Tag: #RDI

Qualcomm announces flagship €125m investment in AI transformation for Cork

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. a wholly owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, has announced a €125m investment that will see the transformation of the Cork site into a strategic AI pillar in the global chipmaker’s organisation over the next three years.

Founded in 1985 and headquartered in San Diego, CA, Qualcomm is a global leader in wireless technology and advanced semiconductors. The company develops cellular standards such as 4G, 5G, and now 6G. It is also one of the world’s largest fabless semiconductor companies, which sees it provide critical advanced semiconductor technology across mobile, wearables, PC, XR, IoT, automotive and data centres.

Qualcomm Technologies has had a presence in Cork since 2013, and this year it celebrates 10 years since it hired its first engineer in the city. In that time, Qualcomm has embedded itself in the community and has built strong relationships with UCC, MTU, and Tyndall, helping support the next generation of Irish engineers through internships and graduate role opportunities.

This flagship project, which is supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland, plans to undertake a new RD&I project in Cork, leveraging current capabilities to align with Qualcomm’s diversification strategy beyond mobile technology into areas such as PC, XR/VR, IoT, automotive, and data centres.

 

Minister for Enterprise Tourism & Employment Peter Burke TD said:
“Today’s announcement by Qualcomm is a powerful endorsement of Ireland’s ambition to lead globally in advanced research, next‑generation computing and AI. This €125 million investment further strengthens Ireland’s position as a hub of deep‑tech innovation, creating hundreds of high value jobs. This announcement is also a signal of support for Silicon Island: Ireland’s National Semiconductor Strategy, which aims to make Ireland a world leader in semiconductors through securing long‑term investments, developing a robust talent pipeline and seizing opportunities in technologies of the future such as AI.

Qualcomm’s continued expansion builds on Ireland’s strong semiconductor ecosystem and demonstrates the value of the collaborative environment we have fostered between industry, academia and Government.  The Government is proud to support this strategically significant project through IDA Ireland, and I wish the team at Qualcomm the very best for the future.”

EVP, Chief Strategy and Corporate Development Officer of Qualcomm Incorporated, Colin Ryan said: “Qualcomm’s success and ongoing growth in Ireland reflect the strength of our partnerships with the Government, IDA Ireland and Irish universities. This investment underscores Cork’s importance as a strategic Global R&D hub for Qualcomm and our commitment to supporting Ireland’s innovation ecosystem.”

Vice President of Engineering at QT Technologies Ireland Limited, Paul Kelleher said: “Qualcomm is proud of what we’ve achieved in Ireland—and we are even more excited about what’s ahead. We’re not just building technology; we’re shaping the future, right here in Cork.”

IDA Ireland CEO Michael Lohan said: “I wish to congratulate the entire team in Qualcomm on the announcement of this landmark investment – a substantial and complex project in both its scale and scope, reflecting its strategic and transformative nature.   This €125m R&D investment and the future jobs it will create, positions Qualcomm Ireland at the forefront of technological and product development in the AI-era. Today’s event also recognises a decade since Qualcomm hired its first engineer in Ireland, I wish you continued success and assure the team of IDA Ireland’s continued partnership and support.”

Qualcomm is currently hiring engineers across several business areas. To explore opportunities to join the team in Cork, visit Careers

Majority of Irish businesses have either adopted or plan to integrate a clear AI strategy

Ireland’s Research, Development & Innovation (RDI) sector continues to drive growth and employment, but without funding it risks dependence on foreign technology and diminishing competitiveness, according to the Ireland’s Innovation Index Pulse Survey, which surveyed over 500 Irish companies.

IRDG and KPMG conducted Ireland’s Innovation Index pulse survey in October and November and this pulse survey aimed to capture the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities faced by companies in Ireland active in Research Development and Innovation.

The research found that nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of businesses plan to increase RDI spending in response to challenges like AI and talent shortages, with the recent R&D tax credit rate increase to 30 percent continuing to drive growth. However, this is down 12 percent from 78 percent in comparison to a similar question that was asked in the main Ireland’s Innovation Index 2024 survey in May 2024. This may be a sign of decreasing confidence in Ireland’s RDI environment.

At the same time, it found that over 6 in 10 cited a lack of funding as the primary barrier to increasing innovation, while 43 percent of businesses identify time constraints and one third (34 percent) said difficultly recruiting talent as significant challenges.

