Small Business (SMB) stories

team.blue widens AI push with new tools for booking, compliance, website creation and data analysis across four brands.

Founders should treat lawyers less like transactional advisers and more like long-term partners who can shape confidence, reduce friction and support growth.

Stripe, PayPal, Adyen and Block are pushing into loyalty, lending and AI checkout tools as payment groups seek a bigger role in merchant commerce.

Markable opens free creator tier and adds AI shopping tools as it targets a fast-growing social commerce market.

Vodafone and Google Cloud widen their SMB push with new Gemini-based concierge and managed cyber defences, starting in Germany and Greece.

Temenos and Bain warn banks that cloud, AI and stablecoins will reshape competition, with core modernisation now key to growth.

Managed service providers can boost renewals and upsell revenue by turning hidden security work into clear, customer-ready reports that prove value.

World IP Day spotlights how sports brands' trademark wars, NFT disputes and licensing fights underpin billions in commercial value.

Temenos and Bain warn that banks must modernise core systems, governed data and cloud architecture as AI, stablecoins and personalisation gather pace.

Thrive widens post-Abacode push with managed compliance service for firms facing tougher rules and cyber risk.

Renaissance and CyberSmart team up to give Irish resellers a single platform for threat monitoring, compliance checks and staff training.

Everywhen warns businesses and consumers to check web addresses, padlocks and browser alerts as fake sites fuel rising cyber fraud risk.

Acronis rolls out GenAI Protection for managed service providers to spot shadow AI, curb data leakage and block prompt injection.

Storm Technology names Conor Flanagan to lead Dynamics 365 Business Central push as it expands finance, reporting and AI-focused services.

Hospitality groups urged to tighten controls as survey finds AI use rises across UK and Ireland, but privacy and regulation fears remain high.

Xero rolls out AI-powered business health scorecards as 4.6 million subscribers gain deeper KPI tracking, cash flow forecasts and sharing tools.

Cork skincare start-up Doctrine wins top AxisBIC award as seven ventures chase EUR €9.5m and cybersecurity firm Ailtire takes best pitch.

Intuit's QuickBooks is under pressure as AI start-ups push automated bookkeeping, forcing accounting software to prove it can do more than digitise ledgers.

Carbery CogniMed, Love Better and Target Alert Group have been honoured after pitching to investors and local firms at UCC's IGNITE Spring Awards 2026.

Xero unveils AI-native finance platform and JAX assistant to cut admin for small firms, with accountants and bookkeepers also in line for gains.