Posted 22 June 2009
One invention a week at UCD
UCD researchers generated one invention a week during 2008, according to results just published by NovaUCD, the innovation and technology transfer centre at University College Dublin. A total of 53 invention disclosures were reported to NovaUCD for the 12 month period, and in the five-year period to end 2008, a total of 184 inventions were disclosed.
Thirty-eight patent applications, including 25 priority, 6 PCT (patent co-operation treaty) and 7 national/regional applications were filed by UCD during 2008. These patents were filed for intellectual property arising from research taking place across the University’s Colleges, Schools and Institutes. A total of 122 patent applications, including 70 priority patents, were filed by UCD in the 5-years ending last year. In the last four years 38 licence agreements were concluded by UCD with a range of indigenous and international companies.
Pictured far right: Dr Pat Frain, Director, NovaUCD
“NovaUCD’s successes during 2008 and in the 5-years ending last year clearly demonstrate that the growth in public investment in R&D at UCD is yielding a significant return to the Irish economy and society,” said Dr Pat Frain, Director, NovaUCD, who announced the 2008 results. “In recent years NovaUCD related start-ups have created well over 1,000 high-quality job opportunities and the total investment and realisation in UCD spin-out companies, during the past decade, is now more than $200 million.”
“The support received from Enterprise Ireland through the Technology Transfer Strengthening Initiative is having a huge impact on the pipeline of inventions and innovative ideas coming through the NovaUCD system.”
Forty-five high-tech and knowledge-intensive companies, including 15 UCD spin-out companies, have occupied incubation space at NovaUCD and availed of NovaUCD’s related innovation services during 2004-2008. Over 140 new ventures, 11 in 2008 alone, and 210 individuals have now completed the NovaUCD Campus Company Development Programme which has run annually since 1996.
“Looking to the future it is important to recognise that the conversion to licence deals, new companies and much needed employment takes time,” said Dr Frain. “However the recently announced UCD/TCD Innovation Alliance will build on the considerable success of NovaUCD and its TCD counterpart in accelerating the innovation process and in maximising the impact of the State’s research investment in enterprise development and job creation.”
Twenty-five innovative companies, including Asimil8, BiancaMed, Celtic Catalysts, Enzolve Technologies and Q-Validus, occupying 36 incubation units, or nearly 90% of the available incubation space, are currently located at NovaUCD. These companies collectively employ over 170 individuals at NovaUCD.
About NovaUCD
NovaUCD is University College Dublin’s €11 million Innovation and Technology Transfer Centre. NovaUCD has been funded through a unique public-private partnership that includes AIB Bank, Arthur Cox, Deloitte, Enterprise Ireland, Ericsson, Goodbody Stockbrokers, UCD and Xilinx.
NovaUCD is responsible for the implementation of UCD policies relating to the commercialisation of intellectual property arising from UCD’s research programmes. NovaUCD also provides entrepreneurs and knowledge-based start-up companies with a comprehensive business support programme along with incubation space and related facilities and services.
