Practical, Funded Innovation Support for Manufacturing SMEs
Manufacturing SMEs are under pressure. Companies are being asked to improve productivity, quality and skills, while dealing with tight margins, skills shortages and limited time to step away from day-to-day operations.
Many manufacturers are aware of new technologies, but struggle with the same questions:
• Where would this actually help my operation?
• What’s practical for a company of our size?
• How do we avoid expensive mistakes or false starts?
PRISM is a practical, funded innovation support for manufacturing SMEs. It helps manufacturers on the journey to improve quality, efficiency and skills, without the risk or upfront commitment.
PRISM is
Practical, not theoretical. Just one of the practical use cases explored is AR-guided visual inspection, supported by AI and computer vision
Grounded in immediate operational realities such as maintenance downtime, skills shortages, quality issues, onboarding costs, and production risk
A structured, and low-risk pathway
Designed for SMEs, not large multinationals
The programme starts with a short awareness webinar and, for companies that see value, offers a clear pathway to go further.
Who we are
The PRISM Programme, brings together cross-border partners, Queen's University Belfast, DkIT, Digital Catapult and Eirmersive, to support manufacturing companies in adopting cutting-edge Immersive Technologies, with AI and Digital Twins. PRISM is supported by InterTradeIreland, the all-island economic development agency.
Pictured at right, at the launch of the PRISM Programme are: Michael Alcorn, Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Sustainability and Strategic Projects, Queen’s University, Belfast, Janet Toal, Manager - Innovation Programmes at InterTradeIreland, Camille Donegan, CEO at Eirmersive, Sue McGuire, Senior Strategic Partnership Manager at Digital Catapult, Aidan Browne, Head of Innovation & Business Development, External Services at Dundalk Institute of Technology
What we do
The PRISM partners work together to guide manufacturing SMEs through a structured, low‑risk innovation journey. We combine industry leadership, academic research, digital‑twin expertise and immersive‑technology capability to give participants access to the right skills, tools and infrastructure at every stage. Our role is to design and deliver the programme’s introduction webinar, workshops and mentoring; provide hands‑on demonstrations and expert insight; support SMEs in defining their challenges; and offer technical scoping, evaluation and practical guidance. By coordinating outreach, capability‑building, diagnostics and prototyping, we ensure that each SME receives informed, accessible and actionable support throughout their engagement with PRISM.
What you do
Participating SMEs begin their journey with the PRISM Programme Introduction Webinar, where they are introduced to real world case studies and gain a clear understanding of what the programme offers, and what progression looks like.
They can later move into the first Workshop, a hands‑on demonstration session where experts guide them through practical AR/VR, Digital Twin and AI applications designed specifically for manufacturing contexts.
Following this, SMEs enter the Mentoring, Support & Diagnostic Phase, receiving tailored guidance to scope their needs and explore how Immersive AI could benefit their business.
The fourth step, is a prototyping Workshop that brings participants into a co‑design environment, helping them translate insights and opportunities into concrete prototype concepts.
The final step is to develop an Actionable Plan that supports the adoption of Immersive AI.
