NovaUCD

CeADAR Ireland and Google Ireland have today signed a new strategic partnership agreement to help Irish businesses capitalise on the economic potential of AI. CeADAR, Ireland’s European Digital Hub for AI which is hosted at University College Dublin, and Google will focus on building an AI-ready workforce and driving the adoption of AI-powered solutions through a three-pillar approach: addressing the AI skills gap; scaling AI capabilities and investing in the future. The agreement was signed at a meeting attended by Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke TD at Government Buildings. Minister Peter Burke TD said, “This partnership between CeADAR and Google is the type of public and private sector collaboration that is needed to ensure we are equipping Irish businesses to benefit from the economic opportunities AI presents. AI has the potential to have a transformative, positive impact on Ireland’s competitiveness and the government is committed to creating an ecosystem where businesses can fully utilise the power of AI to innovate, expand, and compete on a global scale.” Lorraine Twohill, CMO, Google said, “This partnership with CeADAR is designed to help businesses navigate the challenges and opportunities AI brings, transforming how jobs are performed, creating new AI-focused roles, and enabling businesses to thrive in an AI-powered economy.” Dr John Lonsdale, CEO, CeADAR, said, “Ireland has a unique opportunity to harness the wider expertise that exists in our bustling tech sector, bringing our expertise together with Google is one key that can begin to unlock the economic opportunity AI will bring.” Professor Kate Robson Brown, UCD Vice-President for Research, Innovation and Impact said, “The new partnership announced today will bring together the diverse expertise, strengths and resources of CeADAR and Google to build an AI-ready workforce and drive the adoption of AI-powered solutions boosting the competitiveness and productivity of Irish businesses.” Find out more: https://lnkd.in/eZU4tGyu Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment Enterprise Ireland UCD Research

Great to see two start-ups, Lia Eyecare and Sports Impact Technologies, from the NovaUCD entrepreneurial community among the finalists for the UMassM2D2 and best of luck to the pitches on 26 March next. Breda O'Regan Sinéad Buckley and Eóin Tuohy

Neuromod Devices has raised €10 million of equity in an expansion of its Series B funding round led by existing investors Fountain Healthcare Partners and Panakes Partners Partners, backing the company's mission to advance tinnitus care for patients globally. Following FDA approval in March 2023, more than 100 clinics throughout the US now treat tinnitus patients with Lenire. Availability of Lenire has also expanded in Europe with clinics in 14 countries now using the device. In the last 6 months, the number of clinics in the UK trained to use Lenire has doubled, and it is available to patients in Sweden for the first time. Congratulations to Ross O'Neill and the team. Great to see a NovaUCD graduate company continue to go from strength to strength.

Very interesting job opportunity with MagrowTec, as the company is seeking applications for a Director of Research, Development & Innovation (RD&I) role to join the team.

Always one of the highlights of the year at NovaUCD.

A team of four secondary school students, Conor O’Neill (Dublin), Orla Buttimer (Co. Kerry), Dana Carney (Co. Mayo) and Toomas Donohoe (Co. Westmeath), have today been announced at as the winning group of the 16th BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition (BTYSTE) Business Bootcamp, for their project entitled TactAI. TactAI is a humanoid robot aimed at replacing human dependency and incorporating machine learning in specific situations. This hardwire sensored robot can significantly reduce the number of injuries and fatalities in place of underwater divers who can work in challenging and dangerous environments. Ashlee Keogh, (Dublin), has been named ‘Best Individual’ at the 2025 BT Young Scientist Business Bootcamp for her project entitled MagClean.  The BT Young Scientist Business Bootcamp was developed by BT Ireland in collaboration with NovaUCD, to give BTYSTE finalists an opportunity after the exhibition to further develop their project ideas under the guidance of alumni, BT Ireland mentors and UCD content experts. Following BT Ireland’s recent announcement that it is stepping down as organiser and sponsor of the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition (BTYSTE), this year’s Bootcamp is the last being delivered by BT Ireland. Shay Walsh, Managing Director, BT Ireland, said, “We are very proud to have developed and hosted the BT Business Bootcamp for the past 16 years. It has been a significant part of our efforts to drive innovation in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) sectors. The Bootcamp provides BTYSTE finalists with further insight into pursuing a career in STEM. Business Bootcamp equips finalists at the exhibition with the skills and insights to encourage them to turn their projects into commercial enterprises." Professor Pat Guiry, UCD School of Chemistry and Chair of the Young Scientist Charitable Trust, said, “We are thrilled to host the 16th BT Young Scientist Business Bootcamp at NovaUCD. The Bootcamp which was developed by BT Ireland is just one of the initiatives that was developed during their custodianship of the Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition (YSTE). While today is a joyful occasion, it is also bittersweet as we conclude YSTE’s journey with BT but the organisation’s legacy will endure.” In the last sixteen years, the Bootcamp has provided almost 500 students with skills to turn their project ideas into commercial enterprises. Judges at the final pitches at this year's Bootcamp included, Shay Walsh, Dr. John A (Tony) Scott, co-founder of the BTYSTE, Anna-Marie Turley, Head of Fintech, Finance & Cybersecurity, Enterprise Ireland, and RTE journalist, Brian O'Donovan. Find out more - https://lnkd.in/eGZFBExs University College Dublin UCD Research

