The three 2026 pilot projects focus on connected care, healthier food choices and financial wellbeing.
05.08.26
Smart D8, the smart city demonstrator focused on delivering innovations in healthcare and community wellbeing, has announced the successful applicants from its latest Call for Pilots. Now in its sixth year of supporting community-engaged approaches to wellbeing, the latest pilot selection reflects priority areas identified through local outreach activities in 2025, including nutrition and community wellbeing.
The 2026 pilot projects beginning their engagement across Dublin 8 to deliver their pilots this summer are:
Connected Care by St James’s Hospital Dublin, in collaboration with IntuVu Health: Led by Maddie Hawk, this project aims to reduce the risk of social isolation and deterioration among older adults returning home after emergency care, supporting connections with caregivers, healthcare professionals and local social prescribing supports.
Family Food Lab by the Co-Centre for Sustainable Food Systems: Led by Martina Rooney PhD RD and Louise Rice, this project will engage children and adults alike in co-building improved understanding of the factors shaping food choices and explores the relationship between food, health and the environment.
FLIT Financial Literacy by AllSkills Education CLG: Led by Deirdre McCarthy, this combines a multi-week peer-learning workshop series with a personalised digital toolkit to help participants access trusted information, track progress and reduce the impact of financial stress on mental wellbeing.
The announcement follows a visit to The Digital Hub by Minister of State Jerry Buttimer TD (Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht and the Department of Transport) in July to learn more about Smart D8’s broad programme of work with the Dublin 8 community for locally relevant and transferable approaches to health and wellbeing.
Find out more about the pilots and the work of Smart D8 at www.smartd8.ie.