The administrative burden related to the R&D Tax Credit claims and grant applications remain an issue with 80 percent of respondents reporting that the administrative burden has remained the same, and 14 percent reporting that it has worsened, while only 6 percent saw an improvement over the past six months.

R&D of green and sustainable technologies

Over half (51 percent) are currently involved in the R&D of green and sustainable technologies.  Many of those companies (95 percent) already involved in the R&D of green and sustainable technologies plan to further invest in the coming year. Only 2 percent of companies which are not currently investing in developing these technologies plan to do so in the future.

Adoption of AI

Some 39 percent of organisations claim to have adopted or are currently adopting AI with a clear strategy, nearly one third (32 percent) plan to integrate AI within the next 6-12 months, and 3 in 10 have little or no AI strategy and no current plans to adopt AI.

Ken Hardy, Head of KPMG’s RDI Incentives Practice noted: “Investment in RDI is critical for long-term economic growth and job creation across the country. Notably, 65 percent of businesses plan to increase RDI spending, driven by many factors including recent increase in the rate of the R&D tax credit to 30 percent. Issues such as the high cost of innovation have led to concerns about decreasing confidence in the RDI environment. We need to continue to improve the attractiveness of investing in RDI to maintain Ireland’s competitive position.“

Dermot Casey, CEO of IRDG, remarked: “Ireland is at a critical juncture. Business is eager to embrace AI and green technologies, but high costs and funding gaps are holding us back. Innovation is the lifeblood of our economy and the key to tackling global challenges like climate change. We need immediate action to break down these barriers. It’s time to radically improve Ireland’s RDI environment and claim our position as a global innovation leader.”

The RDI Hub Goes Virtual for Future Members Nationwide

The RDI Hub (‘the Hub’), the world-class innovation centre located in Killorglin, Co Kerry, has announced the launch of a new RDI Virtual Hub RDI hub digital community which will see it expand its offerings to corporates, SMEs, and Start-Up entrepreneurs nationwide.

This innovative new virtual membership offering will build on the significant success of the RDI Hub to date, expanding its sector-agnostic offering to businesses across the country, and giving them access to mentorship, training and events, and advice on available funding supports.

The RDI Virtual Hub offers a curated resource library and one-to-one coaching sessions with a diverse panel of seasoned mentors. Notable mentors include:

  • Hugh Reynolds – Havok and Swrve Founder & ex-Apple’s Special Projects and Uber’s Advanced Technology Group.
  • Jamie Heaslip – Entrepreneur, Angel Investor & Ireland Strategic Growth Lead at Stripe
  • Rose O Sullivan – Strategic Finance Manager at Fexco specialising in commercial modelling, developing pricing strategies and helping startups navigate the complexities of financial management as they scale

Members will also unlock access to a range of exclusive events and growth sessions and find out more about key initiatives such as STEM Passport for inclusion (a programme to help young women from underserved communities find potential career paths in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM)  DIBEST (Digital Innovation for Blue Enterprises & Social Tourism), the annual John McCarthy AI Summer School,  and NDRC startup programmes to further their growth ambitions.

This news comes fresh on the heels of the recent announcement that the RDI hub has partnered with Microsoft to deliver a series of AI masterclasses, which will teach members how to best leverage AI to optimise their business’s productivity.

The launch of the virtual hub is the latest in a series of enterprising initiatives offered by the RDI Hub – last June the Hub hosted a mortgage innovation challenge which offered €1 million in grants to stimulate innovation in the provision of mortgages in Ireland. In November last year, the Hub opened its in-house podcast facility which has since been expanded to include a full video recording studio and green screen facilities.

The RDI Hub’s 4th anniversary celebrates 70 new companies and 300 jobs created in the South West

RDI Hub membership has gone from strength to strength and is now home to over 70 companies, ranging from start-ups and SMEs to global companies such as Glencar Construction, Axiota, Interflow Logistics and Vertex. Since 2020, over 50 new products and services have originated from the Hub, enabling the creation of more than 300 jobs.

Success stories to date include Xavatar, which has just launched a first-of-its-kind metaverse-based TV show that will air to over 60 million homes in the US, and Graphite Note, an AI platform that simplifies the use of Machine Learning in analytics by helping business users to generate machine learning models without coding.

