienced a 'cyber-pandemic' of its own.

As so many individuals and businesses shifted online rapidly, bad actors were quick to take advantage of people's naivety and fear, with the scale and quantity of cyber-crime exploding from this point onwards.

Closer to home, a 2025 report from the Banking and Payments Federation found that almost half of Irish adults (45%) report being targeted with more scam communications than the same time last year. At a time when innovation is accelerating, yesterday's forum explored the need for Ireland to maintain a people-centred approach to technology - through ethical AI, inclusive governance, and safer online spaces for all.

Digital Divide Impact on Internet Governance

The forum also addressed the ongoing problem of the digital divide in Ireland. .ie's 2024 Domain Profile Report, launched in January of this year, identified evidence of an ongoing digital divide based on location, size and sector, in particular for micro-SMEs with fewer than 10 employees.[iv] As digital policy decisions increasingly affect every part of our lives, the question of whose voices are heard in those decisions is more urgent than ever.

Speakers at the forum explored ways in which Ireland can ensure that internet governance is inclusive, equitable, and accessible - particularly for marginalised, vulnerable, and underrepresented communities.

David Curtin, Chief Executive at .ie said "Events like the IGF Ireland do more than spark conversation - they build connections and drive solutions. By bringing together stakehol...

The Mary Robinson Centre and University of Galway, along with partner Mayo County Council, will host the third Mary Robinson Climate and Nature Conference.

The conference will bring together climate justice advocates, scientists, activists, community groups and policymakers to address local, national and global challenges and opportunities in relation to climate justice and nature conservation.

Centering on the theme "Courage in Crisis", the annual conference will take place in Ballina, Co Mayo, on May 26th and 27th where the former president grew up, and where the new Mary Robinson Centre is located.

Mary Robinson Centre and University of Galway host 2025 climate and nature conference

Mary Robinson said: "The Mary Robinson Nature and Climate Conference will centre on a call to courage in the face of the climate and nature crisis, a crisis that touches every part of our shared world. In these urgent times, it is through meitheal, the Irish tradition of coming together in collective effort, that we find strength, purpose and hope. Only by standing together can we meet this moment with the boldness it demands. I'm looking forward to being in community in my hometown of Ballina, imagining together what each of us can do to build a better future."

Along with Mary Robinson, the conference will feature a distinguished lineup of Irish and international speakers including: Dr Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin, DCU; Anja Murray, ecologist, policy analyst, broadcaster and author; Dearbhla Richardson, youth climate justice activist; Dr Elaine McGoff, An Taisce; Dr Gerard McCarthy, physical oceanographer and climate scientist; Professor Hannah Daly, UCC; Professor John Barry, Queens University Belfast; Professor Navjot Bhullar, University of Canberra, Australia; Tom Arnold, Ireland Africa Rural Development Committee; Dr Omnia El Omrani, Global Climate and Health Alliance; and Laura Cook, Project Dandelion.

The conference will feature a diverse range of workshops, panel discussions, walks, music and art, and aims to create space for people to connect, share ideas, and collaborate, with several of the conference events open to the public.

Dr Caitríona Carlin, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute at University of Galway and conference co-chair, said: "It was uplifting to hear Mary Robinson recognise the interconnections between climate and biodiversity, when she changed the name of the conference to climate and nature in 2024. This is the first year that the conference formally addresses climate and nature and we are grateful to the funders and sponsors who have supported us. The conference enables us to acknowledge that actions for climate, for nature are also for us. We are part of the environment, and in finding common ground, we can make space for courageous conversations and actions to meet the multiple challenges ahead."

Dr Sinéad Sheehan, School of Psychology and Ryan Institute, University of Galway and conference co-chair, said: "This year, while we are bringing the conference to Ballina, we also want to bring Ballina to the conference! There's a great programme of events planned around the conference, including an art exhibition at the Mary Robinson Centre, a 'Connecting With Trees' walk in Belleek Woods on Sunday, and an eco-gathering on Tuesday featuring groups working on climate and nature. We're also looking forward to a special 'Oíche Cultúr agus Craic' on Monday night with music, poetry and storytelling - it should be a brilliant few days for Ballina and the wider community."

