Tag: Digital

How to Leverage Your Digital Businesses with the Right Invoice Processing Strategy

Growth is often a double-edged sword in the fast-paced world of digital commerce.      As transaction volumes surge and customer bases expand globally, the operational complexities that once hid in the background suddenly demand the spotlight. For many digital businesses, from SaaS platforms to e-commerce giants, the accounts payable and receivable functions become critical bottlenecks. Manually handling hundreds or thousands of invoices is not only slow and prone to error, but it actively prevents finance teams from focusing on strategic tasks. This is where intelligent automation becomes a game-changer.

To truly scale, a digital business must move beyond spreadsheets and manual data entry. By integrating an invoice processing software, companies can transform their finance function from a reactive cost center into a proactive driver of efficiency and insight. Automating the capture, validation, and posting of invoices eliminates tedious work, accelerates payment cycles, and provides real-time financial visibility. This technological leap is the first step toward building a finance infrastructure capable of supporting tenfold growth without a proportional increase in overhead.

For any digital business with ambitions beyond a single market, this principle is foundational. Here is how leveraging advanced SaaS invoice processing software like this tool can fundamentally level up your digital business.

The Shift from Data Entry to Data Strategy

The most immediate and transformative benefit of automation lies in eliminating manual data entry. Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and AI-powered tools can extract information from invoices with remarkable accuracy, regardless of format or source. But the real strategic leap happens next. By centralizing this data through a system designed with a global mindset, you create a clean, structured, and unified dataset. This transformation turns your invoice data from a static record-keeping obligation into a dynamic tool for strategic analysis. Finance leaders can suddenly spot organization-wide spending trends, negotiate more favorable terms with suppliers based on hard data, and forecast cash flow with far greater precision. The business no longer just processes transactions.

Accelerating Cash Flow Through Workflow Automation

For B2B digital businesses and those managing complex supplier networks, slow invoice processing directly and immediately impacts cash flow. When invoices become trapped in convoluted approval workflows, misfiled digitally, or delayed due to data entry discrepancies, payment terms are missed, and the cash conversion cycle lengthens dangerously. Modern invoice processing software automates the critical matching of purchase orders, delivery receipts, and supplier invoices, a process known as three-way matching. The system flags only the exceptions and discrepancies for human review, allowing the vast majority to flow through seamlessly. This automation slashes processing times from weeks to days or even hours, ensuring that you pay on time, capture early payment discounts, and get paid faster by your own customers. Working capital is freed up and can be reinvested directly into growth initiatives.

Eliminating Financial Leakage with Unwavering Accuracy

Human error is an inevitable and costly companion to manual financial processing. A single transposed number on a bank detail, a missed early payment discount window, or an overlooked duplicate payment can lead to significant financial leakage over the course of a year. Automated systems enforce consistent business rules and validations on every single invoice processed, without exception. They are programmed to capture every applicable discount, cross-reference every payment against historical records to prevent duplicates, and ensure tax calculations are accurate across different jurisdictions. This level of precision protects your bottom line margins and, just as importantly, builds enduring trust with your suppliers, who come to rely on timely and accurate payments from your organization.

Future-Proofing Operations with a Global Compliance Strategy

This is where the Deloitte insight becomes critically actionable for growing digital businesses. As businesses digitize this process, they must think globally from the start. A piecemeal approach to automation can create new problems. While local e-invoicing strategies may seem appealing for their adaptability to specific regulations, they “often fall short in several key areas,” including efficiency, scalability, and robustness. 

It makes a compelling case for a global strategy, which offers advantages in implementation time, cost-effectiveness, and the power of centralized data analytics. The moment you onboard international clients or suppliers, you encounter a maze of local e-invoicing and tax reporting mandates, from Italy’s Sistema di Interscambio to France’s Chorus Pro and similar requirements across Latin America and Asia. A patchwork approach, deploying a different local solution for each country, is an administrative and technical nightmare that stifles scalability. By choosing invoice processing software that is architected on a global framework from the outset, you create a single, unified system capable of adapting to new regulatory requirements without constant, costly overhauls. This strategic foresight saves immense time and cost, transforming a potential compliance headache into a seamless, automated background process that enables, rather than hinders, global expansion.

