The Irish Tech News Podcast

Luke Treacy has been on the Irish Tech News podcast before and it’s great to catch up with him. When I first spoke to Luke he was helping people to upskill by learning how to code and it was great to catch up with and see what he is doing now as the CEO  of Business Technology Academy.  Luke talks about his background, what Business Technology Academy does, work based training, different technologies and more.More about Business Technology Academy:Business Technology Academy, delivers live, expert-led training courses designed to support professionals at all levels. Whether you’re a beginner just breaking into tech or building on existing skills, their beginner-friendly, career-focused courses help adults transition into high-demand roles through practical training. With every course including a dedicated module on the role of AI in the workplace. All courses are online and delivered 100% live with a professional lecturer.

In this episode of One Vision, Theo hosts Priya Gore, General Manager and Head of Cloud and AI Platform Solutions for US Financial Services at Microsoft, where they explore the expanded role of CFOs and impact of AI. Gore dispels common myths about AI, emphasizing its democratization and responsible usage. She highlights the importance of organizational readiness and the future of AI-driven work environments. The conversation underscores how AI can transform businesses, enhance customer experiences, and drive innovation, urging leaders to embrace AI thoughtfully and strategically.00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome02:07 Impact of AI on CFOs and Finance Teams04:27 Addressing Myths and Pitfalls of AI05:54 AI in Regulated Industries08:19 AI-First Leadership and Organizational Change10:14 Future of Work and AI Agents14:06 Democratizing AI and Final Thoughts#AI #FinancialServices #CFO #FutureOfWork #Innovation #MSFTAmbassador📍Hot Take: If you take the technology off the table and just ideate about where do we want to bring more value to our business or to our clients and our stakeholders, those are usually the winning places to get started with AI.Find Priya Gore on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/priyagore/ Find Theodora Lau on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theodoralau/ 🔗My latest book: Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence: https://www.bankingonaibook.com/ 🔗About Unconventional Ventures and the One Vision Podcast: https://www.unconventionalventures.com/ 

In this episode Melanie Boylan chats with former NASA astronaut Daniel Tani and Head of Research at MTU and Head of of Blackrock Castle Observatory Niall Smith about their Space Week Tour on "Living in Space" that has already become fully booked throughout Ireland.Hear the answers from Daniel about life on the ISS, the psychology, the food and more. Niall talks about the future of space and where Ireland fits in.

Kota, the Irish-founded employee benefits platform, has launched the country’s first Instant Auto Enrolment Solution following its €12.6 million Series A investment in May. Their purpose-built solution gets Irish employers Auto Enrolment ready in just a few clicks. With 1 in 4 businesses unprepared and statutory contributions set to begin on 1 January  2026, employers have just five months to get ready. Minister for Social Protection, Dara Calleary is urging businesses to “act now”, describing auto-enrolment as “the biggest transformation of pension policy in the history of the State.”Kota’s new offering enables HR and finance teams to implement a compliant occupational pension with Irish Life within minutes. I recently caught up with Luke Mackey the Co-Founder and CEO of.KotaLuke talks about his background, what Kota does, AI and more. About Kota:Launched in 2023, Kota is building the internet infrastructure for employee benefits. Empowering modern businesses to offer employees insurance and retirement benefits more easily and affordably, all through one integrated platform, app and embedded insurance solution.Powered by proprietary infrastructure, Kota removes the friction from global benefits for HR and finance teams. Founded in Ireland, Kota supports hundreds of businesses and is backed by some of Europe’s leading investors including Eurazea, EQT Ventures, Northzone and Frontline, having raised over €20 million to date.

In this episode of One Vision podcast, we sit down with Peter Chapman, CTO of Grasshopper Bank, discussing the bank's innovative approach to digital banking, the integration of AI in their operations, and the importance of culture. We explore the evolving landscape of business banking, the challenges faced by small businesses, and the future of digital banking and money movement. Pete shares insights on how Grasshopper Bank aims to bridge the gap between fintech and traditional banking, emphasizing the need for a collaborative ecosystem to enhance customer experience by leveraging cutting edge technology. What’s next after being the first bank in the U.S. to launch an MCP server for business clients? What’s in store for the digital bank in 2026? Download our latest One Vision podcast episode and follow the conversation. 📍Hot Take: "We are nothing without our people."00:00 Meet Pete Chapman: CTO of Grasshopper Bank05:57 Grasshopper Bank's Digital Strategy09:53 AI Strategy and Implementation at Grasshopper13:44 Internal AI Success and Future Plans30:36 Partnering for Technological Innovation39:18 Future Trends in Business Banking#AI #FinTech #FinancialServices #SmallBusiness #BankingIndustry #BankingOnAI #Innovation #OneVision #Podcast Find Peter Chapman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-chapman-3768908/ Find Theodora Lau on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theodoralau/ 🔗My latest book: Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence: https://www.bankingonaibook.com/ 🔗About Unconventional Ventures and the One Vision Podcast: https://www.unconventionalventures.com/

