BIG IDEAS SHOWCASE 2013 - new technologies for world markets an Enterprise Ireland initiative
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BIG IDEAS
SHOWCASE 2013
new technologies for world markets
an Enterprise Ireland initiative
25th September, Aviva Stadium
www.enterprise-ireland.com/bigideas
Minister’s foreword
Seán Sherlock TD
Minister for Research & Innovation
Through consistent and considerable and commercialisation of innovative new
public and private investment in science, products and services and increase the
technology and innovation over the last number of new technology-based start-
decade, we now have a strong base of up companies and ultimately help create
research expertise within Ireland. With this the jobs we need. In order to benefit from
in mind, the Action Plan for Jobs focuses our publicly funded research, we need to
on research and innovation as a tool to set ambitious targets – nationally and at
build our economy and boost job creation. EU level – to ensure that we maximize the
By implementing and commercialising this availability of productive, job creating funds
research we can create a stronger, more for Irish researchers. We know from our
sustainable economy. own enterprise sector that research and
development drives exports and profitability
The Big Ideas Showcase illustrates the
and helps to secure and grow jobs.
quality of research happening in Universities
and Institutes of Technology across the The Big Ideas Showcase 2013 provides
country. It demonstrates the success of the perfect platform for researchers in
Ireland’s national technology transfer system the areas of ICT, Lifesciences & Food and
and exhibits the high standard of research Manufacturing, Engineering & Energy with
that this country is producing. Steps are the opportunity to meet the investors
underway to bring together a lot of existing and business partners that will assist in
research activity and involve the enterprise transforming their publicly funded research
sector more directly in this research. into the commercial products and services
Specifically, the Technology Centres being of the future.
progressed by Enterprise Ireland and IDA
The Big Ideas you hear about today are the
which will play a key role in positioning
culmination of a process that is funding
Ireland as a recognised centre for applied
research and commercialisation and
research, supporting the attractiveness
which has at its core the aim to support
of the State as a location for foreign
entrepreneurs and attract investment and
direct investment and the growth of Irish
investors. Ultimately, this process boosts
industry. These Centres work well with and
job creation, supports industry, encourages
complement research funded by Science
overseas investment into Ireland and has
Foundation Ireland and other publicly -
an extremely positive effect on the overall
funded R&D that is happening in Ireland.
economy.
This Government is dedicated to supporting
I would like to commend Enterprise Ireland
the transfer of ideas and knowledge created
on the success of this annual event. I would
in our Higher Education Institutes into Irish
also like to congratulate the researchers
industry – turning good ideas into good
participating in the Big Ideas Showcase this
jobs.
year. I wish you all every success.
As announced in June 2013, €21million
in funding has been allocated to the
Enterprise Ireland Commercialisation
Fund. This will accelerate the development
2013 1
A word of welcome
to investors
Gearóid Mooney,
Divisional Manager Research and Innovation
On behalf of Enterprise Ireland, I would Enterprise Ireland can help your company
like to welcome you to our annual Big connect with this wealth of talent and
Ideas Technology Showcase - the key event investigate the potential for funding
in the Irish research commercialisation support. This is allocated in three ways:
calendar.
Enterprise Ireland’s Innovation Vouchers
There will be 21 new investor-ready Initiative allows SMEs and micro businesses
technologies showcased today and to commission a small piece of research
the market quality of the opportunities with a €5,000 voucher redeemable in the
on display is a reflection of the Higher Education Research System. Since
commercialisation work that is ongoing 2009, over 3,700 Innovation Vouchers have
in Higher Education Institutes throughout been allocated. This initiative helps smaller
Ireland. This year’s “Big Ideas” cover companies solve a business problem or take
numerous market segments including the first steps into R&D.
software, heathcare, fashion, cleantech and
Another initiative is the Innovation
homeware.
Partnership Programme which is tailored
Enterprise Ireland is responsible for to support collaborative projects between
the development and growth of Irish companies and research teams. There have
enterprises in world markets. A key aspect been over 200 companies successfully
of achieving this duty is to optimise the flow involved in Innovation Partnerships over the
of commercial opportunities arising from last four years and more than 1000 in the
the Irish government’s investment in our past decade.
national research system.
Enterprise Ireland also support companies
Evidence of the impacts of research that want to get involved in leading the
commercialisation can be seen in the Irish research agenda in their industry through
economy, specifically the 110 spin outs our Technology Centre programme.
that have emerged from commercialised Technology Centres, a joint venture
research since 2009. Enterprise Ireland between Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland
helps researchers at all stages of the are collaborative research centres that
commercialisation pipeline through our are led by industry. Currently, there are 12
Commercialisation Fund with over 400 established Technology Centres with three
commercialisation projects funded in the more in the pipeline. These centres work to
last four years. an agenda agreed by a consortium of Irish
SME’s and multinationals based in Ireland
Existing Irish companies also benefit from
which share common research goals.
direct access to technologically advanced
researchers who are focused, efficient and The work presented here at Big Ideas
eager to collaborate with industry. This is Showcase 2013 demonstrates the level of
an impressive national resource consisting commercial innovation that is nascent in our
of more than 4,500 researchers backed by publicly funded research institutes. I invite
Government funding. you to engage with the participants, expand
your knowledge of the great potential of
these innovations and hopefully identify the
ideas that best suit your investment and
support.
