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Winner: ArrayPatch
ArrayPatch is the winner of this year’s IDEATE Ireland competition, claiming a €15K prize fund. Founded by Dr Waleed Faisal, Dr Ziad Sartawi and Dr Caroline Blackshields of University College Cork, ArrayPatch is a propriety wearable microneedle patch (MN) that treats local diseases.
Speaking about his experience of the programme, Dr Waleed Faisal, Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of ArrayPatch, said:
"The IDEATE Ireland programme provided us with a unique opportunity to put our entrepreneurship principles into practice. It has had a big impact on our journey of validating customers and navigating the available funding to advance our new venture idea. The competition was dynamic and challenging, and being the winner will give us the best possible start.”Dr Waleed Faisal, Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of ArrayPatch
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Pictured left to right is David Moffitt, Chair, IDEATE Ireland with Dr. Waleed Faisal of Array Patch, and Dr. Ziad Sartawi and Dr. Caroline Blackshields from University College Cork
First Runner-Up: LEP Biomedical
First runner-up was LEP Biomedical, led by Dr. Alan Hibbitts, Dr. Golestan Salimbeigi, and Dr. Tauseef Ahmad of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, winning a prize fund of €7K.
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Pictured left to right is Eamonn Sayers, Guinness Enterprise Centre with first runners-up LEP Biomedical, led by Dr. Alan Hibbitts, Dr. Golestan Salimbeigi, and Dr. Tauseef Ahmad of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.
Joint Third Place Winners: ReCoLi and Sision Medical
Joint winners of third place prize were Re-CoLi, founded by a team of University College Cork PhD candidates (Elena Kamilari, Nasrin Shamaeian, and Shengtai Shi) and Sision Medical (Dr. Siobhán Kelleher and John Hegarty), of University of Galway who share a €5K prize.
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Pictured left to right is Peter Keane, Each&Other with the Re-CoLi team comprised of University College Cork PhD candidates Elena Kamilari, Nasrin Shamaeian, and Shengtai Shi.
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Pictured left to right is Peter Keane, Each&Other with the Sision Medical team, Dr. Siobhán Kelleher and John Hegarty, of University of Galway
Congratulating the finalists, IDEATE Ireland Chair David Moffitt said:
“IDEATE Ireland represents an exceptional initiative that is actively shaping the future of Ireland's start-up’s emerging from higher education. The competition's notable success underscores the significance of consistently providing aspiring entrepreneurs throughout the entire island of Ireland with invaluable educational resources, mentorship, and a thriving business network. IDEATE Ireland has become a source of inspiration for the brightest minds in Ireland, fostering their ability to make a lasting impact on the global economy, employment, and society as a whole”.David Moffitt, IDEATE Chair
Co-founder of IDEATE Ireland, Helen Fullen said:
“The quality of the submissions this year surpassed expectations, demonstrating an exceptionally high standard. It was particularly gratifying to witness a notable increase in applications led by women and a growing presence from Northern Ireland. The applicants represented a diverse range of sectors, including Agri-Tech, Ed-Tech, E-Commerce, HealthTech, Sustainability, and Communications, reflecting a cross-section of innovation from academic institutions including Queen’s University Belfast, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Technological University of the Shannon, Trinity College Dublin, Tyndall National Institute, University College Cork, University College Dublin, and University of Galway. We extend our congratulations to all the finalists and winners. Our commitment to supporting them on their entrepreneurial journey continues, and we take great pride in welcoming them into our alumni community”.Helen Fullen, Co-founder of IDEATE Ireland
Niall Morris, Key Capital commented:
“It was an honour to be a part of the judging panel for Ideate Ireland 2023. We were extremely impressed with each of the finalists, who have fantastic and innovative businesses. The hardest part was picking the winner and we look forward to following and seeing all involved achieve their ambitions.”Niall Morris, Key Capital Corporate Finance
IDEATE Ireland 2023 Cohort
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ArrayPatch is a propriety wearable microneedle patch (MN) that treats local diseases. ArrayPatch consists of an array of sharp but painless dissolvable MN that penetrate the skin on application and then dissolve to deliver a locally effective dose of medication. MN system would overcome several limitations presented by the current standard of care. University College Cork.