Strengthening the Entire Supplier Ecosystem

Your suppliers are not merely vendors, but they are vital partners in your business ecosystem. When your invoice processing is slow, opaque, or unpredictable, it strains these critical relationships. A supplier waiting indefinitely for payment is far less likely to offer you favorable terms, priority service during high-demand periods, or collaborative innovation. Automated invoice processing changes this dynamic by providing suppliers with real-time visibility into the status of their invoices through self-service supplier portals. They can see exactly when an invoice was received, where it currently sits in the approval chain, and precisely when to expect payment. This radical transparency fosters stronger, more collaborative, and more resilient partnerships across your entire supply chain.

Unlocking the Power of Financial Data Analytics

A globally-integrated, automated invoice processing system is far more than a utility, it is a rich and untapped source of business intelligence. By systematically analyzing the data flowing through your system, you can gain deep, actionable insights into organizational spending patterns. Which departments are the largest spenders? Which suppliers are the most reliable and cost-effective? Are there hidden opportunities to consolidate purchasing across business units to secure volume discounts? This level of strategic analysis is simply impossible with manual, paper-based, or fragmented processes. It elevates the finance department from merely recording the past to actively predicting and shaping the company’s financial future.

Elevating Talent to Strategic Impact

Perhaps the most significant and lasting level-up is cultural and human. When your finance and accounting teams are no longer drowning in a sea of data entry, invoice chasing, and manual reconciliations, they are finally free to focus on work that truly requires human intelligence: analysis, relationship cultivation, and strategic thinking. They can dedicate time to investigating the “why” behind the numbers, building sophisticated financial models, and collaborating with product and sales teams to drive profitable growth. Automating the mundane does not eliminate jobs, it also elevates them. It transforms the entire finance function, making your business a far more attractive destination for top-tier financial talent who seek strategic impact over rote clerical work.

Conclusion

The journey of scaling a digital business is inevitably paved with operational challenges. By strategically implementing modern invoice processing software, you can transform one of the most historically complex and paper-heavy administrative processes into a genuine source of competitive advantage. The key is to avoid the seductive trap of short-term, localized fixes that ultimately create more complexity. A unified, integrated strategy for your financial systems is the only way to build a foundation that is truly scalable, operationally resilient, and strategically intelligent. In doing so, your business does not simply improve how it pays its bills, it fundamentally levels up how the entire organization operates, plans, and competes for the future.

 

How Live Entertainment Technology Is Changing Traditional Table Games

If you’ve spent any time wandering through the quiet, prestigious streets of Mayfair, you know that the atmosphere of a high-end gaming room is nearly impossible to bottle. It’s the sound of a shuffled deck, the weighted click of a chip, and that unspoken nod between a dealer and a regular. For a long time, the digital world simply couldn’t compete with that. But things have shifted. We’ve moved far beyond the clunky, cartoonish graphics of the early internet. Today, the tech driving live entertainment is doing something quite remarkable: it’s making the screen disappear.

While 4K streaming is certainly a treat for the eyes, the most significant change isn’t found in pixel counts alone—it’s in the depth of the immersion. With the integration of Augmented Reality (AR), you’re no longer just looking at a video feed of a table. You’re seeing digital overlays that track every card movement and betting pattern in real-time. It’s a bit surreal, honestly. You might be sitting on your sofa, but the visual data makes the game feel more transparent than ever.

Bridging the Gap to the Physical Floor

I’ve often wondered if a digital interface could ever truly replicate the “soul” of a physical club. Interestingly, advances in live dealer casino technology are often compared to the experience offered in physical venues across Mayfair, specifically in how they prioritize the human element. The dealers aren’t just there to flip cards; they are trained entertainers and facilitators.

High-speed, low-latency 5G has been the real hero here. Without it, the “live” part of the experience would be a stuttering mess. Now, the interaction is instantaneous. When you ask a question or place a late bet, the response is immediate. This lack of lag creates a kind of psychological bridge. Before you know it, your brain stops treating the screen like a “game” and starts treating the whole thing like a genuine event. It’s a strange shift. This seamlessness happens because of several layers of tech humming away in the background—stuff you’d never notice unless it broke.

Take Optical Camera Recognition, for instance. It’s basically the “eyes” of the operation, instantly translating a physical card shuffle into digital data. Then you have the cinematography. It isn’t just a static webcam anymore; automated cameras now pivot and zoom based on where the action is, much like how your own eyes would dart around a table in a real room. Some setups are even experimenting with haptic feedback, where your phone gives a tiny, tactile buzz to mimic the vibration of a roulette ball hitting the pocket. It sounds small, but those little touches really pull you in.

