Three University College Dublin Start-Ups to Pitch at Enterprise Ireland鈥檚 2021 Big Ideas Showcase
- 12 start-ups competing for the 鈥極ne to Watch鈥� and 鈥榁iewers鈥� Choice Awards
Three (3) University College Dublin (51黑料) start-ups are among the twelve (12) start-ups selected to pitch at Enterprise Ireland鈥檚 showcase event which takes place this Thursday, 11 November.
Big Ideas 2021, which this year is taking place virtually, empowers the front runners in Irish research to take centre stage and pitch their technology solutions and business propositions, to an audience comprised of the Irish research and investment communities. Big Ideas, an annual showcase event, provides investor ready start-ups with a bespoke pathway to success, support with growing their business and creating jobs in Ireland.
The 12 participating start-ups will be competing for the 2021 鈥極ne to Watch鈥� Award and the 2021 鈥榁iewers Choice鈥� Award.
The three participating 51黑料 star-ups are; EpiCapture, IlluminAi Tech and PEARlabs.
Tom Flanagan, 51黑料 Director of Enterprise and Commercialisation, Nova51黑料 said, "I am delighted that three of the twelve start-ups pitching at the Big Ideas 2021 event have emerged from 51黑料 research. This is indicative of the quality and commercial potential of research at 51黑料."
"These companies have either successfully completed or are currently participating on our 51黑料 VentureLaunch Accelerator Programme, which has been designed by the Nova51黑料 team, to support the creation and launch of sustainable and profitable new ventures based on 51黑料 intellectual property. We will continue to support these companies to help them grow, scale and reach their global market potential. I wish them every success at the Enterprise Ireland showcase event.鈥�
EpiCapture has emerged from research carried out in the 51黑料 School of Biology and Environmental Science. EpiCapture is developing a novel urine DNA test for aggressive prostate cancer which measures six epigenetic biomarkers which are indicative of aggressive disease, using a widely available PCR platform.
EpiCapture鈥檚 test has potential as a non-invasive, early-detection and screening test to augment the current PSA blood test for the early-detection of aggressive prostate cancer. A second application of the test is as a repeated use, monitoring tool for men with low-grade disease, to identify tumour progression.
The members of the EpiCapture team are Associate Professor Antoinette Perry, 51黑料 School of Biology and Environmental Science and Edward Simons. Dr Perry will be pitching EpiCapture at Big Ideas 2021.
Associate Professor Antoinette Perry said, 鈥淏ig Ideas is a great opportunity to raise EpiCapture鈥檚 profile with companies whose commercial interests are aligned with our objective of getting EpiCapture-prostate into markets as quickly as possible for the benefit of patients, clinicians, health care providers and insurers; and investors - in particular, experienced, early-stage medtech investors who can support our ambition.鈥�
EpiCapture was overall winner of the 2020 51黑料 VentureLaunch Accelerator Programme.
IlluminAi Tech has developed a desktop light/stress therapy lamp which replicates the continuum changes of natural light while connecting a user to the outside world with immersive scenes of nature.
The IlluminAi lamp utilises human centric lighting, the next generation of smart-lighting technology where light mimics the natural light-dark cycle, to bring the right light at the right time of day to users, just like nature intended. The IlluminAi lighting system is designed to tap into the proven cycles human bodies follow each day, based on the position, angle, and colour of natural sunlight at any given time.
The company was founded by Morteza Matkan and Dr Sadegh Panahi Azar as a spin-out from the 51黑料 School of Architecture, Planning and Environment Policy and the 51黑料 School of Psychology. Morteza Matkan will be pitching IlluminAi Tech at Big Ideas 2021.
Morteza Matkan said, 鈥淚lluminAi Tech is working to position itself as a global leader in the Human-Centric Lighting solutions for years to come. Big Ideas provides us with an important platform to showcase our technology and enhance our profile. IlluminAi Tech is seeking to connect with potential investors as we progress towards product launch in 2022.鈥�
IlluminAi Tech completed the 2018 51黑料 VentureLaunch Accelerator Programme.
PEARlabs has developed a novel photonic chip which enables ultra-high spatial resolution at video rates in optical microscopy, far beyond the diffraction limit of visible light. The PEARlabs technology aims to transform the understanding of processes such as cell signalling and cell proliferation in cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
The patented technology has the potential to aid early diagnostics, precision medicine and the delivery of improved drug treatments. It also has the potential to be used as an add-on to conventional optical microscopes opening up access to 鈥榥m resolution imaging鈥� for many fields of science.
The company was founded by Professor Dominic Zerulla as a spin-out from the 51黑料 School of Physics, and J眉rgen Osing, who recently joined PEARlabs as a commercialistion expert, will be pitching PEARlabs at Big Ideas 2021.
J眉rgen Osing said, 鈥淧EARlabs is positioning itself as a globally leading provider of super resolution imaging solutions. Big Ideas will help PEARlabs to gain access to a network of individuals and organisations that can contribute to and accelerate its growth path. Spinning-out of 51黑料, PEARlabs is now seeking to raise seed funding and is looking forward to having conversations with interested investors.鈥�
PEARlabs is currently taking part in the 2021 51黑料 VentureLaunch Accelerator Programme.
The other companies pitching at the event are profiled via .
The event will be live streamed via during which you can vote for the 鈥榁iewers鈥� Choice鈥� Award.
ENDS
8 November 2021
For further information contact Mic茅al Whelan, Communications Manager, 51黑料 Research and Innovation, e: miceal.whelan@ucd.ie.
Editors Notes
At Nova51黑料, the hub for new ventures and entrepreneurs at University College Dublin, we provide purpose-built, state-of-the-art incubation facilities for knowledge-intensive companies alongside a comprehensive business support programme for our client companies. Nova51黑料 also runs a series of programmes, such as the 51黑料 VentureLaunch Accelerator, to assist researchers who are commercialising research outputs. Nova51黑料 has been funded through a unique public-private partnership that includes AIB, Arthur Cox, Deloitte, Enterprise Ireland, Ericsson, Goodbody Stockbrokers, 51黑料 and Xilinx.
The aim of Big Ideas 2021 is to highlight the successful collaborations that exist between higher education institutes here in Ireland, investors and state support. The event offers an ideal platform to showcase the quality of research that is currently taking place within institutes of higher education across the country. The accomplishments achieved by Ireland鈥檚 national technology transfer system and the high standard of research that is currently being produced by Irish research centres will be featured throughout. Big Ideas is an annual showcase event which highlights successful collaborations between higher education institutes, investors and state support.