2013 3
Big Ideas schedule overview
09:00 Registration
10:00 Official Opening and Presentation of Commercialisation
Awards by Seán Sherlock TD, Minister for Research & Innovation
10:10 Opening Address by Gearoid Mooney, Divisional
Manager Research & Innovation, Enterprise Ireland
10:20 Innovation and Research Expo
10:45 Big Ideas Technology pitch session 1
13:00 Lunch
14:00 Big Ideas Technology pitch session 2
16:30 Event Ends
16:45 Evening reception
Big Ideas Technology Pitch Session Schedule
Time Presenter Big Idea
10:45 Xuemei Germaine MicroGen Biotech
11:00 Wayne Allen Embo Medical
11:15 Hillary Kenna Vizolve Ltd
11:30 Ken Byrne GRASP
11:45 Liam Mullins Lumen on Demand
12:00 Julia O’Rourke Rempad
12:15 Wayne Byrne OxyMem
12:30 Garret Ryan Crescent System
12:45 Kevin McCarthy Aficionado
Lunch
14:00 Ronan Clarke Smart Wall Paint
14:15 Paul Leonard DiCast
14:30 Kevin Doherty Gazel
14:45 Miguel Ponce de Leon Mobile Cloud Alliance
15:00 Edward Grant Cipherdocs
15:15 John Tinsley Iconic Translator Machines
15:30 Mark Bruzzi Vetex Project
15:45 Mark Hughes Style-Eyes
16:00 Eamon Murphy MR Gum Technology
16:15 Pat Hobbert Vasgard
16:30 Kevin Koidl Wripl
16:45 Deirdre Hogan Ata-Bot
4 2013
Today’s chairperson
John Lynch
John Lynch is a strategic business knowledge. As well as working with
thinker with strong analytical skills to a range of start-up and early stage
direct and drive business growth and companies, he was CEO of Merrion
profitability. John has an impressive Pharmaceuticals plc, where he worked
track record of leading growth from start up in 2004 until 2007. Until
businesses and also of attracting 2007, he also held senior positions in
and building experienced senior a number of countries with Abbott
teams, including building a business Laboratories between 1989 and 2003.
from the ground through IPO. John He served on the Irish Government’s
successfully completed several rounds Innovation Taskforce in 2009/10.
of equity fundraising , negotiated
Self motivated and dynamic, John
major contracts, Government price
is continuously seeking ways to
negotiations and influenced health
improve both business and personal
policy. John is experienced in out-
performance and add-value. He has a
licensing and acquisition, in-license of
huge interest in new technology and
products and the generation of new
building strategies and routes to bring
product ideas.
it to market. He has worked with a
John has worked extensively in the number of the presenters in the Big
life sciences industry both in Ireland, Ideas Showcase, aiding them to bring
the USA, UK and internationally for their technologies towards the market.
the past 25 years. Over that time he
John’s advice to technology
has assumed many roles which have
innovators is to ensure that the four
had a strong emphasis on innovation
main foundations of any start-up
and new product development - these
- innovative technology with clear
include CEO, Non-Executive Director,
Intellectual Property Rights, a validated
consultant, mentor, International
and viable market accompanied by a
Business Development Director and
strong business model and a strong
Commercial Director. He has also
entrepreneurial team. These are all
worked in new product development,
part of the innovation process from
operations, finance and sales &
the start and move forward in parallel.
marketing. Through his extensive
Get the best team around the table to
work with both start-up businesses
work on your idea as soon as you can,
and large multinationals, he has
and a great idea could become a great
experienced a very broad range of
company.