Why It Matters Beyond the Fun

It isn’t all just bells and whistles, though. I’ve noticed that as the tech gets more sophisticated, the people running the show have to be more responsible, too. It’s a bit of a double-edged sword. There’s a lot of talk about how AI monitors these games now. While that sounds a bit “Big Brother,” it’s actually there to spot patterns of risky behavior that a human eye might miss. I think it’s a positive step.

It’s how regulations drive responsible online casino gaming that really defines the current era. By using data to ensure players are staying within their limits, the industry is trying to prove it can be both high-tech and high-standard. It’s about longevity, not just a quick thrill.

What do you think about this digital shift? Does the convenience of a high-tech live stream ever truly beat the feeling of a night out in a classic London venue, or is the technology finally getting close enough to call it a draw? I’d love to hear your thoughts on whether you prefer the haptic buzz of a phone or the weight of a premium gaming chip.

 

Cyber attacks hit fifth of firms as ‘online NCT’ launched

Almost one in five of Ireland’s top companies have experienced significant cyber attacks in the last two years, new data shows

The findings come as national domain registry .IE launches Ireland’s first Digital Trust Mark.

Described as an NCT for your online identity, websites and emails carrying the distinctive wolfhound symbol will give customers confidence that businesses of all sizes are operating to the highest digital standards.

“If you have an online presence, you can now be assessed on DigitalTrust.ie in just a few clicks,” said Louise McKeown Doogan, Chief Growth Officer at .IE.

“Once an organisation applies, their website, email and domain setup is assessed using a proprietary scoring evaluation that checks against industry-defined best practice.

“These checks confirm that digital fundamentals are correctly configured, responsibly managed and set up to support trust and reliability online.

“Once you receive your Digital Trust Score, you will either be entitled to carry the mark or you will have clear next steps to reach the required standard.

“We live in an age where some ransomware companies now have customer care departments, and the online health of the nation needs to improve as a consequence.”

The research found that 17pc of Ireland’s key organisations have experienced a significant cyber attack since 2024.

Conducted by Amárach on behalf of .IE, it surveyed 354 essential Irish firms in January.

It follows last week’s Garda data that fraud-related crimes more than doubled in the last 12 months, up 137pc – mainly due to bank scams, phishing and smishing.

“Our findings are concerning, particularly when we know phishing scams (60pc) and the exploitation of system weaknesses (21.3pc) are the most common ways attackers gain access,” said Ms McKeown Doogan.

“An online presence that appears to function may not always demonstrate the authenticity and trustworthiness customers expect.

“Until now there has been no visible way for consumers to know that a website meets a recognised standard – and no way for businesses or organisations to signal that they do.

“The mark signals that they demonstrate authenticity, responsible digital practice and a trustworthy online experience.

“We hope it will become a digital equivalent of the NCT and an essential part of interacting online in Ireland within the next year.”

The Digital Trust Mark is not just for .ie domains but is open to .com and other domains used by Irish organisations.

Applicants will receive a grade by the next working day and if an A-rating is achieved, businesses can display the mark on their website or in their email signature for the following 12 months.

Domains that do not reach an A-rating will be given a detailed outline of what and how they can improve.

See digitaltrust.ie for more information.

Eighteen Events Announced for Dublin City’s Local Enterprise Week 2026

Small businesses and budding entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to sample 18 events aimed at helping them to start or grow their business as part of this year’s Local Enterprise Week in Dublin City. The initiative of the Local Enterprise Offices, supported by Enterprise Ireland and the local authorities, takes place from the 2nd to the 7th of March this year across the country.

While there are hundreds of events taking place nationally during the week, there are plenty of events in Dublin City open to all. These events will focus on helping small businesses or anyone just looking to get started on their business journey to plan, start, sustain and grow.  From AI and Green regulations to Food and Finance workshops there will be something for every type of business across the week.

Each of the 31 Local Enterprise Offices will be running a full programme of events in their area that will cover a variety of topics relevant to small businesses and those starting up.  The events are open to all, from budding entrepreneurs to established businesses and offers the opportunity to get expert advice on key areas of business from raising funds, improving your online presence, the benefits of AI, to how to make your business more productive and save money.

