Dr Conor Hanley, co-founder of BiancaMed, the NovaUCD-based health technology company is among the entrepreneurs named as finalists in the Academic Enterprise Awards Europe 2008. These Awards are the first pan-European awards to recognise researchers who start new businesses. Dr Hanley and BiancaMed is the only Irish-based entrepreneur and company to reach the finals.

The finalists are grouped into six categories, by industry sector and type of entrepreneur and Dr Hanley is a finalist in the Life Sciences category. Three companies are represented in each category. The other finalists come from the countries such as the Netherlands, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.

BiancaMed was co-founded by Dr Philip de Chazal, Professor Conor Heneghan and Dr Conor Hanley as a spin-out from UCD’s School of Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering. At the core of BiancaMed’s technology platform is a very sensitive motion sensor that detects heart rate and respiration – without having to touch a person - completely wirelessly. The sensor is combined with BiancaMed’s sophisticated health analysis software and provides solutions to monitor and help improve the wellness of sleep, health, respiration and fitness.

Dr Conor Hanley, co-founder, BiancaMed

BiancaMed which is headquartered in NovaUCD, the Innovation and Technology Transfer Centre at UCD plans to use its technology to launch a unique baby monitor and a sleep measurement service in the European and US markets in 2009. The BiancaMed Baby Monitor will monitor the quality of a baby’s sleep along with the baby’s movement and breathing patterns as well as noises.

Established by the by the London-based Science|Business Innovation Board the Academic Enterprise Awards Europe is the first awards Programme across Europe to focus on university spin-outs and their founders which are often cited as a vital source of innovation in Europe. Science|Business is an independent news and events service for early-stage investment in R&D, across Europe and across industries.

The finalists were chosen by a selection committee which included representatives of the 27 universities and research institutes supporting the Programme. The final judging will take place in Stockholm on December 2, by the Science|Business Innovation Board, a blue-ribbon panel of leaders in industry, academic and policy. Members of this Board include Esko Aho, the former Finnish prime minister, J. Frank Brown, Dean of INSEAD, Jean-Philippe Courtois, President of Microsoft International, and Harriet Wallberg-Henriksson, President of Karolinska.

For more information about the ACES Awards visit www.sciencebusiness.net/aces.

ENDS

12 November 2008

For further information contact: Micéal Whelan, NovaUCD, tel: (01) 716 3712, email: miceal.whelan@ucd.ie.

Editors Notes

BiancaMed
BiancaMed, the health-technology company was co-founded by Dr Philip de Chazal, Professor Conor Heneghan and Dr Conor Hanley as a spin-out from UCD’s School of Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering.

NovaUCD
NovaUCD, which officially opened in October 2003, is University College Dublin’s €11 million Innovation and Technology Transfer Centre. 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 incubation facilities and a comprehensive business support programme. NovaUCD is also the main point of contact for companies seeking partners for collaborative research and advice on licensing and other commercial opportunities. Twenty-four knowledge-intensive companies, including BiancaMed are currently located in NovaUCD.

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.