Bobby Healy

Big announcement today for Irish drone delivery company Manna Air Delivery re Uber's European drone delivery ambitions. “It represents everything that is great about building ambitious start-ups right here in Ireland," Manna founder Bobby Healy told SiliconRepublic.com. “Uber is a worldwide brand synonymous with innovation and disruption. It’s a huge win for indigenous Irish tech and I’m particularly proud for our 170-strong team in north county Dublin." Read Tim Barnwell's report on Silicon Republic #Drones #Dronedelivery https://lnkd.in/eXni3PjC

110

6 Comments

A common assumption among Irish SMEs is that if the product or service is good enough, customers will find their own way to get in touch. That is not how websites work in practice. Most visitors are not deeply motivated. They are browsing, comparing, and making split-second decisions about whether to bother. A clear, compelling CTA at the right moment tilts that decision in your favour Read full article. Link in comment

3

1 Comment

Emerald Airlines welcomes the publication of Irelandia Aviation's A Pathfinder for Irish Aviation. The report’s focus on an all-island approach to aviation, particularly the integration of training capabilities into a unified national strategy, is a vital step forward for the sector. With our growing base in Belfast, targeted initiatives to expand pilot and engineer training are essential. The shortage of local aviation talent in Northern Ireland is a pressing challenge. We urge stakeholders to prioritise all-Ireland training solutions to ensure the long-term sustainability of regional aviation. We commend Joe Gill and Eamonn Brennan for delivering a clear, forward-looking strategy. Read more on this below ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/eGE7Qv54

50

🎓 Google's Gemini AI Pilot Shows Impressive Results in Northern Ireland Schools A 6-month pilot of Google's Gemini AI with 100 Northern Ireland teachers revealed significant productivity gains - teachers saved an average of 10 hours per week! How teachers used Gemini: 📝 Automating administrative tasks ✉️ Drafting letters and communications 🎙️ Creating educational podcasts 📚 Content creation for lessons 👥 More time for student engagement This real-world data demonstrates AI's potential to free educators from administrative burden, allowing them to focus on what matters most - teaching and student development. #Google #Gemini #Education #AI #Productivity

1

You need complete control over your most valuable digital asset. Relying entirely on rented platforms like social media is a critical risk. You do not own those platforms, and your reach can be restricted overnight. We specialise in premium WordPress web design Dublin businesses use to scale predictably. We build robust, secure systems that you actually own and control. A custom WordPress build gives you: → Complete ownership of your content and audience data. → Bank-level security to protect your business. → Unrestricted scalability as your company grows. Take back control of your online presence. Click the link below or in the comments to book your free Discovery Call. #WebDesignDublin #DigitalAsset #WordPress #IrishBusiness

✈️ Aviation Aftermarket Momentum — Engines, Teardowns & Parts on the Move There’s real energy in the aviation aftermarket right now — from engine acquisitions and teardown programmes to expanding repair-cycle and component trading activity across Ireland and beyond. We’re seeing three big themes driving serious logistics movement: ⚙️ Teardown and parts-recovery projects accelerating (engines, modules, high-value components) 🛠️ Growing demand for repair-cycle and consignment logistics 🌍 More cross-border & third-country shipments tied to trading and remarketing activity And when the pace picks up like this, freight stops being a back-office function — it becomes mission-critical. Engines, landing gear and precision components need to move fast, clean and compliant, with bonded handling, customs-ready paperwork and real-time communication. That’s exactly where the right logistics partner adds value — keeping projects moving, reducing downtime, and helping aviation businesses stay ahead of the aftermarket curve. If your world involves engines, teardown inventory, component trading or repair-cycle shipments, I’d be happy to connect and share how we support teams who live in that environment every day. Let’s keep parts flowing and aircraft earning. ✈️ #Aviation #MRO #Engines #Teardown #Aftermarket #AircraftParts #AirFreight #Ireland #SupplyChain

2

The sky's the limit for SMBC Aviation Capital CEO Peter Barrett This piece references that SMBC Aviation Capital has, in conjunction with Trinity College Dublin, opened a research facility which is looking at the processes for making sustainable aviation fuel. https://lnkd.in/gSiRYG4F

9

🚀Portfolio Funding Announcement Manna Air Delivery raised $50M in a Series B to make autonomous air delivery the infrastructure of everyday life. Manna has now completed over 250,000 regulated flights across Ireland, Finland, and the US - delivering food, medicine, and everyday essentials in under three minutes. That statistic alone shows the quality of this company and what it has achieved in a short space of time. And with 400 new STEM jobs – including AI & Software, Robotics, Engineering - announced alongside this raise, Manna is scaling fast. As an early investor in Manna, we are pleased to continue our support for Bobby Healy and the team as they scale across Europe and the US. Welcome to growth capital investors including ARK Invest, Schooner Capital and Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) who led the round. #DroneDelivery #DeepTech #Innovation #VentureCapital #Scaling #Startups  https://lnkd.in/eMQFekT7

