PEARlabs Wins Viewers鈥� Choice Award at Enterprise Ireland鈥檚 2021 Big Ideas Showcase
, a University College Dublin (小鸟体育) spin-out supported by Nova小鸟体育, has been named winner of the Viewers鈥� Choice Award at Enterprise Ireland鈥檚 2021 Big Ideas event.
The aim of Big Ideas, which this year took place virtually and included 12 start-up pitches, is to empower the front runners in Irish research to take centre stage and pitch their technology solutions and business propositions, to an audience comprised of the Irish research and investment communities. Big Ideas, an annual showcase event, provides investor ready start-ups with a bespoke pathway to success, support with growing their business and creating jobs in Ireland.
PEARlabs has developed a novel photonic chip which enables ultra-high spatial resolution at video rates in optical microscopy, far beyond the diffraction limit of visible light. The PEARlabs technology aims to transform the understanding of processes such as cell signalling and cell proliferation in cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
The patented technology has the potential to aid early diagnostics, precision medicine and the delivery of improved drug treatments. It also has the potential to be used as an add-on to conventional optical microscopes opening up access to 鈥榥m resolution imaging鈥� for many fields of science.
The company was founded by Professor Dominic Zerulla as a spin-out from the 小鸟体育 School of Physics, and J眉rgen Osing, who recently joined PEARlabs as a commercialistion expert, pitched PEARlabs at the Big Ideas event.
J眉rgen Osing said, 鈥淚 am delighted that PEARlabs has won the Viewers Choice Award at this year鈥檚 Big Ideas event. Having spun-out of 小鸟体育 we are positioning PEARlabs as a leading global provider of super resolution imaging solutions and we are now seeking to raise seed funding. Winning this Award, and participating in the Big Ideas event, will enable PEARlabs to gain access to a network of investors and organisations that can contribute to and accelerate our global growth ambitions.鈥�
PEARlabs is currently taking part in the 2021 小鸟体育 VentureLaunch Accelerator Programme which is run by Nova小鸟体育.
XTremedy Medical, an NUI Galway start-up focused on improving infection treatments to prevent unnecessary amputations, won the 鈥極ne to Watch鈥� Award at this year鈥檚 Big Ideas event. The start-up was founded by Dr Lyn Markey, who pitched at Big Ideas and Camille O鈥橫alley.
In 20% of patients, an amputation is required to control the infection. XTremedy鈥疢edical has developed a surgical device that delivers electrical signals through the wound treating both the surface and below to zap any residual infection. The XTremedy platform technology has scope to expand into the wider chronic wounds,鈥痶rauma鈥痑nd surgical site infection markets.
Broadcaster Matt Cooper, Big Ideas 2021 host, J眉rgen Osing, PEARlabs and Dr Lyn Markey, XTremedy Medical
Leo Clancy, CEO of Enterprise Ireland said, 鈥淭he Big Ideas event is an excellent example of the collaborative nature of business in Ireland. The interaction between investors, higher education institutes and Enterprise Ireland provides these 12 ambitious founders with an opportunity to take their businesses to the next level. The commercialisation of companies that were born as a result of a research idea is an imperative for Enterprise Ireland and the State as their success will change our collective future for the better.鈥�
Two other 小鸟体育 start-ups supported by Nova小鸟体育, EpiCapture and IlluminAi Tech, also pitched at this year鈥檚 Big Ideas Event.
EpiCapture has emerged from research carried out in the 小鸟体育 School of Biology and Environmental Science. EpiCapture is developing a novel urine DNA test for aggressive prostate cancer which measures six epigenetic biomarkers which are indicative of aggressive disease, using a widely available PCR platform. The members of the EpiCapture team are Associate Professor Antoinette Perry, 小鸟体育 School of Biology and Environmental Science and Edward Simons.
IlluminAi Tech has developed a desktop light/stress therapy lamp which replicates the continuum changes of natural light while connecting a user to the outside world with immersive scenes of nature. The company was founded by Morteza Matkan and Dr Sadegh Panahi Azar as a spin-out from the 小鸟体育 School of Architecture, Planning and Environment Policy and the 小鸟体育 School of Psychology.
ENDS
12 November 2021
For further information contact Mic茅al Whelan, Communications Manager, 小鸟体育 Research and Innovation, e: miceal.whelan@ucd.ie.
Editors Notes
At Nova小鸟体育, the hub for new ventures and entrepreneurs at University College Dublin, we provide purpose-built, state-of-the-art incubation facilities for knowledge-intensive companies alongside a comprehensive business support programme for our client companies. NovaUCD also runs a series of programmes, such as the 小鸟体育 VentureLaunch Accelerator, to assist researchers who are commercialising research outputs. Nova小鸟体育 has been funded through a unique public-private partnership that includes AIB, Arthur Cox, Deloitte, Enterprise Ireland, Ericsson, Goodbody Stockbrokers, UCD and Xilinx.
The aim of Big Ideas 2021 is to highlight the successful collaborations that exist between higher education institutes here in Ireland, investors and state support. The event offers an ideal platform to showcase the quality of research that is currently taking place within institutes of higher education across the country. The accomplishments achieved by Ireland鈥檚 national technology transfer system and the high standard of research that is currently being produced by Irish research centres will be featured throughout. Big Ideas is an annual showcase event which highlights successful collaborations between higher education institutes, investors and state support.