Author: Jim O Brien/CEO

CEO and expert in transport and Mobile tech. A fan 20 years, mobile consultant, Nokia Mobile expert, Former Nokia/Microsoft VIP,Multiple forum tech supporter with worldwide top ranking,Working in the background on mobile technology, Weekly radio show, Featured on the RTE consumer show, Cavan TV and on TRT WORLD. Award winning Technology reviewer and blogger. Security and logisitcs Professional.

Doro unveils game-changing Aurora smartphone series: Empowering seniors and their loved ones

Doro, the global technology leader for seniors, today announces the launch of three new Doro 4G smartphones  – Doro Aurora A10, Doro Aurora A20 and Doro Aurora A30. The devices are available to purchase on doro.com now and Harvey Norman retailers in the coming month.

Developed to meet the evolving needs of seniors and users needing more from their technology, the Aurora series futureproofs Doro’s commitment to user-friendly and help technology. Featuring a new, robust and easy-to-grip design with a simplified interface, each component prioritises ease of use and user peace of mind.

A recent Doro study revealed that 51% of seniors worry about pressing the wrong thing on their devices, while 49% struggle with app navigation. To address these challenges, the phones feature three physical buttons for easy calling and a dedicated home key, making navigation simpler for all users, including those with impaired sight or dexterity. The devices, with the buttons and their streamlined interface, also provide quick access to Google Gemini features.  With loud and clear sound quality powered by Doro ClearSound, they ensure crystal-clear communication.

Users benefit from peace of mind with the signature Doro Secure Button, featured on every device. A single press instantly sends an alert and connects users with their trusted support network when assistance is needed, providing reassurance for both users and their loved ones through Doro’s innovative help technology.

With TeamViewer, the user can gain real-time technical assistance remotely — making technology hurdles disappear with quick, convenient support. This addresses a critical need, as 59% of supporting relatives confirm their senior family members struggle with handling updates and settings on their own. The devices highlight why seniors deserve technology crafted specifically for their unique needs, rather than second-hand devices passed on from friends or relatives.

The phones come in a variety of designs: the Aurora A10 is a perfect compact 4.5” smartphone, the Aurora A20 is a 4.5” smartphone with a flip-down number keypad, and the Aurora A30 is a smartphone with a large 6.1” display. The A10 and A20 feature a 13MP camera, while the A30 offers a Doro-best enhanced 50MP camera.

Ben Crompton, Managing Director UK & Ireland at Doro, says: “With the launch of the Doro Aurora range, we are taking a bold step forward in redefining how technology can empower senior users and their supporting relatives. Our new smartphones are designed to be intuitive and effortlessly accessible, with new and improved features like the Doro Secure Button ensuring users stay safe and then the Doro Easy Call allowing people to stay connected more easily. Research indicates that the number of over-50s experiencing loneliness is set to reach two million by 2026, making connection and communication more important than ever.

The Doro Aurora smartphones are the latest instalment in the Doro ecosystem, meeting our users’ evolving needs. At Doro, we believe technology should boost independence, not complicate it – and Aurora is a testament to that commitment.”

Availability and Pricing

  • Doro Aurora A10 €260
  • Doro Aurora A20 €285 
  • Doro Aurora A30 €335

All three phones will be available on the Doro website from launch, and high street retailers and network operators in the near future.

FEATURES

The Doro Aurora A10, Doro Aurora A20, and Doro Aurora A30 cater to a wide range of needs, featuring:

  • Doro Secure™ Button – One-touch access to immediate support and assistance.
  • Doro Easy™ Interface – A simplified smartphone experience tailored for all users.
  • Loud and Clear Sound – Doro ClearSound ensures optimised audio for enhanced clarity.
  • Remote Support – Loved ones can provide assistance remotely, reducing stress and ensuring a seamless experience.
  • Eco-Friendly Design – Crafted with recycled materials, reflecting Doro’s commitment to sustainability.
  • Easy charging – The Doro Aurora wireless charger makes charging easy and seamlessly blends into the home environment. It is ideal for hands-free video calling and comes with a dimmable light to be able to see at night easily. Available for purchase separately to the phones or as a bundle.

Doro recently launched its new range of Doro 4G feature phones, the Doro Leva L10, Doro Leva X10, Doro Leva L20 and Doro Leva L30, offering a unique blend of style and functionality.