Warren Cray, Head of Enterprise, Dublin City Council said on the upcoming events: 

“Local Enterprise Week is the highlight of the year for us at LEO Dublin City. It’s a real opportunity for businesses to step back and look at where they can grow, innovate, or perhaps become more sustainable — and to discover what support is right on their doorstep. Whether you’re running an established business or you’ve been sitting on an idea and wondering where to start, this is the week to do something about it. I’d encourage anyone with even a passing interest to come along, you might be surprised at what’s possible.”

The Local Enterprise Offices located in the local authorities and funded through Enterprise Ireland support thousands of small Irish businesses and entrepreneurs nationwide.  Since their establishment in 2014 they have been for the first stop for entrepreneurs and small businesses and providing a range of supports including funding, mentoring, training and sector specific expertise to help guide businesses at any stage of their development.

They also run key initiatives to foster entrepreneurship across the country including Local Enterprise Week, National Women’s Enterprise Day, the Student Enterprise Programme and the National Enterprise Awards.  The Local Enterprise Offices are also running a campaign encouraging small businesses to save time money and energy by availing of their competitiveness and productivity supports including Green, Lean and Digital for Business. www.AllInADaysWork.ie

For more information on the Local Enterprise Offices go to www.LocalEnterprise.ie

Details for all the events taking place across the country during Local Enterprise Week, from March 2nd to 7th March, are available at www.LocalEnterprise.ie/Week

For the Full List of Dublin City Events: Local Enterprise Week Dublin City Events 2026.

Monzo plans to grow its Dublin-based team to 70 employees

Monzo, a leading digital bank, today announced its plans to grow its Irish team to 70, almost doubling the headcount by mid-2027. This builds on the bank’s continued investment in Ireland with the latest capital injection of €71m, bringing the total to €83.5 million over the past two years. The investment underpins the expansion of its Dublin-based European headquarters and the creation of new jobs across the business.

Monzo’s European expansion is led by Michael Carney, Monzo’s EU CEO, as the bank prepares to serve Irish customers and businesses. Carney is supported by an experienced leadership team that brings together deep expertise in banking and technology, including Nicola O’Brien (EU Chief Financial Officer), Sonia Flynn (EU Chief Operating Officer), and Elaine Deehan (Country Manager for Ireland).

The new roles will span operations, risk and compliance, technology and engineering, financial crime prevention and product development, reflecting the breadth of capabilities required to operate and scale a fully licensed digital bank within the EU.

The announcement follows Monzo becoming the first digital bank to secure a full European banking licence through the Central Bank of Ireland in December 2025, enabling the company to bring its fully regulated personal and business banking products to customers across the EU, starting right here in Ireland.

Supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland, the expansion will support delivery of Monzo’s core digital banking offer for individuals and businesses, including everyday current accounts, children’s accounts payments, savings products and financial management tools designed to give its customers greater control and transparency in managing their finances.

Tánaiste and Minister for Finance, Simon Harris TD, said: ‘Monzo’s decision to expand its team and establish its European headquarters in Dublin is testament to the country’s reputation as a hub for innovation and financial services. This significant investment not only brings new jobs and opportunities but also strengthens Ireland’s position within the European banking sector. I look forward to seeing Monzo contribute to our vibrant economy and deliver innovative banking solutions.’

“We’re excited to see our founding Dublin team grow, welcoming experts who bring together the best of banking and technology. Ireland’s deep and expanding talent pool offers the world-class expertise needed to support Monzo’s expansion ambitions across Europe,” said Michael Carney, EU CEO at Monzo. “As we take our mission to make money work for everyone in Europe, we’re proud to kick-start that journey in Ireland, with individuals and small businesses now able to join the waitlist.”

Michael Lohan, CEO of IDA Ireland, said: “I very much welcome Monzo’s decision to locate its European Headquarters in Ireland. Monzo is the first digital bank to secure a full European banking licence through the Central Bank of Ireland.

This decision is a strong vote of confidence in Ireland as a location for International regulated financial services where companies can deliver products and services across the EU from Ireland. It also speaks to Ireland’s strong capabilities in international banking and digital technology. I would like to wish Monzo every success at its scales its team here in Ireland”

For details on Monzo in Ireland, visit www.monzo.com/ie

Willis, Kayna and Belfry Partner to Simplify Insurance Access for Security Providers

Willis, a WTW business is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Belfry, a modern platform for physical security providers, to launch a digital insurance program tailored for Belfry customers. The program pairs Willis’ insurance expertise with Irish award-winning Kayna insurance technology to deliver data-led, streamlined insurance solutions.