Commenting on the success of the RDI Hub to date, Liam Cronin, CEO said:

“Over the past four years, the RDI Hub has created a thriving ecosystem for entrepreneurship and business growth in the Southwest. Our new RDI Virtual Hub will enable us to expand this innovative spirit worldwide, by bringing together a virtual community of mentors, entrepreneurs, and innovators to share their insights and experience on a much larger scale.”

“We have a diverse range of members, operating across a broad range of sectors including Fintech Smart Manufacturing, Aquatech, Greentech, Sustainability AI, Robotics, and the Metaverse, creating a rich pool of expertise that will benefit businesses hugely when it comes to optimising their operations,” Liam added.

A monthly subscription is available for 35 euro (ex VAT)  per month, with an annual subscription available for €350 (ex VAT).  We are currently in phase one whereby we are onboarding our members onto the portal and plan on making it available to the public in April.

“This marks a significant milestone for RDI Hub as it expands its footprint, providing invaluable support to upcoming companies and entrepreneurs,” said Neil Hosty, CEO, Fexco. By fostering an ecosystem that facilitates growth and scalability, we aim not only to transform Kerry but also to offer new members the chance to connect with like-minded individuals. Through shared experiences and knowledge, we empower innovation—whether in their current roles or as aspiring entrepreneurs.”

The RDI Hub is a not-for-profit Public Private Partnership with Fexco, Kerry County Council, and Munster Technological University and is a €21 million investment, transforming Kerry into a globally connected technology innovation hotspot. It’s one of the regional hubs for the National Digital Research Centre and receives support from the Department of Business, Enterprise & Innovation’s Regional Enterprise Development Fund.

The Innovation Exchange partners with RDI Hub to partner globally ambitious Kerry SMEs with large corporates

Skillnet Ireland has announced the partnership of The Innovation Exchange, with the RDI Hub (Research Development Innovation Hub) based in Killorglin, Co. Kerry.  The Innovation Exchange is Ireland’s innovation marketplace connecting large companies facing digital transformation challenges with technology companies that can fast-track the solution.

As the newest regional channel partner of The Innovation Exchange, the RDI Hub is a world-class centre for design-led, digital innovation located in Ireland’s South West.  It focuses on digitisation, ideation and commercialisation of innovation and research in the Digital, AI, Data and related technologies’ sectors. The RDI Hub is also part of the Fexco’s Innovation division and operates as a not-for-profit public-private partnership with Munster Technological University and Kerry County Council.

There are currently six companies signed up from Kerry; one corporate, Astellas, as well as five SMEs; Graphite Note, Quodos, Galarus, Salaso and Turtle Transformation. Cork-based, RDI hub member Perkforce is also signed up.

The initiative will allow globally ambitious tech SMEs located in Kerry the unique opportunity to pitch to, and collaborate with, large companies looking to access innovation as part of a diverse and curated community of startups and scaleups. As a part of this collaboration, the RDI Hub will bring both corporate entities and scale-up businesses situated in Kerry together as members of The Innovation Exchange, expanding its growing community.

Attending the launch, Norma Foley TD, Minister for Education and TD for Kerry, said: “Ambition in any field should be limitless, but for it to be limitless we must ensure that the right supports are in place. Today we launch The Innovation Exchange, an initiative of Skillnet Ireland. It gives an opportunity to provide a level of support which will be a catalyst for so many businesses to go further and to go beyond; there is great insight here, being provided by the experts. The spirit lauded by this new initiative and development is that together we can go further and further; limitless opportunity, limitless abilities being celebrated and given an opportunity to advance.”

Speaking at yesterday’s announcement, Paul Healy, Chief Executive, Skillnet Ireland said: “Today we see the Innovation Exchange developing its footprint in Kerry as part of our drive for a nationwide expansion of this successful programme. The Innovation Exchange is serving an important role in promoting innovation and economic growth in Ireland by building deep links between SMEs and large corporations, encouraging ideation and facilitating the development of new business projects between these sectors. We encourage local SMEs and larger companies with a presence in the South West to join the programme and take advantage of the many benefits it offers.” 