DigiAcademy is an accessible digital skills education app with video tutorials delivered by teachers with intellectual disabilities and autism who train their peers at a pace that meets their needs focusing on accessibility features and functions of mainstream technologies to support digital access to empower learners to lead digital lives of their choice. Trinity College Dublin.
Easesecure I.V Catheter is the world’s first IV catheter stabilization device for the veterinary industry. This device will be the new gold standard in IV catheter securement and care, improving patient care and welfare in veterinary clinics and hospitals. University College Dublin.
Gran Lab is a green-medtech venture that integrates remote skin disease diagnosis and treatment with a focus on environmental sustainability. Gran Lab investigates various naturally occurring salts, minerals, and bioactive seaweed to find effective topical treatments for psoriasis and eczema. Queen’s University Belfast.
LEP Biomedical is the developer of "HyaGuard". HyaGuard is easily inserted under the conjunctiva and is designed to eliminate complications in glaucoma surgeries. From there, it delivers anti- inflammatory drugs for up to 3 months. This eliminates the need for self-administered drops, thus improving surgical success rates and patient quality of life. Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.
PolyBo has developed a device capable of effective and consistent delivery of active ingredients (nutrients/vitamins/drugs) to cattle and sheep over a long-term period via one-time dosing. The device (composed of FDA-regulated biodegradable polymers) works via self-regulated time- dependent pore generation, thus allowing the tailorable controlled release of an active ingredient. Technological University of the Shannon.
Re-CoLi is developing a solution to extract key metals from spent lithium-ion batteries using metal leaching technology with microorganisms. Unlike typical solutions, Re-CoLi avoids high power consumption or using toxic chemicals, which helps to build a more sustainable lithium-ion battery recycling ecosystem for the EV battery industry. Tyndall National Institute, University College Cork.
Siler Technology aims to inspire and encourage the younger generation to develop their character and creativity by creating captivating novels, games, animations, and fostering vibrant communities across social media. Their vision includes fostering deeper connections between teenagers and their parents, promoting positivity within families, and creating lasting impacts that transcend generations. Technological University of the Shannon.
Sision Medical provides a digital biomarker-based risk-stratification platform and associated wearable solutions that can identify patients with pelvic conditions, such as endometriosis, to support clinical decision-making and enhance the delivery of personalized care for the individual. University of Galway.
Wonky Woolins is an award-winning children's brand providing quality early-stage children's toys and baby gifts inspired by granny and ethically handmade by marginalized women in Morocco and Nepal. University of Galway.
About IDEATE Ireland
IDEATE Ireland is open to undergraduate, postgraduate or research students from any academic institution or research centres on the island of Ireland. See: www.ideateireland.ie
The IDEATE Ireland initiative helps develop entrepreneurial skills and innovative ideas among early- stage, student entrepreneurs. Since its founding in 2011 by Bill McKiernan, WSM Capital, 333 people from academic institutions throughout the island of Ireland have participated in the programme. 60% of participating teams have formed viable businesses, creating 300+ jobs and raising €37M in follow on funding.
Co-founder Helen Fullen is joined in the IDEATE Ireland initiative by Co-Founders David Moffitt, Danny Moore, Options Technology, Cian O’Flaherty, Safecility and Bill McKiernan, WSM Capital. With extensive entrepreneurial backgrounds, all are firm believers in the importance of calculated risk- taking and the ability of business ideas to bring about positive change. Competition sponsors are PwC, Key Capital, Irish Life, Each&Other and The Guinness Enterprise Centre.
Contact Us
For further information about Key Capital, email or call us in confidence at:
Email: john.flavin@keycapital.ie
Phone: +353 1 638 3856
For more information on Key Capital's sponsorship of IDEATE Ireland click here.