Belfry, a US-based vertical SaaS platform, streamlines security management in an all-in-one software that manages scheduling, timekeeping, payroll, and billing for security companies;

Kayna, Willis’ embedded insurance infrastructure partner, enables the distribution of Willis’ security services insurance to Belfry customers by integrating a seamless insurance portal directly within the Belfry platform. The InsurTech will leverage real-time data to pre-fill forms and support quoting, saving users time and simplifying the procurement process;

Willis’ Affinity model pairs well with Belfry’s platform by delivering tailored insurance solutions that meet the specific needs of security providers.

Belfry’s innovative platform transforms the complex needs of security businesses into a single solution that improves back-office efficiency, enhances employee experiences, and supports exceptional customer service. Through the integration of Kayna technology, which enables Willis-brokered insurance distribution, the partnership strengthens Belfry’s model by leveraging Willis’ global insurance expertise to create a seamless way for security operators to access tailored coverage directly within the Belfry platform.

With insurance being one of the most significant pain points and expenses for security firms, this integration offers timely quotes to address coverage gaps, potential premium savings, and reduced audit risk through pay-as-you-go insurance. The solution removes friction from the insurance procurement process, allowing security operators to stay focused on their work with the confidence that their coverage is comprehensive, timely, and aligned with their operational needs.

“As part of our strategy to deliver tech-enabled insurance solutions, we’re excited to partner with Belfry to embed coverage seamlessly into the security operator journey,” said Paul Lubbers, Head of US Affinity at Willis. “Together, we aim to accelerate quoting and minimize premium audit risk, both of which are critical pain points and areas for improvements in the security industry. Together with Kayna, we are committed to support the success of Belfry customers by making it easier than ever to secure the right insurance coverage with minimal hassle so physical security operators can focus on their job with confidence.”

Jordan Wallach, Co-Founder & CEO of Belfry, commented, “At Belfry, we’re developing a truly all-in-one platform for security operators – one that brings every essential function together in a seamless, intuitive experience. Partnering with Willis and Kayna strengthens that vision by embedding expert resources directly into our platform, helping operators focus less on administrative complexity and more on delivering outstanding service.”

Paul Prendergast, Co-Founder & CEO of Kayna concluded, “Backed by decades of Willis experience and expertise in underwriting and claims management, Belfry is taking an industry lead on delivering data-driven insurance and market choice for their platform customers. This is a winning formula for a great partnership and one that I’m delighted to see powered by Kayna technology.”

The Unseen Engine: How Enterprise Storage Is Powering Business Innovation in Ireland

In the pursuit of digital transformation, businesses often spotlight their cutting-edge applications, their multicloud strategies, or their latest AI models. Yet, behind each of these advancements lies a powerful, unseen engine: the enterprise storage platform. Ivor Buckley, Field CTO, Dell Technologies Ireland tells us more below 

Once regarded as a back‑end system, enterprise storage has become a strategic platform that underpins innovation. As Irish organisations race to modernise services, comply with regulation and compete internationally, the way they store, protect, and govern data is turning into a fundamental differentiator.

Today’s IT leaders face a significant challenge. They must support an ever-expanding portfolio of workloads, from critical business databases to cloud-native applications and data-intensive AI projects. All this must be achieved within the constraints of tight budgets and limited staffing. The sheer volume of data being created and managed is staggering; global data generation is expected to reach 393.9 ZB by 2028 as per IDC. This explosion of information puts immense pressure on infrastructure that was not designed for this scale or complexity resulting in data foundations under strain

According to the latest Dell Innovation Catalyst Study, 48% of Irish organisations are prioritising data readiness for AI related workload, while 66% say they are still in their early or mid-stage of their AI/GenAI journey. This underscores a reality that organisations want to innovate but their data foundations and current storage systems are not fully equipped.

From Data Silo to Intelligent Hub

The perception of enterprise storage as a mere commodity is outdated. Modern platforms have become intelligent hubs that automate complex tasks and unlock new efficiencies. By integrating machine learning and advanced analytics, today’s storage systems can proactively optimise workload placement, predict performance bottlenecks before they occur, and simplify management tasks that once consumed countless hours.