UKG One View, a cutting-edge payroll platform originally developed in Kilkenny by Immedis and now part of UKG (the world’s largest privately owned software company) has been named Global Payroll Supplier of the Year by the Global Payroll Association for the second consecutive year. This rare back-to-back win underlines not only the innovation behind the product but also the strength of Ireland’s technology sector on the world stage. At the heart of this success is Richard Limpkin, UKG’s VP and GM, and co-founder of Immedis. Frustrated by existing payroll systems, Richard led the creation of One View to transform how global payroll and compliance challenges are tackled, pioneering an AI-powered solution that supports transparency and pay equity across 150+ countries. Ronan recently caught up with Richard.Richard talks about his background, payroll, AI, and more.More about UKG:UKG is a leading provider of HR, payroll, and workforce management solutions for all people. They are the only enterprise vendor ranked as a leader by all major analysts and peer review sites and has been recognised around the world for their workplace culture, innovative practices, and commitment to customer success.

In this episode of One Vision, we sit down with Allison Cerra, Chief Marketing Officer at Alkami, to explore how anticipatory banking moves financial services beyond personalization into prediction. The conversation dives into the evolution of consumer technology in financial services, drawing parallels with the music industry, and highlights the importance of personalization and hyper-personalization at scale. They explore how AI and behavioral data are transforming the banking experience, the significance of the $84 trillion intergenerational wealth transfer, and the implications for regional and community financial institutions. Join Allison and Theo for a dynamic discussion on the challenges and opportunities in creating a better digital banking experience for all generations.#AI #Fintech #FinancialServices #BankingIndustry #AnticipatoryBanking 📍Hot Take: What I hope to see is more deposits going from Wall Street to Main Street. I hope to see vibrant communities that continue to flourish.00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome00:30 Revisiting CoLab and Generational Trends01:08 Understanding Anticipatory Banking01:55 The Evolution of Digital Banking11:25 Generational Wealth Transfer and Its Impact21:35 The Role of AI and Behavioral Data23:51 Future of Financial Institutions29:03 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsFind Allison Cerra on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/acerra/ 🔗About Alkami: https://www.alkami.com/ 🔗About Anticipatory Banking: https://www.alkami.com/anticipatory-banking/ Find Theodora Lau on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theodoralau/ 🔗My latest book: Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence: https://www.bankingonaibook.com/ 🔗About Unconventional Ventures and the One Vision Podcast: https://www.unconventionalventures.com/

Paul O’Shea is Founder & CEO of Ashview Consultants. Originally from Ashford in Wicklow, Paul established the business two decades ago in his box room and, since then, Ashview Consultants has continued to grow steadily under his leadership and now has a team of 30 professionals across offices located in Dublin, Newry, and London.I recently caught up with Paul.Paul talks about his background, what Ashview Consultants do, digital transformation and more.More about Ashview Consultants:Ashview Consultants supports clients globally, helping them to optimise their performance by identifying, assessing and mitigating risks that could impact their business operations or their workplace health and safety standards. Client sectors include construction, aviation, transport, commercial, pharmaceutical, hospitality, retail, residential, logistics, data centres and student accommodation.

In this episode of One Vision, we welcome Martyna Lewinska, a seasoned technologist, startup advisor, and mentor. Martyna shares her extensive experience in building tech organizations, supporting founders as a fractional CTO, and launching successful products. We discuss the responsibilities and challenges of being a founder, the importance of execution, and the current landscape of implementing emerging technologies like AI. Martyna shares her insights into how companies can effectively adopt new technologies and the transformative opportunities that exist in financial institutions' use of AI. Tune in for a deep dive into the multifaceted world of technology and entrepreneurship.00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome00:46 Martyna's Background and Journey01:42 Building and Launching Products05:02 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs06:01 Challenges and Misconceptions of Founders10:41 Implementing Emerging Technologies15:01 Fraud Detection and Financial Crime17:58 Cultural Differences in Tech Adoption22:27 Looking Back and Looking Forward 🔥Hot take: Just do it!#AI #Fintech #CTO #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #Startup **About Martyna Lewinska: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martynalewinska/ Find Theodora Lau on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theodoralau/ 🔗My latest book: Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence: https://www.bankingonaibook.com/ 🔗About Unconventional Ventures and the One Vision Podcast: https://www.unconventionalventures.com/ 

In 2019 I went down to Galway to do a podcast with Black Pug Studio. Six years have passed since that podcast and Tony Moreno ,and Julien Garrigues co-founders of Black Pug Studio contacted me about doing a follow up podcast. So, I did the follow up podcast via Zoom and we had an interesting chat.  Here is the second part of the podcast I did with Tony Moreno ,and Julien Garrigues co-founders Black Pug Studio .Tony and Julien, talk about Eimear Noone, music in video games, choices you make when playing a game and more.More about Black Pug Studio:Black Pug Studio are a dynamic creative agency based in Galway, specialising in first-class web design, unique branding solutions, innovative digital designs, and proficient software and web development. In addition to these, we also make awesome video games.