The Swedish company has also launched innovative smart devices tailored to the needs of senior users, including the Doro Hemma Doorbell, the Doro HearingBuds and the Doro Watch.

Other Doro Reviews 

Irish Start-Up, Luxury Exchange, Bags Profit with Community Building & Circular Fashion

Luxury Exchange, an Irish start-up owned by Caitriona McGettigan and Cillian Moloney, recorded €1M in turnover last year and is on track to achieve €4M in turnover in 2025. Luxury Exchange is a curated collection of pre-loved designer handbags, clothing, and accessories; all at incredible value. The business started when Caitriona, an avid fashion lover, saw a gap in the market for the resale of luxury items in a more affordable way.

The community focused strategy that has been employed by the young couple and business partners has seen the business build a hugely loyal online customer base. To date Luxury Exchange has maximised the Instagram broadcast channel to sell to customers with a fresh, community focused approach.

The owners of Luxury Exchange saw an opportunity to disrupt the luxury resale market in Ireland. The online, socially driven model has allowed the business to sell preloved items for between 10-20% less than the market average, attracting a slew of loyal customers.

For the first time ever, and as a natural step in growth and business progression, Luxury Exchange will be holding its first in-person pop-up. The Cork based business will pop-up in the capital from May 22nd to May 25th 2025. A curated collection will be on offer for new and loyal customers alike at Studio 10 on Dublin’s Wicklow Street for four days, as demand is expected to be high.

Luxury Exchange resells luxury designer goods from well-known brands such as Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Dior and more. All the preloved items are authenticated with leading software, Entrupy. In the past year alone, Luxury Exchange has substantially grown. For example in March 2024, they brand secured approximately 30,000 impressions on Instagram vs 3M in 2025. Customer satisfaction and quality of offering is evident by the business’s repeat customer rate of 88%.

Caitriona McGettigan, Founder of Luxury Exchange, says “I started Luxury Exchange having noticed a growing appetite from customers to resell luxury goods. I’ve always had a love for luxury fashion, especially when it came at a great deal. The concept of resale always appealed to me. I noticed a pattern during my time as a visual merchandiser for Zadig & Voltaire. So many customers would tell me they felt guilty buying something new when they already had beautiful pieces at home they hadn’t worn or had only worn once, but felt they were too valuable to simply give away. I remember thinking that I’d love to buy those pieces from them. In many ways, I was my own first customer.

Our approach has given us the opportunity to create friendly luxury, in every sense. Our items are more affordable and we sell to our community of customers directly, often through live broadcasts on social platforms. Everything about Luxury Exchange is personal. We are building lasting relationships with customers and that is a testament to the growth we have experienced.”

Cillian Moloney, Co-Founder & Director of Luxury Exchange, says “My background is in business development and sales leadership, which has been beneficial to the growth of Luxury Exchange. The business started as a hobby for Caitriona during the pandemic, but it was clear to see early on that demand was high. Our consummate customer service is a huge part of the success to date as we have built up a community of shoppers that appreciate the offering and our approach to convenient, trusted commerce. The Luxury Exchange edit is carefully curated to meet the needs of our customers.

Taking something that started as a lockdown hobby and growing it to a business with global appeal has been incredible. To date we have sold to customers in over 30 countries. We’re excited to meet our customers  in person for the first time at the pop-up and maintain the growth trajectory of Luxury Exchange by continuing to maximise digital tools and offering unparalleled value and service.”

HighPoint’s PCIe Gen5 x16 RocketStor 8631CW Breaks New Ground for GPU Expansion

HighPoint’s RocketStor 8631CW represents a revolutionary leap forward in eGPU (external GPU) connectivity. Designed for professional media, industrial applications, and high-demand computing environments, the RocketStor 8631CW leverages industry-proven PCIe Switching technology and robust CopprLink CDFP connectivity to deliver an unprecedented x16 lanes of dedicated host-to-device PCIe 5.0 bandwidth.

 

Key Features
Burdened by performance and latency bottlenecks imposed by Thunderbolt and OCuLink connectivity? This groundbreaking solution liberates users from the limitations of conventional eGPU solutions, offering unparalleled performance and flexibility.