This shift is relevant in Ireland, where businesses from multinationals to SMEs are accelerating digital transformation under the National AI Strategy. A study Dell undertook found that 96% of Irish organisations face challenges when it comes to identifying, preparing, and using data for AI/GenAI uses cases, with 40% struggle to integrate AI systems with existing IT infrastructure. Intelligent storage platforms directly address these pain points by reducing complexity and improving data accessibility without creating new data silos

For Irish businesses planning to expand their e-commerce operations and presence, a modern storage platform can intelligently prioritise these diverse workloads, ensuring that customer-facing applications remain responsive while they have high-speed access, they need to train their models that maintain the strategic initiatives that drive business growth.

Bridging Private Cloud and Multicloud for Seamless Innovation

In today’s digital landscape, businesses are increasingly faced with the decision to operate within a private cloud, adopt a multicloud environment, or find a balance between the two. Enterprise storage serves as the reliable backbone for these evolving strategies, delivering the infrastructure needed to provide both security and agility at scale.

For Irish businesses relying on private cloud infrastructure, enterprise storage provides robust data protection, predictable performance, and the confidence that sensitive information remains under their control.  As organisations here in Ireland expand further into multicloud setup, seamless data mobility becomes essential not just for storing data but also for making it accessible and secure wherever it resides.

According to the Dell study, 46% of local organisations plan to modernise their IT with intelligent infrastructure, and another 46% aim to optimise workload placement across edge, core, and cloud environments.

The right storage platform is central to both goals: it can synchronise data across environments, break down silos and help ensure that everyday operations remain stable even as new services and AI projects come online.

This reflects a clear shift towards hybrid architecture, a trend mirrored in Ireland’s public-sector digital transformation and the country’s growing cloud smart enterprise landscape.

Crucially, enterprise storage also addresses security, and compliance demands unique to both private and multicloud models. By providing unified management and strong governance features, these platforms make it easier for businesses across Ireland to implement consistent security policies and adhere to regulatory requirements. The result is an IT environment that’s not only flexible and responsive but also protected, adhering to regulation and aligned with business goals.

Fuelling the Future of AI and Analytics

Perhaps the most significant driver of storage innovation today is AI. AI and machine learning workloads are incredibly data-hungry, requiring massive datasets to be fed to powerful processors without delay. A bottleneck in the storage layer can bring an entire AI initiative to a standstill.

Modern enterprise storage platforms are engineered to meet these demands, delivering the high throughput and low latency needed to fuel advanced analytics. A healthcare provider, for instance, might use AI to analyse medical images to detect diseases earlier. This process requires rapid access to petabytes of high-resolution image data. An intelligent storage system ensures that this data is readily available, accelerating the model training process and ultimately improving patient outcomes.

One of the most significant developments in this space is the emergence of the data lakehouse – a modern data architecture that blends the flexibility of a data lake with the performance and governance of a data warehouse.

Rather than forcing organisations to move and duplicate data repeatedly into different silos, a Data Lakehouse strategy is about bringing AI to the data. By minimising unnecessary data movement and providing a single point of access, it helps address some of the biggest blockers to AI projects: fragmented data, inconsistent governance, and slow time‑to‑insight.

Modern Enterprise Storage Has Become the Unseen Engine of Digital Innovation

The journey of enterprise storage reflects the broader story of technological progress. What was once a simple utility has become a strategic enabler for Cloud, AI and data-driven services, quietly powering the applications and insights that define modern business. By embracing automation, enabling seamless data mobility, and delivering the performance needed for next-generation workloads, enterprise storage has become the unseen engine of digital innovation.

Irish businesses are operating in one of Europe’s most dynamic digital economies and the opportunity is clear. Ireland’s National AI Strategy aims to see 75% of Irish enterprises using cloud, AI, and data analytics by 2030. To fully realise this potential, businesses must proactively evaluate, adopt, and integrate these advanced solutions into their Cloud Operating Model. This isn’t just about keeping up, it’s about unlocking new levels of efficiency, innovation, and competitiveness. By investing in vital storage infrastructure, businesses of all sizes can simplify data management, scale with confidence, and accelerate their AI journey for the next wave of AI-driven transformation.

