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Eleven start-ups announced for UCD’s new AI Accelerator Programme

Posted 9 May, 2024

Liana-Anca Tomescu, SonnyLabs.ai; Dara Calleary TD, Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation; Doyin Bademosi, Durotimi AI and Joe Fernandez, ALPACA Credit: Paul Sharp, Sharppix

The eleven start-ups participating in University College Dublin’s new AI Ecosystem Accelerator programme have been announced.

Focused on supporting entrepreneurs developing disruptive AI solutions for the global market, the six-month programme is delivered by NovaUCD, the hub of innovation and start-up activities at UCD, in partnership with (opens in a new window)CeADAR, Ireland’s National Centre for Applied AI.

It will provide entrepreneurs across sectors including healthcare, cybersecurity, education, and sustainability with the opportunity to advance their AI start-ups through a range of targeted technical and commercial supports.

The participating start-ups are: 

The AI Ecosystem Accelerator programme includes a dedicated commercial mentor and workshops on value proposition, route to market, sales strategies, and securing investment. 

Each participant receives targeted support and will have access to co-working space at NovaUCD and access to the NovaUCD community of founders, investors, business partners and student interns.

Tom Flanagan, UCD Director of Enterprise and Commercialisation; Dara Calleary TD, Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation; Professor Kate Robson Brown, UCD Vice-President for Research, Innovation and Impact and Dr Ricardo Simon Carbajo, Director of Innovation and Development, CeADAR Credit: Paul Sharp, Sharppix

They will also have access to CeADAR’s EDIH for AI services which include AI technologies, and research expertise with technical mentorship.
Among the mentors who will be working with participants during the programme are; serial entrepreneur Niamh Sterling; Aidan Finn, Binarii Labs; Mitchell O’Gorman, xWave Technologies; Lucinda Kelly and Tara Looney, both start-up advisors; and Ronan Murphy, Smarttech247 and GetVisibility.

Speaking at NovaUCD, Dara Calleary TD, Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation, said: “Meeting with the entrepreneurs taking part in this exciting programme I am pleased to see that in keeping with ‘AI- Here For Good’, the Government’s national AI strategy, the participating start-ups are focused on using AI to benefit citizens and the way we live and work.

“The dedicated supports and mentoring which will now be provided by NovaUCD and CeADAR during the coming months will help the start-ups to accelerate their growth and development in Ireland, and also on the international stage, and I wish them every success.

Adding: “I am delighted that the funding for this important accelerator programme has been received via European Digital Innovation Hubs as the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, through Enterprise Ireland, is leading on the EDIH programme for Ireland.”

Eamonn Galvin, KnowCarbon; Dara Calleary TD, Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation; Yuxin Wang, GoMappED and Joe Fernandez, ALPACA Credit: Paul Sharp, Sharppix

Professor Kate Robson Brown, UCD Vice-President for Research, Innovation and Impact said UCD was supporting “a dynamic cohort of Irish start-ups and entrepreneurs who are focused on using AI technologies to deliver a range of disruptive products and services, for the benefit of society, not only here in Ireland, but on a global stage.” 

“There was a great demand from start-ups across Ireland to take part in the programme which will be delivered by NovaUCD and CeADAR, and I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the 11 selected start-ups. I am looking forward to attending the showcase event at the end of the programme to learn more about how the participants have accelerated their start-ups to the next level and to find out more about their global ambitions.” 

Since opening in 2003 NovaUCD has supported over 550 start-ups and early-stage ventures through the services it provides, and through business support programmes run and managed by NovaUCD. 

In addition, the NovaUCD entrepreneurial community has now raised €1.3+ billion in equity funding. 

By: David Kearns, Digital Journalist / Media Officer, UCD University Relations (with materials from Micéal Whelan, UCD Research and Innovation)

To contact the UCD News & Content Team, email: newsdesk@ucd.ie

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