Ireland has secured €10 million in joint European and Irish Government funding to establish the AIF IRL-Antenna, a major national initiative that will accelerate artificial intelligence adoption and innovation across Ireland while strengthening the country’s position within Europe’s rapidly expanding AI ecosystem.
The initiative is supported by the Irish Government through the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS ), alongside European funding provided through EuroHPC Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU ), Europe’s leading high-performance computing and AI infrastructure initiative.
Led by the Irish Centre for High-End Computing (ICHEC ) at University of Galway, in partnership with CeADAR, Ireland’s Centre for AI, the AIF IRL-Antenna will serve as Ireland’s national access point to Europe’s advanced AI and high-performance computing infrastructure. The initiative will provide startups, SMEs, researchers and public sector organisations with streamlined access to world-class AI resources, technical expertise, training programmes and innovation support.
The initiative forms part of a broader European effort led through EuroHPC to strengthen AI excellence, foster innovation and ensure that businesses, researchers and public sector organisations across member states can benefit from access to cutting-edge AI technologies and infrastructure.
The investment represents a major opportunity for Irish organisations to access the advanced computing capabilities required to develop, test and deploy AI solutions at scale. Through the AIF IRL-Antenna, organisations will be able to engage with Europe’s growing network of AI Factories and high-performance computing facilities, enabling them to accelerate innovation, improve competitiveness and build AI capabilities that support long-term economic growth.
A particular focus of the AIF IRL-Antenna will be supporting Irish startups and SMEs, helping them overcome barriers to AI adoption by providing access to computing resources and specialist expertise that would otherwise be beyond reach for many growing businesses. By lowering these barriers, the initiative aims to accelerate the development of new products, services and business models powered by AI.
The programme will also support researchers and public sector organisations in developing responsible, scalable AI solutions that address societal and economic challenges while promoting trustworthy and ethical AI practices.
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science James Lawless said: “The launch of the AI Factory Antenna marks an important step forward for Ireland’s digital future. By bringing together businesses, researchers and public sector organisations, it will help create an environment where innovation can thrive and where organisations of all sizes can access the support, they need to make the most of AI.
“This collaborative approach will strengthen Ireland’s position internationally, helping us remain competitive, attract talent and build on our reputation as a leader in innovation and digital technologies.
“The AI Factory Antenna also demonstrates the value of European collaboration. I would like to acknowledge the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking for its leadership in advancing this initiative, and thank our project partners in France and Luxembourg for their commitment and cooperation.”
ICHEC Director Prof. J.-C. Desplat commented that: “The AIF IRL-Antenna leverages Ireland’s leading Centres for Advanced Computing and Artificial Intelligence to streamline access to EU sovereign AI platforms and services, and to promote their adoption within the Irish start-up and scale-up ecosystem. The partnership involves seven regional innovation hubs, which ensures that all companies can equally benefit, irrespective of their location.”
CeADAR CEO Dr John Lonsdale said ‘CeADAR provides applied AI support to companies across Ireland and is delighted to be working with ICHEC to deliver the AIF IRL-Antenna programme, providing access for Irish businesses to first class AI resources, helping them innovative, grow and be competitive on the world stage’.
Interim VP of Research and Innovation Aengus Parsons, said “University of Galway is proud to support ICHEC as it leads this national initiative to bring AI infrastructure and services to Ireland’s innovation ecosystem. Building on ICHEC’s established track record in delivering advanced computing at national and European level, this work places Ireland at the forefront of the European AI Factories network – and reflects the University’s own mission to deliver education and research with profound impact. We look forward to supporting ICHEC, Government and our national partners as they ensure businesses, researchers, and the public sector can harness this capability for the benefit of communities across Ireland and beyond.”
The launch of the AIF IRL-Antenna reinforces Ireland’s commitment to becoming a leading European hub for AI innovation and digital transformation. By strengthening connections between industry, academia, government and European partners, the initiative will help position Ireland at the forefront of the next generation of AI-driven economic and societal transformation, ensuring that Ireland plays a central role in shaping responsible, inclusive and high-impact AI development across Europe.
For more information, visit AIFactory.ie