The Coombe Hospital takes top prize – 2026 National Digital Awards

Digital Business Ireland, the country’s largest representative body for digital and online businesses, recognised The Coombe Hospital with the National Website of the Year Award at an awards ceremony in Dublin last night.
The 2026 National Digital Awards were held at Pitch Dublin where The Coombe Hospital was crowned alongside other winners and runners-up in front of over 250 attendees from the digital sector. 
The sold-out event recognised the best digital achievements in businesses throughout the country. It consisted of 16 categories featuring the best websites, people, and digital innovations of the year across all sectors. The Coombe, a leading hospital for maternity and women’s healthcare was the winner of the Most Trusted Website of the Year as well as taking home the top prize of National Website of the Year winner, selected from all of the finalists in the website categories.
The event marked the sixth year of the awards, with high quality submissions from more than 300 businesses, people, and organisations from across Ireland.
Digital Business Ireland also presented the Taoiseach with the Digital Changemaker of the Year award, awarded to worthy individuals who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and impact in advancing Ireland’s digital transformation. The organisation’s selection panel selected the Taoiseach in recognition of his personal leadership in advancing Ireland’s AI and digitalisation agenda, the appointment of Ireland’s first Minister of State for AI and the establishment of the National AI Office, and his continued advocacy for innovation to promote economic growth.
2026 saw the highest-ever number of entries for the Best New AI & ML Project Award, which was won by AI solutions provider Galvia AI. Other notable winners included the female education and empowerment charity, The Shona Project, which took home the Progressing Diversity Award, as well as placing as runner up in the Marketing Campaign of the Year category.
This year’s awards were supported by key sponsors including Byrne Wallace Shields, All Human, Core Optimisation, Hibernia Venture Labs, .IE, Truffle Hog, the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland, Pitch, Rockwood Public Affairs and Strike Digital.
Speaking of the awards, Victor Timon, Chairperson of Digital Business Ireland said: “Over the past six years, the National Digital Awards have witnessed tremendous growth in entry numbers and quality, demonstrating the growing importance of the sector and the ways in which businesses are embracing digital tools to increase efficiency and change. Throughout the judging process, we have been inspired by the dynamism, ingenuity, innovation, and talent of the organisations, businesses, and the people involved. 
I would like to congratulate the winners and runners-up in each of the 16 categories this year, and in particular our Digital Changemaker of the Year Winner, An Taoiseach Micheál Martin, who’s sustained commitment to positioning the country at the forefront of technological change has been an enormous boon to  Ireland’s digital ecosystem. However, I would also like to offer my sincere thanks to all who entered this year’s awards, and I encourage those who have not been successful this year to take the key learnings on board from this year’s process and get involved once again for the 2027 iteration.”
The sold-out event was held in Pitch Dublin, with MC Anna Daly, the Irish television presenter and former host of TV3’s breakfast show, Ireland AM, as the Master of Ceremonies for the evening.
Digital Business Ireland (DBI) is the voice of the Irish digital commerce sector. Set up in 2019, DBI is comprised of a community of over 8,000 businesses and counts a number of national trade representative bodies, large technology companies and SMEs among its members.
The organisation consists of a wide range of online and digital businesses including retail, hospitality, professional services, travel, technology, transport, education, leisure, agri-business and property.
Digital Business Ireland is a member of the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment’ Digital Advisory Forum and the Retail Forum.
SEE THE FULL LIST OF WINNERS HERE
Awards
Winner
Runner Up
National Website of the Year
The Coombe Hospital
GPO Museum
Marketing Campaign of the Year
Musgrave Group Daybreak
The Shona Project
Sustainable Business of the Year
Revolution
Esri Ireland
Best New AI and ML Project
Galvia
Irish Life and Kreoh
Mobile App Excellence Award
Express Merchants
AddJust
Ecommerce Business of the Year
EZ Living Furniture
Hotel&SpaResorts.com
Digital Impact of the Year Award
ALONE
TURN2ME
Next Generation Award (Under-30)
Chris Barrett, RDI Hub
Eve Lawler, Circular Style
Women in Digital Award
Melissa Proxenos, Brightbeam
Kate Colleary, Pembroke Privacy
Progressing Diversity Award
Ellen Conway, The Shona Project
Jennifer Keane, PayGap.ie
Digital Trailblazer of the Year
Brian Hanly, Brightbeam
Kathrin Chambers, Fáilte Ireland
Digital Changemaker OTY
Taoiseach Micheál Martin
Large Business Website of the Year
EZ Living Furniture
Fintua
Most Trusted Website of the Year
The Coombe Hospital
RIP.ie
New Website of the Year
GPO Museum
Activity Time
Medium Business Website of the Year
Expert Ireland
Carraig Donn
Small Business Website
Babogue
Dingle Sea Safari