The first of 3 information webinars we are running about the 2025/2026 FAST-IP Programme is on this Friday, March 7th, at 1:00 PM to 1:30 PM Make sure you reigster for our webinar to learn more about this amazing opportunity to solve some of the biggest challenges facing the agrifood industry! Register now: https://lnkd.in/gKPyYmqw "FAST-IP is supported under the Innovators’ Initiative Programme co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the Southern, Eastern & Midland Regional Programme 2021-2027" #euinmyregion #innovation 🇪🇺 🇮🇪 UCD School of Biosystems & Food Engineering Teagasc NovaUCD AgTechUCD Innovation Centre Nicholas Holden Edel Mitchell Siobhán Jordan FRSE Paula Bourke

Best wishes to all the students preparing their pitches for the final of the 16th BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition (BTYSTE) Business Bootcamp at NovaUCD. After 16 years today marks the end of the BTYSTE Business Bootcamp programme. The Bootcamp was set up by BT Ireland in 2010 to support BTYSTE finalists with developing their project ideas into commercial enterprises under the guidance and support of NovaUCD, BTYSTE alumni, BT Ireland mentors and expert judges. In the last sixteen years, the Bootcamp has provided ca. 500 students with skills to turn their project ideas into commercial enterprises. We are going to miss the Bootcamp, it was one of the highlights of our year, and it was always a pleasure and honour for the NovaUCD team to work with Mari Cahalane, John Loftus, Shay Walsh and entire the BT Ireland team, to support this wonderful entrepreneurship programme and the amazing students. Caroline Gill Priscilla O'Regan

Enterprise Ireland is today publishing its new five-year strategy ‘Delivering for Ireland, Leading Globally (2025-2029)’, which outlines the organisation’s aims and ambitions for the Irish enterprise base and its purpose to ‘Accelerate Sustainable Irish Business’. This new strategy sets out our four strategic objectives for the Irish enterprise base; Start, Compete, Scale and Connect. Start – Enhance the pipeline of innovative and scalable start-ups by supporting them with their long-term, sustainable growth ambitions.  The target is to support 1,000 new start-ups over the five-year period, from 2025 to 2029 Compete – Support companies to be more productive, founded on sustainability, innovation, digitalisation, operational efficiency, and strong leadership and capabilities. Key targets include a 35% reduction of CO2 emissions by 2030, a 3% annual average increase in productivity, 1,700 additional Irish-owned exporters and €2.2 billion spend on RD&I Scale - Increase the number of world-leading Irish companies, with targets of 275,000 employed in Enterprise Ireland supported companies by the end of 2029, €50 billion in export sales and 150 large Irish exporting companies of more than 250 employees supported by Enterprise Ireland by 2029 Connect - To see an enhanced, internationally competitive, and interconnected enterprise and innovation ecosystem that fosters start-ups, drives enterprise growth and investment. Key targets include €55 billion spend within the domestic Irish economy, and the delivery of 10,000 enterprise engagements with Irish businesses through our research infrastructure and programmes To advance these areas of focus, Enterprise Ireland will utilise six separate levers to achieve its goals; Funding Ambition, Igniting Innovation, Embracing Sustainability, Strengthening Skills and Talent, Maximising Global Opportunity and Driving Performance. Find out more via https://lnkd.in/g7PSt4gM

Congratulations to Professor Sarah Gleeson on her appointment as Research Ireland Professor at University College Dublin, the new Director of iCRAG Research Ireland Centre for Applied Geosciences, and as Full Professor in Sustainability Geoscience supported by the HEA Senior Academic Leadership Initiative. Professor Gleeson is relocating to Ireland from Germany having most recently held the position of leader of the Inorganic and Isotope Geochemistry Section at GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences in Potsdam and, concurrently, a Professorship in the Institute of Geological Sciences at Freie Universität, Berlin. Professor Gleeson will lead a new €4.5 million research programme at the UCD School of Earth Sciences, supported by Research Ireland. The programme will employ 13 researchers over 5 years.  The overarching impact goal of the research programme is to enable the identification of new sources of the raw materials that are needed to enable the green and digital transitions. Professor Gleeson, said, “...I am delighted to join the UCD School of Earth Sciences as Full Professor of Sustainability Geoscience. Having worked in the UK, Canada and Germany, it is particularly gratifying to return to Ireland. I aim to contribute to the School's long-standing tradition of collaborative research fostered by its outstanding staff and training the next generation of geoscientists. Through my Directorship of iCRAG, I look forward to building on the excellent work led by Professor Murray W Hitzman and his team in advancing applied geosciences as a vital research area of national significance.” Her appointment was announced at the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) international convention in Toronto, Canada, Find out more: https://lnkd.in/efzUnCHq UCD Research