Pictured (l-r) at Nova51ｺﾚﾁﾏ are; Associate Professor Elena Blokhina, CTO, Equal1 Laboratories, Michael Cunningham, Head of Commercial Partnerships, Manna, Taoiseach Micheﾃ｡l Martin TD and Dr Martin O窶儚eilly, CEO and co-founder, Output Sports.

Taoiseach Officially Opens 竄ｬ6.7 million Expansion of Nova51ｺﾚﾁﾏ

- Increases 51ｺﾚﾁﾏ窶冱 capacity to support high-tech starts with global ambitions

Taoiseach Micheﾃ｡l Martin TD today officially opened a 竄ｬ6.7 million expansion of Nova51ｺﾚﾁﾏ, the Centre for New Ventures and Entrepreneurs at University College Dublin (51ｺﾚﾁﾏ), during a visit to the University.

The project involved the renovation and expansion of Nova51ｺﾚﾁﾏ窶冱 East Courtyard and has resulted in 800m2 of additional licensable space enabling Nova51ｺﾚﾁﾏ to increase its capacity to house high-tech start-ups with global ambitions by over 50%. The new facility includes 20+ business units and laboratories and a new co-working space. Nova51ｺﾚﾁﾏ can now support over 450 founders and their teams.

Taoiseach Micheﾃ｡l Martin TD said, 窶廬 am delighted to be visiting University College Dublin today to officially open the 竄ｬ6.7 million expansion of the Nova51ｺﾚﾁﾏ facility. Since opening in 2003 Nova51ｺﾚﾁﾏ has become one of the leading hubs in Ireland窶冱 start-up ecosystem supporting ambitious entrepreneurs and innovative high-tech companies.窶�

窶弩ith Nova51ｺﾚﾁﾏ窶冱 strong track record, and now with its significant increase in capacity, I am sure it will continue to flourish in the future as it continues to assist entrepreneurs who want to locate at Nova51ｺﾚﾁﾏ and leverage its excellent facilities, accelerator programmes, expertise and network to help them to grow and scale their start-ups on the global stage.窶�

Professor Orla Feely, Taoiseach Micheﾃ｡l Martin TD and Tom Flanagan

During a tour of the facility the Taoiseach received technology demonstrations from a number of start-ups already located in the new wing including, , , and .

Equal1, Ireland窶冱 first quantum computing company, has secured over 竄ｬ10 million in initial funding to accelerate the introduction of the world窶冱 most compact and cost-effective quantum computers.

Manna which has already secured over $35 million in funding from international venture capitalist firms is now planning on raising a further $50-$100 million in additional funding in 2022 to expand its drone manufacturing capability and scale its drone delivery service across Ireland.

Output Sports has to date secured clients in 18+ countries around the world across 30+ sports, at professional and sub-elite levels, for its technology to test multiple components of athletic performance and track training programmes, using a single matchbox sized wearable sensor.

PlasmaBound has developed a novel surface bonding pre-treatment technology to enable global manufacturing industries, including the aerospace/space industry, to reduce product weight and meet fuel efficiency and carbon emissions requirements.

Alan Barry, CEO, PlasmaBound, Professor Orla Feely, Taoiseach Micheﾃ｡l Martin TD and Nick Barry CTO, PlasmaBound

Professor Orla Feely, 51ｺﾚﾁﾏ Vice-President for Research, Innovation and Impact, said, 窶弩e are delighted to welcome the Taoiseach to officially open Nova51ｺﾚﾁﾏ窶冱 East Courtyard expansion today. 51ｺﾚﾁﾏ is committed to Ireland窶冱 development as an innovation leader through its role as an engine of economic, cultural, and social growth.