Dr Alma Clavin, Lecturer in Sustainability at University of Galway and conference co-chair, said: "This conference creates a necessary courageous space for those activated in climate and nature work to connect with each other and new ideas. The conference is taking place in a county that has a fantastic network of community-led climate and sustainability initiatives and a distinctive biodiversity-rich landscape. We're delighted to host this important ...

Venture capital funding into Irish SMEs soared to €532.8m in the first quarter of 2025, according to the Irish Venture Capital Association VenturePulse survey published today in association with William Fry. This was a record for a first quarter and represents a year-to-year increase of over 100%.

But Mr Gerry Maguire, chairperson, Irish Venture Capital Association said: "It should be noted that over 80% of the total in this quarter was due to deals worth over €10m." He said that the picture for start-ups raising under €3m was less rosy and this may reflect an imbalance in the market.

The first quarter excluded the impact of US "Liberation Day" tariffs on 2nd April. Mr Maguire said that anecdotal evidence suggested that the uncertainty and caution caused by this, especially amongst international investors, is likely to show up in following quarters.

Sarah-Jane Larkin, director general, IVCA said that funding by international venture capital into Irish companies rose to 82% of the total, compared to 71% in the same quarter last year.

"This is a doubled edged sword. While it reflects the high quality and potential of Irish tech firms and demand by overseas investors, it also reflects Ireland Inc's vulnerability to international influences if the tide goes out."

Deals in the €30m+ category grew by nearly 90% to €296.8m. Funding in the €10m-€30m range rose by 184% to €132m. Deals between €5m-€10m grew 138% to €43.8m. Funding in the €3-€5m increased 346% to €35m from €7.8m the previous quarter.

Deals in the €1m-€3m category fell by 5% to €21.6m. Deals under €1m fell by 42% to €3.6m from €6.2m the previous year. There was also a big fall in the number of deals in this category, down from 21 to six. Seed funding, or first rounds raised by SMEs, marked time, falling by 3% to €39.3m from €40.4m the previous year.

The total number of deals in the first quarter was 43, slightly ahead of the same quarter last year (41).

Top five deals in the first quarter were lifescience company, Let's get Checked which raised €150m. Cybersecurity firm, Tines raised €115m followed by AI company, Protex AI (€31.8m), drone delivery firm, Manna (€27m) and medical technology manufacturer, Perfuze (€22m).

More about Irish Tech News

Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too.

You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news

If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at [email protected] now to discuss.

Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at [email protected] now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience.

You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

The nine (9) start-ups selected to participate in the second 6-month AI Ecosystem Accelerator Programme, which is being delivered by NovaUCD and CeADAR, Ireland's Centre for AI, at University College Dublin (UCD), have been announced today.

The participating start-ups are; Ailtir, Leapifai, NestiFi, PacSana, Reactable AI, Run Audit, TrojanTrack, UniDoodle and UnitMode. See start-up profiles below.

The focus of the programme, which has just commenced, is to support a cohort of entrepreneurs who are developing disruptive AI solutions in sectors including; advertising, construction, content creation, cybersecurity, education, finance, healthcare and sportstech, for a global market.

The AI Ecosystem Accelerator Programme is funded through the European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH) framework, a Europe-wide initiative with funding of €700 million from both the European Commission and the Governments of member states. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, through Enterprise Ireland, is leading on the EDIH programme for Ireland.

Michelle Doyle, Senior Manager, Strategic Innovation Partnerships, NovaUCD, said, "I would like to congratulate the nine start-ups which have been selected, following a very competitive selection process, to participate in our second AI Ecosystem Accelerator programme. Over the next few months, we will be supporting this dynamic cohort of Irish start-ups and entrepreneurs who are focused on using AI technologies to deliver a range of disruptive products and services, for the benefit of society, not only here in Ireland, but on a global stage. I wish them every success over the coming 6-months."

Targeted supports for participants over the next 6-months include guidance from CeADAR's AI experts, and experienced commercial mentors, along with workshops on value proposition, scaling and investor readiness. Participants will also have access to collaborative co-working space at NovaUCD with the opportunity to connect with successful AI entrepreneurs, start-ups, corporates, investors and access to skilled interns.