Unleash the True Potential of Your GPU with Industry-Leading PCIe Switching Technology: The RocketStor 8631CW harnesses the power of cutting-edge PCIe Gen5 switching technology to ensure your GPU operates at its maximum potential. This technology eliminates the performance and latency bottlenecks commonly associated with traditional eGPU enclosures, providing a seamless and efficient connection between your host system and GPU.

Ready for Today’s Fastest, Power-Hungry GPUs: The RocketStor 8631CW is engineered to support the most advanced, power-hungry GPUs available, including full-height, 2-slot, and 3-slot models from NVIDIA, AMD, Intel, and more. It provides a massive 600W of direct power, ensuring that even the most demanding GPUs can operate at peak performance without any power-related constraints.

Robust CopprLink CDFP Connectivity Delivers x16 Lanes of Dedicated Gen5 Host Bandwidth: The innovative CopprLink CDFP connectivity delivers a dedicated x16 lane connection, offering a staggering 128GB/s of bi-directional bandwidth. This ensures that your GPU receives the full bandwidth it needs to handle the most intensive workloads with ease.

Low-Profile LP-MD2 Adapter for Compact Workstations and Mini-PCs: The RocketStor 8631CW includes a low-profile LP-MD2 adapter, making it an ideal solution for compact workstations, rackmount chassis, and mini-PCs. This adapter ensures that even space-constrained systems can take advantage of the RocketStor 8631CW’s powerful capabilities.

Advanced Dual-Fan Cooling System with Programmable Smart Fan Control: To maintain optimal performance, the RocketStor 8631CW features an advanced dual-fan cooling system with programmable smart fan control. This system effectively dissipates heat, preventing thermal throttling and ensuring that your GPU operates at peak performance even under heavy loads.

Simple & Seamless Plug-and-Play Software-less Installation for Linux & Windows Platforms: The RocketStor 8631CW offers a straightforward plug-and-play installation process that requires no additional software. This makes it easy to integrate into both Linux and Windows platforms, allowing for quick and efficient deployment in any professional or industrial environment.

Target Use Cases
AI/ML Computing & Deep Learning: The RocketStor 8631CW is perfect for AI and machine learning applications that require the processing power of high-end GPUs. Its robust connectivity and power delivery ensure that these demanding workloads are handled with ease.

High-Performance Content Creation & Rendering: For content creators and 3D artists, the RocketStor 8631CW provides the performance needed for real-time rendering and high-resolution video editing, making it an invaluable tool for professional media production.

High-End Gaming, VR, and Media Platforms: Gamers and VR enthusiasts can benefit from the RocketStor 8631CW’s ability to support the latest, most powerful GPUs, providing a smooth and immersive gaming experience.

Scientific Research & Big Data Analytics: Researchers and data scientists can leverage the RocketStor 8631CW to accelerate complex computations and data analysis, enabling faster insights and more efficient research processes.

Enterprise Workloads & Cloud Computing: The RocketStor 8631CW is also suited for enterprise environments, where it can enhance the performance of cloud computing platforms and support the demanding workloads of large-scale data centers.

In Summary
HighPoint RocketStor 8631CW is a game-changing eGPU expansion solution that breaks free from the constraints of traditional connectivity options. With its industry-leading PCIe Gen5 switching technology, robust CopprLink CDFP connectivity, and advanced cooling system, it delivers unparalleled performance and reliability for a wide range of applications. Whether you’re a professional media creator, a data scientist, or an enterprise IT manager, the RocketStor 8631CW is designed to meet your most demanding GPU expansion needs.

Learn More
RocketStor 8631CW – PCIe 5.0 x16 GPU Expansion Chassis
https://www.highpoint-tech.com/rs8631cw-individual-page

Bank of Ireland launches Sustainable Business Coach online platform for SMEs

Bank of Ireland has launched its new Sustainable Business Coach online platform, a free digital tool designed to support SME business customers with sustainability planning and to identify their ESG priorities.