The aim of the Innovation Exchange is to establish a nationwide footprint by onboarding up to 10 regional channel partners throughout 2023. Earlier this year The Innovation Exchange announced its partnership with the Galway Technology Centre, which supports innovative, global trading companies in the ICT sector. The expansion of The Innovation Exchange, which currently has in excess of 350 participants, will offer even more SMEs access to the programme’s benefits, including an instant sales pipeline, market intelligence and the capability to sell to large companies

Conor Carmody, programme director of The Innovation Exchange commented on today’s news: “We are thrilled to be collaborating with RDI Hub, as we continue to bring our offering to SMEs and corporates across Ireland. Our main focus is to showcase the amazing talent and capabilities of the companies in the region, while also helping them to scale their businesses. We see this partnership with Skillnet Ireland as an opportunity to expand our network and leverage RDI Hub’s resources and expertise to support our members and drive their success.”

Liam Cronin, CEO of RDI, said: “The ethos at the RDI Hub is all about making connections for start-ups, scale-ups, SMEs, corporates, and enterprises to create, digitalise, innovate, and scale businesses for future economies. The Innovation Exchange is a perfect partnership for us as it supports the key focus of the RDI Hub   of creating new jobs, products, and services in the Southwest. This is a fantastic opportunity for agile companies to innovate and solve specific problems for large corporates, and for corporates to gain fresh perspectives on their business challenges.”

Bertie Murphy, Chief Strategy Officer Fexco and RDI Hub Board Director, said: “This new partnership between the RDI Hub and the Innovation Exchange creates a brilliant opportunity for innovation between SMEs and scaled businesses. This reinforces our vision at Fexco for the RDI Hub as a key enabler of innovation. We have already achieved success at the RDI Hub in creating an ecosystem that has generated exciting new technologies, services, and jobs. This announcement provides an opportunity for the RDI Hub to further build on that success and, in addition, facilitate the ability of SMEs to introduce innovative and transformative ideas and services to larger corporations in the region.” 

Skillnet Ireland has committed €5 million to fund The Innovation Exchange which is designed to address the barriers that exist for scaling companies when selling to large companies and multinationals. The programme will support over 1,000 companies between 2022-2025.

Scale-ups and corporates in the Kerry region are being encouraged by The Innovation Exchange to sign up at www.theinnovationexchange.ie.

Artificial Intelligence a key driver of economic growth and high value jobs in Ireland. #AI

Artificial Intelligence will be a key driver of future economic growth in Ireland, delivering high value jobs and a competitive advantage, according to Liam Cronin CEO of RDI Hub, speaking at the launch of this year’s John McCarthy AI Summer School.

RDI Hub is a not-for-profit partnership between Fexco, Munster Technological University and Kerry County Council, and is hosting the event the two-day event which starts today (September 2nd).

Leading academic and entrepreneurs in the field of AI will gather virtually, and at the RDI Hub in Killorglin, Co Kerry, in a hybrid event to discuss how it can be harnessed for the benefit of societies, with a particular focus this year on the application of AI for wellness.

The Government’s recently published AI – Here for Good national strategy stresses the importance of collaborative research and innovation within the sector and stated that AI has huge potential to help the healthcare sector improve patient experience and provide more accurate diagnosis and intervention.

The second John McCarthy AI Summer School seeks to support Government in realising the ambition of Ireland’s AI Strategy by sharing best practice and fostering further AI research and partnerships. By bringing leaders from academia and business together, the AI Summer School can support the growth of a sector which, according to estimates by PwC, has the potential to boost Ireland’s GDP by 11.6% or €48 billion by 2030.

AI adoption in Ireland is continuing at a rapid pace, with a recent Eurostat report showing that Ireland is the leading country in the EU for AI adoption in businesses. The report found that 23% of companies employing at least 10 people were using some form of AI application, over three times higher than that of France, Germany and the Netherlands.

The real-world application and benefit of AI wellness is becoming more apparent, with several Irish companies using their innovative solutions in the sector. Speaking at this year’s AI Summer School will be:

  • Conor McGinn, co-founder and CEO of Akara Robotics whose smart cleaning and assisted living AI-powered robots have gained international acclaim.
  • Alison Darcy, co-founder of Woebot Health and inventor of the Woebot mental health chatbot.
  • Omar Salem, from Field of Vision, is assisting the visually impaired to enjoy an immersive matchday experience with their AI-powered device which allows people to literally feel a match’s biggest moments.

The John McCarthy AI Summer School is jointly powered by founding partners by RDI Hub, Microsoft, Munster Technological University, the ADAPT Centre, along with new partners Tangent and AI Ireland.

