As part of our ‘Meet the Team’ series, we’re sharing interviews with members from across the Technology Gateway Network. Today, we’re pleased to introduce Franklin Silva, Business Development & Software Engineer at COMAND Technology Gateway.
Tell us a bit about your role in COMAND Technology Gateway?
I work as a Business Development & Software Engineer within COMAND Technology Gateway at Technological University of the Shannon (TUS). My role combines both industry engagement and technical project development, meaning I work closely with companies to identify innovation opportunities, scope R&D projects and connect them with the right expertise within COMAND and the wider Technology Gateway network.
A large part of my work focuses on helping SMEs understand how emerging technologies such as AI, machine learning, computer vision, XR, and intelligent automation can be applied practically within their business. I am also involved technically in several projects, including ReSHAPE, a Just Transition funded platform focused on skills discovery, workforce development, and career pathway mapping across the Midlands region.
How does COMAND support businesses at different stages of their innovation journey?
One of COMAND’s key strengths is that we can support companies regardless of where they are in their innovation journey.
For companies at an early stage, we often begin with exploratory conversations, technical feasibility studies, or Innovation Voucher projects to help validate ideas with relatively low risk. For more mature companies, we support larger collaborative R&D projects through Innovation Partnerships, contract research, and long-term strategic engagements.
We also recognise that many SMEs may not have previous R&D experience or dedicated technical teams internally, so we place strong emphasis on guiding companies through the innovation process in a practical and accessible way.
Can you share a recent project or success story that highlights COMAND’s impact?
A strong example would be our collaboration with IDASO Ltd through the Enterprise Ireland Innovation Partnership Programme. IDASO is a traffic data collection and analytics company working with transport planners and infrastructure authorities across Ireland and the UK.
The company approached COMAND and TUS with a challenge around automating traffic analysis from video survey footage. Working closely with the company, our research team developed an AI-powered vehicle tracking and counting system capable of detecting, classifying, tracking, and counting vehicles using advanced machine learning and computer vision techniques. The system achieved over 97% detection accuracy and integrated directly into IDASO’s existing traffic analytics platform.
Beyond the technical success, the project helped IDASO introduce a significantly enhanced AI-driven product offering into the transport analytics market, strengthening their capability to deliver smarter and more scalable traffic intelligence solutions. The success of the project also led to continued collaboration on further AI-driven transport analytics technologies.
I think it reflects very well how COMAND supports companies not only in solving technical challenges, but also in helping businesses develop and introduce innovative new products and services through applied research collaboration.
What industries or sectors do COMAND commonly work with?
COMAND works across a broad range of sectors, including manufacturing, medtech, telecommunications, cybersecurity, software development, education technology, smart industry, and digital media.
Increasingly, we are also seeing significant interest from more traditional industries looking to explore AI adoption and digital transformation opportunities.
How does collaboration within the Technology Gateway Network enhance the support offered to clients?
The Technology Gateway network is incredibly valuable because it allows companies to access expertise beyond a single organisation.
Innovation challenges are often multidisciplinary, so collaboration between Gateways enables us to combine specialised expertise, facilities and sector knowledge from across the country while still maintaining a strong applied industry focus.
For companies, this creates a much broader support ecosystem and helps accelerate innovation outcomes.
What are some common challenges companies face when starting an R&D project, and how does COMAND help overcome them?
One of the biggest challenges companies face is uncertainty. Many businesses know they have a problem worth solving or an opportunity worth exploring, but they may not know what technologies are appropriate, what level of investment is required, or how to structure an R&D project.
COMAND helps by breaking projects into manageable stages, reducing technical risk and helping companies access funding supports where appropriate. We aim to make innovation feel achievable and practical rather than overwhelming.
What emerging technologies or trends are you most excited about in your field?
At the moment, I am particularly excited by the evolution of AI and agentic systems. We are moving beyond isolated AI tools towards systems capable of supporting reasoning, workflow automation, and intelligent decision-making in much more meaningful ways.
I also believe there is huge potential in the convergence of AI with robotics, computer vision, and XR technologies, particularly within manufacturing, training, and industrial environments.
What is especially exciting is seeing these technologies becoming increasingly accessible to SMEs, not just large multinational organisations.
How does COMAND tailor its approach to meet the unique needs of each business?
Every company is different, so we avoid a “one-size-fits-all” approach.
We spend time understanding the company’s technical maturity, commercial objectives, internal capabilities, and specific challenges before recommending the most appropriate pathway forward. In some cases, that may involve a small feasibility study, while in others it could lead to a larger collaborative R&D programme.
Our focus is always on delivering practical and realistic support aligned with the company’s actual needs and resources.
What advice would you give to companies looking to future-proof their business through innovation?
My advice would be to start engaging with innovation earlier rather than waiting until change becomes unavoidable.
Companies do not need to have all the answers before beginning an R&D conversation. Some of the strongest outcomes come from exploratory collaboration and openness to experimentation.
I would also encourage businesses to see innovation as an ongoing process rather than a once-off activity. Technologies and markets are evolving rapidly, particularly around AI and digital transformation, so adaptability is becoming increasingly important.
What is one thing people might be surprised to learn about COMAND or your role?
People are often surprised by how broad and practical our work is. Many assume research environments are purely academic, but a huge amount of what we do is directly connected to real industry challenges and commercial opportunities.
On a personal level, my role combines technical development, project management, industry engagement, funding strategy, and relationship building, so no two days are ever the same. One day I might be discussing AI architectures with engineers, and the next I could be helping a company scope its first innovation project or supporting regional innovation initiatives with public sector stakeholders.
Connect with COMAND
You can contact Franklin directly at franklin.silva@tus.ie, find more information on the COMAND website or connect with the team via LinkedIn.