Sustainable Business Coach, which is unique in the Irish market, is designed as an ESG questionnaire with businesses answering a series of multiple-choice questions. The results of the online assessment, which can be conducted at a pace that suits each business, provides a concise summary of their current sustainability position and covers key action areas such as:

  • Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
  • Employee engagement
  • Energy usage
  • Procurement
  • Water & waste management

Recent research conducted by Bank of Ireland revealed that a majority of SMEs are unclear on how to implement sustainable growth plans, with over 70% concerned about the impact ESG requirements could have on their own enterprises. Sustainable Business Coach provides SMEs with a structured roadmap to make meaningful progress in the sustainability space, with the online platform underpinned by a globally recognised framework based on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

The launch of the easily accessible and free-of charge Sustainable Business Coach further enhances Bank of Ireland’s ESG ambitions, with the Bank on track to deliver its end-2025 sustainability-related lending target of €15 billion earlier than anticipated.

John Feeney, CEO, Corporate and Commercial, Bank of Ireland said: “‘Bank of Ireland is delighted to launch a new, free digital sustainability tool focused on Irish SMEs. Many of our business customers face time and resource challenges. Our goal is to deliver an easy-to-use online tool that can provide businesses with a practical and quick plan to support sustainability decision making.”

To find out more about the Bank of Ireland Sustainable Business Coach please click here: Bank of Ireland – Sustainability Coach    

SIM swapping: when your cell phone number is used for fraud

SIM swapping is a type of fraud in which criminals take control of a cell phone’s SIM card. Find out here what the consequences can be and how you can protect yourself.

In SIM swapping, criminals manipulate mobile phone providers to transfer the victim’s phone number to a SIM card that is in the possession of the fraudsters. In this way, you yourself are locked out of your cell phone and no longer have access to your own data. You will lose passwords as well as your saved performance at National Casino Ireland.

Access to your smartphone allows criminals to receive calls and messages from the victim and often bypass the two-factor authentication that many online services use to protect accounts.

SIM swapping: how the scam works

The SIM swapping process can take place in several steps, as the North Rhine-Westphalia police explain:

Obtaining information: criminals collect personal information about the victim, for example through data leaks, phishing, social engineering or buying data on the dark web.

Contacting the mobile phone provider: Using the information collected, the fraudsters contact the victim’s mobile phone provider and pretend to be them. For example, they claim to have lost their SIM card or that it is damaged and ask for the number to be transferred to a new SIM card.

Overcome verification: Accounts with mobile phone providers are often protected with two-factor authentication. This means, for example, that the mobile phone provider will send you a code via text message that you have to enter to confirm your identity. Fraudsters often try to circumvent this authentication by calling you and pretending to be a trustworthy institution. For example, they might introduce themselves as a parcel delivery service and say they need the code sent to them to deliver a parcel. If you tell them the code, they will give it to the mobile phone provider and can then proceed with the SIM swapping.

Number transfer: If the scam is successful, the victim’s phone number is transferred to the scammer’s SIM card. From this moment on, they can receive calls and messages from the victim.

Consequences of SIM swapping

SIM swapping means you lose access to your cell phone. SIM swapping can be devastating for those affected. Once fraudsters have access to the mobile account, they can use the data to gain access to other accounts. The consequences of SIM swapping therefore include

  • Financial loss: Fraudsters can access bank accounts, make bank transfers or steal credit card information.
  • Identity theft: With control of the phone number, criminals can steal more personal information and take over the victim’s identity.
  • Loss of access: Victims can lose access to their email accounts, social media and other online services that are protected by the phone number.

How to protect yourself from the scam

To protect yourself from SIM swapping, you can take the following preventative measures:

 

  • Be careful with your own data and don’t give it out carelessly over the phone or by email.
  • Make sure you publish as little personal data as possible, for example on social media or in Telegram channels. You should be particularly careful with your cell phone number.
  • If possible, use an antivirus program on your smartphone.
  • Do not download any data from unknown or insecure sources.
  • Use strong, unique passwords for your accounts and activate two-factor authentication (2FA), ideally via authentication apps instead of text messages.
  • Choose security questions and answers that are difficult to guess and cannot be derived from publicly available information.

If you have already fallen victim to SIM swapping, you should take the following steps:

Check all your relevant accounts and change your access data.

Inform your mobile phone provider about the fraud and all other account providers that the fraudsters are likely to be able to access (e.g. your bank). File a criminal complaint.

 

AWS x F1 Launch AI-Powered Track Design Experience

Formula 1 and Global Partner AWS have announced the launch of a brand-new interactive digital experience, ‘Real-Time Race Track’, which allows fans to create, customise, and share their own F1 track design. As part of the experience, they can also enter a sweepstake for a chance to win a trip to the FORMULA 1 BRITISH GRAND PRIX 2026.