Robert Troy TD, Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation, said:

“The John McCarthy AI Summer School is an excellent initiative that marks the latest stage in the strong tradition and track record we have in Ireland for innovation and research in the area of AI.

The Government’s new national strategy “AI – Here for Good” serves as a roadmap to how Ireland can leverage the potential of AI for unlocking productivity in our enterprise base, for addressing societal challenges and for delivering public services. We have an ambitious vision for Ireland – to be an international leader in using AI to the benefit of our population, through a people-centred, ethical approach to AI development, adoption and use. It is through collaboration, knowledge sharing and forums such as the John McCarthy Summer School that we can best achieve our vision and continue to improve and respond to the changes that disruptive technologies, such as AI, will make to our economy and society.”

Reidin O’Connor, Community Manager, CEO RDI Hub, said:

“The application of Artificial Intelligence will be a key driver of future economic growth in Ireland. Whilst there are understandable concerns about automation and the impact on jobs, if Ireland can maintain a leadership position, we can build a competitive advantage that supports the creation of thousands of exciting high value jobs. The Summer School is a gathering of the brightest minds in this field, with this year’s event taking a deep dive into the area of AI for health and wellness with both core research and real-life applications of how it is reshaping our future.”

Professor Vinny Wade, Director of the ADAPT Centre and Chair of Artificial Intelligence at Trinity College Dublin’s School of Computer Science and Statistics, said:

“Digital Health is a key research focus for the ADAPT Centre. Our researchers span Medicine, Biomedical Science, Computer Science and Engineering and they are collaborating to drive forward research in rare diseases and eHealth. We are combining cutting edge data science and semantic web technologies to support data integration, data analytics and machine learning for applied clinical research. The AI Summer School provides a platform to drive collaboration and accelerate innovation and we are delighted to be a founding member of this great event now in its second year.”

Dr Kevin Marshall, Head of Education at Microsoft Ireland, said:

“From helping businesses to transform to addressing many of the pressing societal issues that we face, AI has the potential to drive an inclusive recovery. However, in order to harness its full potential, we must increase collaboration between industry and academia and increasingly showcase the many ways in which Ireland is at the forefront of AI and new technologies. 

“That’s why Microsoft Ireland is delighted to once again support the AI Summer School which provides a forum to explore the cutting-edge research in AI and the positive impact it is having on our society.  By working together, we can ensure Ireland develops the in-demand skills and strong innovation ecosystem that is required to become an AI leader internationally.” 

The John McCarthy AI Summer School will feature appearances from some of the leading minds in AI from across the world, and representing industry, academia and state bodies. The full line up consists of:

  • Dr Conor McGinn, Trinity College Dublin, “Data Driven Cleaning – New approach to room disinfection to improve wellness”
  • Dr Heidi Christensen, University Sheffield, “How speech signal technology could be used to advance healthcare”
  • Dr Morten Goodwin, University of Agder, “The obvious secret to making AI for wellness”
  • Dr Lydia Kostopoulos, United States Special Operations Command, “The Emerging Artificial Intelligence Wellness Landscape: Opportunities and Areas of Ethical Debate”
  • Sohini De, Founder of Empeal
  • Dr. Sean McSweeney | Head of Department of Computer Science, MTU
  • Dr. Haithem Afli | NLP/ML Lecturer, ADAPT Funded Investigator and PI at MTU
  • Dr. Siobhan MacSweeney| Head of Research, MTU
  • Brid McElligott| Vice President for Research, Development and External Engagement at MTU
  • John O’Donoghue | Technologies Emerging Technologies Lead, Dell
  • Jon Anthony | CEO and Founder of Adappt technology partners
  • Eugene O Connor | Chief Medical Officer in Altada Technology Solutions
  • Dr. Breda O Dwyer | Head of CEED, MTU
  • Dr. Bruno Andrade | Post-Doctoral Research, MTU
  • Dr. Andrew Shields | Lecturer and Principal Investigator, MTU

John McCarthy, who the RDI Hub building in Killorglin, Co Kerry was named in honour of, was a second generation Irish American and is considered as the father of artificial intelligence through his work as leading computer scientist at Stanford University computer scientist.

Founding partners of the event, the ADAPT Centre, is also launching the ADAPT AI Community Club as a forum to bring AI enthusiasts, researchers and leaders together as a community, to power collective innovation.  This forum is a virtual extension of the Machine Learning Dublin Meetup which already has over 6,000 followers.