Schoolchildren tap the potential of Stem and AI at Microsoft event
Microsoft
opened the doors of its
Dublin
campus to the scientists, engineers and big thinkers of the future for the organisation's third annual Dream Space Showcase.
The event saw more than 800 students from across the State come together to demonstrate how
STEM
(science, technology, engineering and maths) and
artificial intelligence
can tackle real-world challenges.
The three-day event showcased more than 110 innovative projects on everything from earthquake sensors and plant-health monitors to food-waste trackers and inclusive communication tools.
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Irish Times
21 hours ago
- Irish Times
BYD brings EV price wars to small cars in Europe
BYD has launched its cheapest and smallest electric vehicle (EV) in the UK, as it takes Chinese carmakers' battle for affordability in Europe into a compact-car segment that has remained stubbornly reliant on the internal combustion engine. The Dolphin Surf, with a starting price of £18,650 (€21,874.03), is the British equivalent of BYD's popular Seagull hatchback, which is priced at less than £6,000 in China amid a price war in the world's largest car market. 'Compact cars are the next frontier for electrification in Europe,' BYD's executive vice-president Stella Li said at a recent launch event in Rome, noting the electric transition had been slower for small cars than for bigger sport utility vehicles. According to the International Energy Agency, of the 360 EV models available in Europe last year, only 33 were in the small car segment. An additional 23 compact models are expected to be launched this year. READ MORE Compact cars have taken longer to shift away from petrol engines due to thin profit margins and the difficulty of making them both affordable and moneymaking with the high price of batteries. BYD, the leading EV maker, announced an assault on the Japanese small-car market last month, with plans to release a low-cost battery-powered Kei car next year. The boxy minicar would be cheaper than the compact Dolphin, which sells for 2.9 million yen (€17,839) in Japan. [ New car owners increasingly opting for electric or hybrid over petrol or diesel Opens in new window ] Even before Dolphin Surf's European debut a few weeks earlier at a price below €23,000, rival compact EV offerings from the Renault 5 and Citroën ë-C3 to the Dacia Spring had already hit the markets with similar or lower prices. Chinese brands have adopted a pricing strategy in Europe that is more restrained than in their home market, especially with Brussels imposing higher tariffs on imports of Chinese-made EVs since last year. Still, BYD's expansion into all car segments in Europe is set to accelerate its overseas growth. The market share of BYD and other Chinese brands in the UK and on the continent has grown from 2.9 per cent in the first quarter of 2024 to 4.8 per cent in the first four months of 2025, according to Schmidt Automotive Research. Will rent reform make building apartments viable? Listen | 40:12 The UK, which has not imposed higher tariffs on Chinese EVs, now accounts for nearly a third of all Chinese-brand models entering western Europe. According to UK online marketplace Auto Trader, stocks of Chinese EVs for sale between January and April increased tenfold year-on-year, with more than 3,300 cars for sale. That represented nearly 3 per cent of new car stock for sale on the marketplace compared with 0.2 per cent a year earlier. Analysts say there is more room for prices to come down for smaller electric cars as western carmakers use cheaper lithium iron phosphate batteries to compete against Chinese rivals, which are increasing local production in Europe to avoid the tariffs. [ EV Q&A: Why doesn't Ireland use roadside furniture for charging electric vehicles? Opens in new window ] Renault and Volkswagen are using Chinese engineering expertise as well as components made in China to speed up vehicle development and lower the costs of compact EVs due to be launched next year. 'Once they start coming to the market, we will see price deflation,' said automotive analyst Matthias Schmidt. Cao Li, senior vice-president of Stellantis-backed Chinese carmaker Leapmotor, told journalists on Wednesday that the convergence of car prices for EVs and petrol cars was a broad trend in the European market. Some Chinese car executives fear the bruising price war in their home market could spill over into Europe. However, rising trade tensions between China and the European Union (EU) are seen as changing the pricing dynamics in Europe. Beijing and its carmakers have offered to introduce a system of voluntary price controls to replace the EU tariffs, but it remains unclear whether Brussels would accept this minimum pricing approach. People close to discussions said Beijing offered a €35,000 minimum regardless of the model in earlier negotiations. At that level, cheaper cars such as those offered by BYD and Leapmotor would be excluded from the market. But even if the price cuts are more limited in Europe, analysts say consumers will probably be drawn to Chinese offerings due to the high quality of their technology and software. BYD's Li recently told Belgian media, for example, that the Chinese group plans to bring its superfast charging technology to Europe within the next 12 months. While the price war in China is considered destructive for the domestic car industries in the UK and Europe, greater competition may help boost vehicle demand, which is still below pre-pandemic levels. 'Increasing levels of competition and some new standout performers now seen in our market will likely create wider pricing pressures that will be good for car buyers in the short term and which will hopefully also fuel further innovation and market growth in the midterm,' said Ian Plummer, commercial director at Auto Trader. – Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2025