Using AI-powered analysis from Amazon Nova, ‘Real-Time Race Track’ enables fans to design an original, custom race track of any shape and length using their computer’s mouse or by tracing their finger on any touchscreen device.

Following the completion of the circuit, each turn and straight on the track is analysed by Amazon Nova, which produces key on-track metrics including top speed and projected lap time, as well as two viable race strategies, further evaluating the optimal pit timing, tyre recommendations and tactical adjustments for various weather scenarios. The detailed level of data across the experience offers fans an insight into the world of Formula 1 team strategists and creates an authentic strategic dimension to each custom circuit design.

After creating and submitting a track, fans can enter a sweepstake to win a trip to the FORMULA 1 BRITISH GRAND PRIX 2026, with the winner being selected at random, providing the opportunity to see first-hand a variety of strategies from the teams across the race weekend. The draw for the sweepstake will close on 16 July, 2025.

The latest experience builds upon the strategic Partnership between Formula 1 and AWS, which began in 2018. Over the past seven years, the collaboration has consistently delivered innovations that elevate the on-track competition, as well as the off-track experience for fans. With more than a million data points per second coming off the cars, the cornerstone of Formula 1’s partnership with AWS is the ability to extract valuable insights from all the data, and the ‘Real-Time Race Track’ experience applies that knowledge combined with AWS’s advanced analytics and artificial intelligence for the benefit of fans.

For more information on the ‘Real-Time Race Track’ experience, click here.

Jonny Haworth, Director of Commercial Partnerships, Formula 1 said:

“Our ongoing partnership with AWS continues to evolve and transform how fans interact with Formula 1. The ‘Real-Time Race Track’ experience exemplifies how we’re using cloud technology and AI to bring fans closer to the sport than ever before. As we celebrate our 75th anniversary, we’re giving fans an inside look at the complexities and innovation of race strategy, using the same technology that helps to power our sport.”

Kristin Shaff, Global Director of Strategic Partnerships, AWS said:

“When we first began working with Formula 1, they presented us with a unique challenge – how to use telemetry data to further engage fans during live races. That vision has since materialized into 23 data-driven F1 Insights that appear during the broadcast to help fans better understand how teams devise strategies. With today’s launch of the Real-Time Race Track experience, we’re taking this approach to a new level of interactivity.  Now anyone can design their own circuit and instantly see how weather conditions, track configurations, pit timing, and tire selection influence performance.”

 

Tech Industry Alliance TechFest 2025 – Tech, AI & Humanity: Shaping Our Future

Tech Industry Alliance’s flagship annual conference, TechFest 2025, brought over 400 delegates to the Rochestown Park Hotel in Cork on Thursday, 15 May, for a powerful day of insight, innovation, and inspiration. With the theme “Tech & Humanity – Shaping Our Future,” the event challenged attendees to re-imagine our relationship with technology—from the rise of AI to the future of work and the next frontier: space.

Hosted by Tech Industry Alliance, the conference brought together tech and business leaders, educators, startups, and policymakers from across the South West of Ireland to explore how technology is impacting every aspect of society—and how we can ensure that progress is human-centred, ethical, and inclusive.

Tech & Humanity – Shaping Our Future

The conference opened with a captivating keynote by neuroscientist and broadcaster Dr. Hannah Critchlow, who explored “Consciousness and Our Evolving Relationship with AI”. The morning continued with a powerful panel on AI and Humanity, moderated by Jonathan McCrea, that delved into the ethical, philosophical, and societal impacts of artificial intelligence.

Later in the day, Cormac O’Sullivan of MBRYONICS delivered a visionary talk on “Building the Internet in Space”, which led into a thought-provoking discussion on Space and the Future of Humanity, highlighting the South West’s growing role in space-tech innovation.

Other key sessions examined the future of tech talent, exploring the skills and strategies needed to future-proof the workforce, and featured a showcase of evolving tech companies, with early-stage startups from the region pitching their products and sharing their journeys.

Exhibition stands, networking lounges, and interactive sessions throughout the day gave attendees opportunities to connect, learn, and collaborate.