life sciences technology areas such
as drug delivery, drug development,
medical devices, medical diagnostics
and medical nutrition. This has giving
him a great breadth of industry
2013 5
Meet this year’s presenters
Dr. Xuemei Germaine MicroGen Biotech Ltd 8
Wayne Allen Embo Medical 9
Hilary Kenna Vizolve Ltd 11
Ken Byrne CEO Grasp Wearable Technologies 12
Liam Mullins Lumen-on-Demand 13
Julia O’Rourke REMPAD 15
Wayne Byrne OxyMem 17
Dr. Garrett Ryan Crescent System 18
Kevin McCarthy Aficionado 19
Ronan Clarke Smart Wall Paint 20
Dr. Paul Leonard Innovamab 21
Kevin Doherty Gazel 23
Miguel Ponce De Leon Web Real Time Communications 24
Ed Grant CipherDocs 25
Dr. John Tinsley Iconic Translation Machines 26
Dr. Mark Bruzzi Vetex 27
Dr. Mark Hughes Style-Eyes 29
Eamon Murphy MR Gum Innovation 31
Pat Hobbert Vasgard 32
Dr. Kevin Koidl WRIPL 33
Dr. Deirdre Hogan Ata-Bot 34
2013 7
MicroGen Biotech Ltd
Dr. Xuemei Germaine
Environmental
clean-up solutions
Contamination of urban environments One Stop Biotech Solutions
and water sources is a worldwide issue.
It severely affects our eco-system MicroGen Biotech’s ready-for-market
functions and human health. MicroGen products and platform technologies
Biotech Ltd is a bioremediation include site-specific microbial products,
company based in Ireland which has EcoPileTM technology, Plant-Microbe
developed a number of environmentally technology and Bioremediation-Biofuel
friendly clean-up solutions. We use technology. Providing innovative, clean,
natural novel bacteria and plants to bioremediation solutions for the clean
clean up toxic environmental pollutants up of large scale contaminated sites
from soils and water streams. is key for the success of the company
which was spun out of IT Carlow. Dr.
The goal is to provide complete clean up Germaine indicates the “initial target
solutions for problem sites using unique market for this technology is China
combinations of natural soil degrading and we are actively seeking to secure
bacteria and site specific organisms, investment to accelerate our growth”.
coupled with novel engineering and
treatment processes. MicroGen Biotech’s
solutions are natural, site specific and
highly cost effective.
Notes
8 2013Embo Medical
Wayne Allen
Safe, cost effective
embolisation
Embolisation is a procedure to shut Next generation of embolisation
down blood flow in a diseased vessel
or to a diseased organ, for example Their product, the Caterpillar is a one-
embolisation can be used to shot embolisation device, that embolises
stop blood flow to a tumour. a vessel with just one implant and takes
just five minutes in total to deploy. The
Worldwide, there are approximately Caterpillar has inbuilt anti-migration
200,000 procedures done each year. features to ensure that only the intended
Current practice is to use multiple coils vessel is blocked by the procedure.
(about the width of a strand of hair)
to shut down the vessel, requiring The development team, Colin Forde and
an average of nine coils in any one Wayne Allen, who have over 25 years
procedure. There are two key issues with of medical device industry experience,
the use of coils: took part in the Bioinnovate Ireland
programme, which allowed them to
1. the coils can migrate away from the become a “fly-on-the-wall” in medical
target vessel causing unintended procedures over a three month period.
blockages elsewhere in the body Having witnessed several embolisation
2. it takes five minutes to implant each procedures, they realised that current
coil, resulting in 45 minutes of a technology could be greatly improved,
physicians time to put in the coils with the effect of improving patient
alone. safety, reducing procedural time and
therefore cost to the healthcare system.
After 18 months researching the
problem at NUI Galway, the product was
developed and has already undergone
successful animal studies. The team
objective is to “make the Caterpillar the
market leading peripheral embolisation
device, and is currently fund-raising to
bring the technology through regulatory
approval to commercialisation” explains
Wayne.
Notes
2013 9Vizolve Ltd
Hilary Kenna
visualising search for
education, research
and libraries
Based out of the Media Cube in IADT ‘One query, one screen and all
Dún Laoghaire, Vizolve have developed the answers’
a personalised search and discovery
application called SeeSearch. Search behaviour has not evolved:
users simply keep retyping new queries
SeeSearch is initially focusing on the to refine their searches rather than
education, research and library sector. laboriously clicking through pages
The technology searches through of results. SeeSearch changes all of
everything the college or library owns; that because it is very different to the
books, e-books, databases, e-journals, traditional text-based results we are
dvds, multimedia repositories, etc – as all accustomed to seeing on search
well as content available on the web, engines.
and can be personalised to suit your
interests. SeeSearch provides a single The SeeSearch display is very visual
place to search all of your content and gives hundreds of times more
resources, making it possible to find results in a single screen, but in a very
resources from multiple sources with understandable and structured way,
one search, instead of having to search meaning you are much less likely to
several databases individually. need to keep searching over and over
again, and more likely to find what
Not only does SeeSearch find the most you want thereby increasing search
relevant search results, it also presents productivity. SeeSearch presents an
them in a new and exciting way through easy-to-use visual search experience
visualisation. When you search through that gives you much more results in a
any of the current search engines you single screen, and it’s available on your
get a text based list, most people don’t desktop, tablet and mobile.
go beyond the first or second page of
the results. With SeeSearch you get a Currently integrated with hundreds of
visualisation of your search results, this thousands of books, media and article
means that instead of seeing text-based content, the technology is a horizontal
results you see a visual representation solution and has applications across a
of the book and DVD covers etc. You number of areas including e-commerce,
also see graphical representations of the travel and enterprise search. So for
areas your results are coming from. anyone interested in web and mobile
technologies, content and big data
access and the general discovery space,
SeeSearch will ‘give you all the answers’.