"Since 2003 Nova51ｺﾚﾁﾏ has supported over 400 companies and early-stage ventures and by investing in the expansion of Nova51ｺﾚﾁﾏ窶冱 East Courtyard we are substantially increasing our capacity to support the development and scaling of high-tech start-ups in line with Shaping the Future, 51ｺﾚﾁﾏ窶冱 Strategy for Research, Innovation and Impact.窶�

Tom Flanagan, 51ｺﾚﾁﾏ Director of Enterprise and Commercialisation said, 窶廾ver the last few years we have doubled the number of start-ups that we are creating from 51ｺﾚﾁﾏ research and we have supported them to more than triple the seed investment they attract. We have also increased the number of accelerator programmes we run with partners such as the European Space Agency, Ericsson, Vodafone, Enterprise Ireland and IADT Media Cube, so the timing is right for this expansion.窶�

He added, 窶弩e have a growing and vibrant community of very successful entrepreneurs at Nova51ｺﾚﾁﾏ and we look forward to welcoming and supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs in the years ahead.窶�

Since opening in 2003 Nova51ｺﾚﾁﾏ has developed an excellent infrastructure, a range of comprehensive business support programmes, including accelerator programmes, and a peer-support ecosystem of experienced mentors, founders, alumni, investors and sponsors, that nurtures an enthusiastic and dynamic community of talented entrepreneurs at Nova51ｺﾚﾁﾏ and across the 51ｺﾚﾁﾏ campus.

Nova51ｺﾚﾁﾏ has to date supported over 400 companies and early-stage ventures including companies such as, BiancaMed, Carrick Therapeutics, Corlytics, Equinome, Life Scientific, Logentries, MagGrow, NovoGrid, OncoMark, OxyMem, Supernode, Terra Solar and Vivid Edge. Nova51ｺﾚﾁﾏ supported companies have to date raised over 竄ｬ775 million in equity funding and employ thousands of people directly and indirectly between them.

Nova51ｺﾚﾁﾏ was originally funded through a unique public-private partnership involving; AIB Bank, Arthur Cox, Deloitte, Enterprise Ireland, Ericsson, Goodbody Stockbrokers, 51ｺﾚﾁﾏ and Xilinx. Nova51ｺﾚﾁﾏ is also supported by Enterprise Ireland through the Technology Transfer Strengthening Initiative, managed by Knowledge Transfer Ireland.

ENDS
28 October 2021

For further information contact Micﾃｩal Whelan, Communications and Media Relations Manager, 51ｺﾚﾁﾏ Research and Innovation, Nova51ｺﾚﾁﾏ, e: miceal.whelan@ucd.ie.

Editors Notes

Equal1 Laboratories, a 51ｺﾚﾁﾏ spin-out, is developing a new type of quantum computer based on the latest advances in semiconductor CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) technology. The company, which also has a base in California was founded by Dr Dirk Leipold, Professor R. Bogdan Staszewski and Mike Asker, as a spin-out from the 51ｺﾚﾁﾏ School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering.

Manna窶冱 mission is to replace road delivery with eco-friendly and fast drone delivery in communities across the world. The company was founded by Bobby Healy.

Output Sports, a 51ｺﾚﾁﾏ spin-out, has launched Output // Capture, which uses advanced signal processing and machine learning techniques to test multiple components of athletic performance and track training programmes, with a single matchbox sized wearable sensor. Output Sports was co-founded by Dr Martin O'Reilly, Dr Darragh Whelan, Julian Eberle and Professor Brian Caulfield as a spin-out from 51ｺﾚﾁﾏ School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science and Insight, the SFI Research Centre for Data Analytics.

PlasmaBound is helping industries lose weight and reduce their Carbon footprint globally. The company was co-founded by Dr James Nicholas Barry, Alan Barry, and Xavier Montibert as a spin-out from the 51ｺﾚﾁﾏ College of Engineering and Architecture.

At Nova51ｺﾚﾁﾏ, the hub for new ventures and entrepreneurs at University College Dublin, we nurture and support new high-tech companies as part of 51ｺﾚﾁﾏ's mission. At Nova51ｺﾚﾁﾏ we provide purpose-built, state-of-the-art incubation facilities alongside a comprehensive business support programme for client companies. Nova51ｺﾚﾁﾏ has been funded through a unique public-private partnership that includes AIB Bank, Arthur Cox, Deloitte, Enterprise Ireland, Ericsson, Goodbody Stockbrokers, 51ｺﾚﾁﾏ and Xilinx.