Almost one in four people in Ireland have set screen limits on their devices

Smartphone use remains deeply woven into the daily lives of people of all ages in Ireland, but levels of digital fatigue are increasing, Deloitte’s latest Digital Consumer Trends survey reveals.

In the last year, almost one-quarter of respondents (24%) have set screen time limits on their phones.

Needing a break was the top reason respondents gave for deleting a social media app (27%), and one-quarter did it because they stopped using the app.

23% said the app they deleted was consuming too much of their time and the same amount said they were getting too many ads or sponsored posts.

Misinformation (22%), a negative impact on mental health (18%), and content being boring (16%) were the other top reasons for deleting an app.

Nearly two-thirds of respondents (65%) switched off all notifications from one or more apps in the past year, 21% stopped using a digital wearable, 19% stopped using a digital device, and 17% stopped reading e-books on digital devices.

Nearly half of Gen Zs joined a social media app (46%) but nearly one-in-three (32%) said they had deleted an existing app from their device. The joining and deleting of social media apps is lower amongst other generations.

  Joined a social media app Deleted a social media app
Millennials 27% 29%
Gen X 16% 26%
Boomers 12% 18%

 

70% of respondents said they tend to spend too much time on their phone. This breaks down to 77% of Gen Zs, 78% of Millennials, 73% of Gen X and 48% of Boomers.

82% of those surveyed said they check their smartphone at least 10 times a day and 59% said at least 25 times. Over a third (34%) said they check their phone at least 50 times a day and 15% said they do so at least 100 times.

60% of phone owners look at their phone within 15 minutes or less after waking up, which is down from 65% in 2024. More than half (54%) stay awake later than planned due to using their mobile phone.

Majority of adults say children are ready for smartphones by 12-15, but also favour social media usage limits for those under 18

82% of people in Ireland said they would support social media platforms introducing usage limitations for those under 18.

More than half (57%) would ‘strongly favour’ social media platforms requiring age verification when registering and (56%) would ‘strongly favour’ introducing usage limitations for people under the age of 18.

Despite this, most adults (58%) feel the appropriate age for a first smartphone is between 12 to 15 years old.

Nearly one-in-three (32%) believe children should get their first smartphone at 12-13 years of age and more than a quarter (26%) believe they should be 14-15. Only 4% believe the devices should not be given to under 18s and 22% believe they should be given to those aged 16 or older.

Nearly half (43%) of respondents think a teenager should be 16 or older to have access to social media.

Close to one-quarter (24%) think those with social media access should be 14-15, while 16% said 12-13 years of age. Just 4% said 10-11 years and only 8% believe social media should not be available to those aged under 18.

Gen Zs prefer to get their news from social media, but more people are reporting an increase in misinformation

The survey shows misinformation continues to rise as 59% now say they more regularly see fake information online – up from 53% in 2024 and 46% in 2023

Despite such concerns, nearly half of Gen Zs (47%) say they prefer to get their news from social media and only 34% of this generation say the same for TV. This compares to 44% of Millennials, 65% of Gen X and 75% of Boomers saying their preferred source for news is TV.

54% of Boomers and 47% of Gen X prefer to stay updated on news and current events using radio, in contrast to 29% of Millennials and 19% of Gen Z.

Just 2% of Boomers prefer podcasts, while this figure is 14% across the three other generations surveyed.

Commenting on the Digital Consumer Trends findings, John Kehoe, a Deloitte Ireland partner who has worked on the Digital Consumer Trends report for seven years, said: “With 60% of us looking at our phones within minutes of waking up, it’s clear that our smartphones continue to play a crucial role in our modern-day lives. But the number of respondents who say they either need a break from social media, are turning their notifications off, or setting screen time limits, shows that how we engage with our devices is changing. The fascinating findings of Deloitte’s Digital Consumer Trends Survey poses the question – are we entering the age of the digital detox?”