A Region Leading the Way

Gerry Murphy, Chairperson of Tech Industry Alliance, commented on the event with a strong call to action: “TechFest 2025 has shown what happens when bright minds and bold ideas come together. The South West is not just keeping pace—we’re helping to shape the future of technology on a national and international stage. Today’s conversations will echo in tomorrow’s innovations.”

“Our deep thanks go to our sponsors and partners, whose commitment helps drive the growth and cohesion of the region’s tech ecosystem. This is about more than technology—it’s about people, purpose, and progress.”

Digital transformation in action: NI logistics firm deploys 3D scanning and big data with DTFF support

A Northern Ireland warehousing, logistics and shipping firm showcased how the introduction of emerging technologies into their operations has enabled them to “run shoulder to shoulder” with companies “three, four, five times the size” of theirs.

SJ Henderson Fulfilment is just one of 172 businesses across the country who have benefited from support from the Digital Transformation Flexible Fund (DTFF). Since November 2023 the fund has released £2.5 million into the business community to support the adoption of one or more of the six emerging technologies.

From AI and machine learning, process automation using robotics/cobotics and immersive tech such as AR and VR to big data and analytics, IoT and system integration and block chain; DTFF gives businesses the opportunity to improve internal systems and processes.

Recently, Stephen Henderson of SJ Henderson Fulfilment welcomed Department for Economy (DfE) Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald and representatives from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) to see how his innovative 3D imaging and big data driven tech scanner not only provides more accurate information for warehouse storage but also allows Stephen to maximise space whilst minimising costs for fulfilment clients.

The company, based in Kilkeel, Co Down, specialise in all aspects of online fulfilment, including e-fulfilment, warehousing and storage, pick and pack, distribution and returns management.

The £7.5 million DTFF programme operates across all four City and Growth Deal regions in Northern Ireland, reflecting a shared ambition between central and local government to deliver digitally driven innovation to accelerate business growth and regional economic development.

Having just completed the applications round of call four, expressions of interest are now open for call five applications in July.

DTFF is part-funded by the NI Executive, UK Government, DAERA and all local authorities in Northern Ireland. The programme is delivered by all 11 Councils under the Full Fibre Northern Ireland Consortium (FFNI) and is led by Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, with support from Invest Northern Ireland.

Speaking at the site visit to SJ Henderson Fulfilment, Dr Caoimhe Archibald, Economy Minister said: “The Digital Transformation Flexible Fund provides funding for small and micro businesses across the north to engage in transformative digital solutions, which will drive innovation and boost productivity.

“SJ Henderson Fulfilment Ltd is a great example of a company which has taken the first step to automate its processes, which will pave the way for further digital transformation. This investment will make the company more efficient and allow it to fulfil more orders, increase its ability to meet the needs of more customers and grow its business.

“With £5 million of funding still available through this initiative, I encourage businesses across the north to seize this opportunity to increase transformation, boost competitiveness and accelerate economic growth.”

DTFF is part of a broader digital ecosystem that serves as a stepping stone for businesses seeking additional Growth Deal funding to grow and develop their ideas.

Highlighting the programme’s significance, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Pete Byrne explained: “The Digital Transformation Flexible Fund is not just about technology adoption; it’s about ensuring that businesses, regardless of size, have the opportunity to innovate, streamline operations and unlock new growth potential through digital transformation.

“SJ Henderson Fulfilment is a successful rural business in Newry, Mourne and Down and DTFF is a testament to our commitment to driving digital ambitions and supporting our local businesses as they embrace the future.”

The receipt of DTFF support represents a significant step in SJ Henderson Fulfilment’s digital transformation journey, allowing them to drive digital innovation within their operations.

Martin McKendry, DAERA’s Head of Food, Farming and Rural Affairs Group, added: “I am delighted to have visited SJ Henderson Fulfilment on behalf of Minister Muir.  It is interesting to see how the Digital Transformation Flexible Fund investment has helped SJ Henderson Fulfilment Ltd transform its business in terms of providing a new digital storage and retrieval system for all its customers.  The company has ambitious plans for growing its business over the next five years in terms of improving productivity, increasing revenue and providing additional employment and this investment has certainly helped it to start its growth journey.

“DAERA’s investment of £1.1m in the Digital Transformation Flexible Fund ensures that rural businesses such as SJ Henderson Fulfilment Ltd are given greater access opportunities for digital innovation support. I wish SJ Henderson Fulfilment Ltd every success in the future.”

