As an export-led economy, Ireland needs continual investment in research and development to compete in fast moving overseas markets.
In recent years start-ups from Ireland’s higher education system have accounted for around 15 per cent of the companies participating in Enterprise Ireland’s High Potential Start Up programme. This state-funded grant supports venture scientists and commercial leads within the Irish research system to commercialise their research by developing their technology, while at the same time validating its market opportunity.
Fada Medical, which is on a mission is to improve insulin delivery for people with diabetes, won the viewers’ choice award, voted for by the live and virtual audience on the day. Transformation in Learning and Training has developed a training solution to make diverse organisations more inclusive, while Releviumbio has developed an injectable gel treatment for knee osteoarthritis.
Networking platform Wrky has grown its user base around the world while nanotechnology company Kastus has created the world’s first constantly self-cleaning surface coatings. Pic: Participants at this year’s Big Ideas, an annual event run by Enterprise Ireland to show off the nation’s top tech talent“Everybody has an ask at Big Ideas. They are looking for funding but also for trial partners, for commercial leads, for customers or for supply chain,” says Deirdre Glenn, Enterprise Ireland’s commercialisation director.
And that's just on the new children's hospital.