17

🧳Airport Upgrade - Episode 4: Smarter Baggage, Smoother Travel In the fourth episode of the Shannon Airport upgrade series, we learn about significant improvements planned for the baggage hall – another key element of our €30 million investment in improving airport infrastructure and the passenger experience. 🎬 Watch now as our Head of Operations, Pamela Brooks, talks about these upgrades, including the installation of a new out-of-gauge baggage belt - great news for passengers travelling with over sized items, especially golfers! 🏌️‍♂️

299

14 Comments

When Strategy Blocks Policy: A Fundamental Mistake at the Heart of the Irish State One of the greatest barriers to delivery in Ireland today isn’t the absence of good policy — it’s the confusion between policy and strategy inside the State itself. Put simply: State agencies increasingly treat their internal strategies as if they are Government policy. This is more than a misunderstanding — it is a foundational error that’s quietly undermining national progress, delaying investment, and weakening public trust. Government policy is made by elected representatives. It’s reflected in national commitments — to housing, climate, regional development, and infrastructure. Agencies are meant to deliver on those commitments, adapting as needed, in the public interest. But too often, agencies treat their internal plans — developed narrowly, often years ago — as fixed mandates. As a result, even when external partners bring aligned, timely, and funded solutions, they’re met with resistance simply because the idea didn’t originate in the agency’s own document. Consider the case of Irelandia, led by Declan Ryan. Its proposals — for North–South connectivity, regional air access, PSO routes, and public–private partnership — are perfectly in line with national aviation policy, balanced development goals, and climate adaptation. Yet they face inertia. Why? Because agency systems are hardwired to deliver their own strategy, not the broader mission. Nowhere is this clearer than in housing. In 2015, the Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU), advised by Moore Stephens Nathans, offered up to €5 billion from member savings to fund the construction of 26,000 social homes, using an off-balance-sheet structure in partnership with Approved Housing Bodies. The proposal was professionally constructed, aligned with both Irish housing policy and EU social investment priorities, and carried no risk to the exchequer. It was exactly the kind of solution Ireland claims to be looking for. But the Department of Finance failed to enable it, citing regulatory and institutional barriers. The result? Not a single home was built. €5 billion in community capital remained idle. And Ireland’s housing crisis was denied a home-grown, timely solution. This is not about housing alone. It is about a system-wide problem. We don’t lack policy. We lack institutional courage to deliver on policy when the solution falls outside a departmental strategy. And unless we fix this — unless we accept that strategy must serve policy, not replace it — we will keep losing opportunities that are right in front of us. Policy belongs to the public. Strategy is a tool — not a veto. Organisations like Irelandia, and initiatives like Metro Dublin, are not fringe proposals. They are aligned, available, and ready to act. The State should be enabling them — not resisting them. #Dublin

10

2 Comments

Irish low-cost airline Ryanair, Europe's largest by flights, passenger numbers, and fleet size, is considering canceling approximately 10% of its flights amid a potential aviation fuel shortage. CEO Michael O'Leary highlighted that if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed for 60 to 90 days, the airline faces uncertain operational challenges. European aviation fuel prices have surged to a record $1,900 per ton.

5

Over the next 3 years we will reach, engage with, transform and help drive success to 100,000 companies and 400,000 workers. We will ensure businesses in Ireland are equipped with the skills to deliver competitiveness and growth - both domestically and internationally. Skillnet Ireland

43

Great to see Ireland leading in AI and digital—a clear reflection of strategic and robust investment in people, recognised by the International Monetary Fund.

15

1 Comment

Fleetcraft an Irish co-founded startup that uses AI to improve efficiencies in aviation maintenance operations has raised $3.2 milliion (€2.75 million) in seed funding. Founded by Finn Quinlan, who previously worked on Ireland’s first two satellite missions, and Ammar Naseer, an Oxford-trained mathematician and aerospace engineer, the startup is headquartered in London

109

“Do we want to sit back and let Amazon and Google take that prize?” Manna Air Delivery is looking to grow internationally but it is under fire at home. Founder Bobby Healy tells me in The Currency today drones are coming and wants his Irish company to lead the way, not a global tech giant. Article is free to read here: https://lnkd.in/esp6CTqT

246

11 Comments

There’s a massive opportunity for Irish businesses right now, and it’s hiding in plain sight. It’s not about inventing new tech. It’s about enabling your teams to use what already exists but use it better. AI. Automation. Cybersecurity. Data fluency. These are the building blocks of modern productivity and resilience. The Certificate in Emerging Digital Technologies is our response at Technology Ireland ICT Skillnet not to a challenge but to an opportunity. Curious how you're equipping your teams for tomorrow’s challenges?

45

3 Comments

AGS Airports secures £745 million refinancing as AIB joins lending syndicate AGS Airports has completed a £745 million refinancing package, strengthening its long-term financial position and supporting continued investment across its UK airport portfolio. The refinancing, finalised in December 2025, sees AIB join the banking syndicate following a series of primary and secondary market transactions. The operator of Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton airports collectively handles more than 11 million passengers a year and plays a key role in regional connectivity across Scotland and southern England....

5