Dr Ricardo Simon Carbajo, Director of Innovation and Development, CeADAR, said, "The AI Ecosystem Accelerator programme is one of the key services of CeADAR's European Digital Innovation Hub programme. The CeADAR and NovaUCD teams look forward to supporting the participating entrepreneurs, who are leveraging the power of AI, through our knowledge, expertise and networks, as they accelerate their start-ups to the next stage of their entrepreneurial journeys."

Among the eleven (11) start-ups which completed the inaugural programme in 2024 were, Customs Window Technologies, a RegTech start-up co-founded by Brian Murphy and Johnny Dunne and Wrksense, an AI-driven HR tech start-up transforming high-volume recruitment co-founded by Andrew Connolly and Ruaidhrí McDonnell.

The 2025 AI Ecosystem Accelerator Programme will end with a showcase event in October.

Dell Technologies has announced Dell AI Factory advancements, including powerful and energy-efficient AI infrastructure, integrated partner ecosystem solutions and professional services to drive simpler and faster AI deployments.

Why it matters

AI is now essential for businesses, with 75% of organisations saying AI is key to their strategy and 65% successfully moving AI projects into production. However, challenges like data quality, security concerns and high costs can slow progress.

The Dell AI Factory approach can be up to 62% more cost effective for inferencing LLMs on- premises than the public cloud and helps organizations securely and easily deploy enterprise AI workloads at any scale. Dell offers the industry's most comprehensive AI portfolio designed for deployments across client devices, data centres, edge locations and clouds. More than 3,000 global customers across industries are accelerating their AI initiatives with the Dell AI Factory.

Dell infrastructure advancements help organizations deploy and manage AI at any scale

Dell introduces end-to-end AI infrastructure to support everything from edge inferencing on an AI PC to managing massive enterprise AI workloads in the data center.

Dell Pro Max AI PC delivers industry's first enterprise-grade discrete NPU in a mobile form factor

The Dell Pro Max Plus laptop with Qualcomm AI 100 PC Inference Card is the world's first mobile workstation with an enterprise-grade discrete NPU. It offers fast and secure on-device inferencing at the edge for large AI models typically run in the cloud, such as today's 109-billion- parameter model.

The Qualcomm AI 100 PC Inference Card features 32 AI-cores and 64 GB memory, providing power to meet the needs of AI engineers and data scientists deploying large models for edge inferencing.

Dell redefines AI cooling with innovations that reduce cooling energy costs by up to 60%

The industry-first Dell PowerCool Enclosed Rear Door Heat Exchanger (eRDHx) is a Dell- engineered alternative to standard rear door heat exchangers. Designed to capture 100% of IT heat generated with its self-contained airflow system, the eRDHx can reduce cooling energy costs by up to 60% compared to currently available solutions.

With Dell's factory integrated IR7000 racks equipped with future-ready eRDHx technology, organizations can:

Significantly cut costs and eliminate reliance on expensive chillers given the eRDHx operates with water temperatures warmer than traditional solutions (between 32 and 36 degrees Celsius).

Maximise data center capacity by deploying up to 16% more racks of dense compute, without increasing power consumption.

Enable air cooling capacity up to 80 kW per rack for dense AI and HPC deployments.

Minimise risk with advanced leak detection, real-time thermal monitoring, and unified management of all rack-level components with the Dell Integrated Rack Controller.

Dell PowerEdge servers with AMD GPUs maximize performance and efficiency

Dell PowerEdge XE9785 and XE9785L servers will support AMD Instinct MI350 series GPUs, which offer 288 GB of HBM3E memory per GPU and deliver up to 35 times greater inferencing performance. Available in liquid-cooled and air-cooled configurations, the servers will reduce facility cooling energy costs.

Dell advancements power efficient and secure AI deployments and workflows

Because AI is only as powerful as the data that fuels it, organizations need a platform designed for performance and scalability. The Dell AI Data Platform updates improve access to high quality structured, semi-structured and unstructured data across the AI lifecycle.

Dell Project Lightning is the world's fastest parallel file system per new testing, delivering up to two times greater throughput than competing parallel file systems. Project Lightning will accelerate training time for large-scale and complex AI workflows.

Dell Data Lakehouse enhancements simplify AI workflows and accelerate use cases - such as recommendation engines, semantic...