Irish Times
a day ago
- Irish Times
Healthcare data giant inks deal for offices at Galway's Bonham Quay
Healthcare date specialist Datavant has signed a new long-term lease on offices at Bonham Quay, the €105 million mixed-use scheme developed by Gerry Barrett's Edward Capital in partnership with Signal Capital in Galway City. The company has agreed a deal for two penthouse floors in the second phase of the development on a 15-year lease, with a break option in year 10. While the rent level has not been disclosed by the letting agent, Cushman & Wakefield, Datavant is understood to be paying about €40 per sq ft for the 15,000sq ft of office space it will occupy. The accommodation will serve as the company's new global research and design centre. Datavant's long-term commitment to Galway is being supported by the IDA. Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Datavant employs more than 8,000 people globally. According to its website, the company currently handles more than 60 million healthcare records, allowing them to move between more than 70,000 hospitals and clinics. Its technology, it says, is availed of by approximately 75 per cent of the 100 largest health systems, along with over 300 real-world data partners. Datavant's decision to locate its research and design centre at Bonham Quay was informed, according to the company, by the expertise available locally in the areas of health technology and life sciences. Some 125 jobs are expected to be created at its new Galway office between now and the end of 2027. READ MORE Commenting on Datavant's decision to locate at Bonham Quay, Paddy McDonald, director at Edward Capital, said: 'It's a testament to the campus's appeal for world-class organisations that Datavant have chosen Bonham Quay for their new global R&D Centre. Galway City's skilled talent pool and vibrant enterprise culture make it an ideal location.' Colman McCarthy of Signal Capital added: 'Signing another high-quality international corporate tenant at a record rent for the Galway market further cements Bonham Quay's position as the number one office destination in the west of Ireland.' The existing occupiers at Bonham Quay include Genesys International, Diligent Corporation, Signify Health, and Liberty IT. Bonham Quay will, upon completion, comprise of 34,405sq m (370,332sq ft) of office, retail, restaurant and cultural space capable of accommodating some 2,600 workers. The former industrial site is being developed by Edward Capital Limited, is designed by BDP Architects and is managed by Cushman and Wakefield. In terms of its sustainability, the scheme has been designed to achieve LEED Gold, and NZEB (nearly zero energy building) compliance and an A3 Ber rating.
Irish Times
a day ago
- Irish Times
One in five people in the Republic looking to either buy or rent a house, says BPFI
Almost one in five consumers in the Republic say they are looking to either rent or buy a property, the second highest rate in Europe, according to Banking and Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI). Eoin Burke-Kennedy reports. Irish books and stationery retailer Eason has spent €2.7 million buying back shares from its investors, with 20 per cent of shareholders selling their entire holdings. Ciarán Hancock has the details. State-owned EirGrid paid former chief executive Mark Foley more than €347,000 last year, a period when he resigned from the national grid company following a car crash that led to a prosecution, its annual report shows. Barry O'Halloran reports. Text scammers are in ComReg's sights as it implements an SMS registry for businesses, according to our tech columnist Ciara O'Brien. READ MORE The wealthiest 10 per cent of households in the State have a net wealth, over debt, of at least €1,024,000, up from €838,000 in 2020 and the highest ever recorded, according to figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO). Hugh Dooley has the numbers. The Irish economy is uniquely exposed to any reversal in globalisation, according to a staff report on Ireland from the IMF, writes Cantillon. Our New Innovator this week is Irish company Ion a, which aims to revolutionise rural deliveries with drones and robotic hubs. Olive Keogh spoke with founder Etienne Louvet. In our tech review, Ciara O'Brien road tests Shelfy , a smart fridge that claims to keep your food fresh for longer. In our tech feature, FT writer Anjil Raval examines whether fears that the latest generation of AI could literally change every job stack up to reality. In this week's Inside Business podcast , Ciaran Hancock looks at whether rent reforms will bring more investors to Ireland. If you'd like to read more about the issues that affect your finances try signing up to On the Money , the weekly newsletter from our personal finance team, which will be issued every Friday to Irish Times subscribers.