During the site visit Stephen was able to demonstrate how the DTFF funding enabled him to streamline operations in the warehouse and explained how he is supporting other local companies to take advantage of the unique position Northern Ireland holds in the fulfilment landscape.

He said: “Without the support of DTFF we would not have been in the position to implement this technology into our operations. Having now completed the project it has allowed us to run shoulder to shoulder with companies that are three, four, five times the size of ourselves in the mainland or overseas.

“Quite often it’s the case that these clients don’t have product dimensions or weights or they’re not accurate, and so whenever the stock lands here, we have to get measuring tapes out and scales out and measure these units individually. And it’s quite tedious. It’s not 100% accurate, because using measuring tapes, and with this, this technology ensures accuracy to a 100th of a millimetre and the right down to the last gram as well, in an instant. So as soon as you scan the item you get the three dimensions and your weight in real time, and that also then translates it into a spreadsheet which we can upload to our system. Within minutes, it’s already live on our system, ready for shipping.

“The DTFF funding has opened my eyes to the automation solutions that are out there, which I believe are required for businesses like ourselves to take out the mundane tasks and enable us to offer higher paid, higher skilled jobs.”

For more information on the Digital Transformation Flexible Fund or to register your expression of interest for call five opening in July go to dtff.co.uk

First ever Dublin Tech Week all set to launch!

Dublin City Council is proud to announce the first ever Dublin Tech Week, running from 23-30 May.

In just over a week, Dublin will become the epicentre of global innovation as it welcomes a week-long celebration that promises to energise the city with the brightest ideas, the boldest technology, and a shared vision for the future.

This first-of-its-kind initiative will unite the capital’s top innovators, global tech leaders, creatives, educators, and the wider community through a dynamic mix of over 30 events, spanning everything from AI and cybersecurity to blockchain, smart cities, fintech and beyond.

But this is more than just a calendar of events. Dublin Tech Week is a movement — one that underscores the city’s position as a bold, collaborative, and forward-looking global tech hub.

Ross Curley Head of Economic Development, Dublin City Council & Dublin Regional Place Brand said: “Dublin is one of Europe’s most important tech hubs and a leading smart city. Dublin City Council and the Dublin Brand are proud to support the City’s first ever Tech Week showcasing our world-class talent, cutting-edge innovation, and collaborative spirit. Initiatives like this not only highlight our position as a leader in the tech industry but also inspire future innovation, and strengthen our city’s reputation as a forward-thinking, welcoming and thriving destination for local and global business.”

From flagship conferences like the Dublin Tech Summit at the RDS, Blockchain Ireland Summit at Trinity Business School, Dublin 2 and ETHDublin at Dogpatch Labs, to grassroots meetups, hackathons, and family-friendly discovery trails, the programme is designed to be as accessible as it is ambitious.

Event highlights include Smart Dublin’s ‘The Connective Detective’ – build your own smart city; ‘All We Feel is How it Moves’ – a live audiovisual work driven by real time data at the Hugh Lane Gallery; a session on the Cultural Audit and Culture Near You Map by the Dublin City Council Culture Company and ‘Learn the Art of Lock Picking’ among many others.

Both the tech and wider community can immerse themselves in topics ranging from the future of AI and immersive tech, to ethical hacking, Web3 governance, smart urban planning, and the power of inclusive innovation. Events range from ticketed to free and open to attend/participate in, with booking information provided on the event listing.

All of this is made possible by a powerful coalition of partners and stakeholders across Dublin’s ecosystem, including: Dublin City Council, Smart Dublin, Dublin Chamber, the Dublin City Local Enterprise Office, NovaUCD, the ADAPT Centre at Trinity College, Dogpatch Labs, Guinness Enterprise Centre, Blockchain Ireland, ETH Dublin, TU Dublin, Tech Ireland, and Enterprise Ireland.

Together, they’re helping to build a platform for discovery, investment, talent, and community impact that will reverberate long after the week finishes.

Dublin Tech Week is open to all. Whether you’re a startup founder, developer, policy thinker, educator, student, or simply curious about what the future holds, there’s a place for you in this citywide conversation.

Explore the full programme and get involved at dublintechweek.com
Follow the buzz: #DublinTechWeek