For more information please visit
www.vizolve.com
Notes
2013 11Grasp Wearable Technologies
Ken Byrne CEO
Real-time movement
and physiological
measurement
Grasp Wearable Technologies is an One of the key advantages of the Grasp
emerging technology design services Run system is that the measures can
and product development company. be taken outside an instrumental lab
Grasp creates wearable products for the setting. The system is comprised of a
consumer market which addresses real small lightweight device attached to
world problems in fitness, sports, health each shoe coupled with a wrist-based
and consumer electronics in the fast device for real-time feedback to the user
growing wearable technology market. while running.
The company is developing novel Smartphone and tablet/ web apps
applications of its technology to complete the user experience and
measure complex human movement and provide the user with flexibility on
physiological characteristics through usage modes, personalisation
wearable products and systems. options and presents comprehensive
information. One of the distinguishing
elements of this product is that it
Flagship Product - supports runners at all levels providing
Grasp Run System the user with the most appropriate
measures and feedback for their abilities
Grasp aim to provide helpful, user and aligned with their personal goals.
friendly and engaging products for The system has been developed in
use in everyday settings. collaboration with athletes, sports
The first of their products is the Grasp therapists and healthcare professionals.
Run System which provides users with “Our objective is to secure investment
useful information on the biomechanical to build out the company, our flagship
and physiological characteristics of their products and our go to market
running style. strategy.”, explains Ken
Notes
12 2013Lumen-on-Demand
Liam Mullins
Faster Safer Intervention
The Lumen-on-Demand technology is Opening a channel
designed to reduce the procedural time
of interventional surgeries which require Lumen-on-Demand provides a channel
the use of a catheter. (or lumen) in the catheter that can
deliver fluid into the patient without
The new “Lumen-on-Demand” feature having to exchange the catheter or
is a smart add-on to catheters and guidewire. The channel is concealed
there are a number of benefits in until the physician injects fluid into the
doing this such as improved safety, channel. The channel expands only on
through reduced radiation exposure demand ensuring catheter performance
to the physician and patient, and is uncompromised during delivery,
increased cost effectiveness achieved navigation, and removal.
by decreasing procedural time (approx. Developed in NUI Galway, the
€1,000 per hour). Additionally the technology can be applied to any clinical
volume of contrast fluid (which can be area in the endovascular space, and to
toxic) required to navigate and monitor over 1 million procedures annually.
the catheter may be reduced.
“Our objective is to identify a co-
The team behind Lumen-on-Demand development partner to bring this
spent 3 months observing cathether technology to the clinic where it can
based procedures and discovered that reduce procedural cost and improve the
there are a number of time consuming safety of procedures.” explains Liam.
actions that are constantly repeated,
such as removing and re-inserting
guide wires from catethers. Based on
these observations the team identified
a need to streamline procedures by
eliminating the requirement to remove
the guidewire for contrast fluid injection,
and have developed the Lumen-on-
demand technology to meet this need.
Notes
2013 13BIG IDEAS
SHOWCASE 2013
new technologies for world markets
an Enterprise Ireland initiative
Enterprise Ireland presents the first ever
Technology Centre Forum.
Technology Centres are collaborative
entities established and led by industry.
They are resourced by highly qualified
researchers associated with research
institutions who are empowered to
undertake market focussed strategic R&D
for the benefit of all industries.
Come and see our exhibition and hear from
companies like yours who have benefited
from the Technology Centre Programme
For more information please visit www.
enterprise-ireland.com/techcentreforum
2013 14REMPAD
Julia O’Rourke
Next generation
reminiscence therapy
Dementia is a growing problem both in The REMPAD system incorporates
Ireland and globally. Current projections content management tools and training
indicate that there will be a significant to provide a fully automated solution
increase in the number of people with that utilises online data archives to
dementia in Ireland, from approximately provide a clinical support tool. This
40,000 at present to 100,000 by benefits nursing home residents and
2036. Globally 4.6 million people are their carers. REMPAD is deployed to
diagnosed with dementia each year. 30% nursing homes as a Web App and
of those will reside in nursing homes for utilises existing wi-fi infrastructure within
the last years of life. care homes.
With no cure for dementia and the “REMPAD reduces overhead and
failing of pharmacological interventions resource costs for care homes whilst
to address this problem, healthcare has improving social connection amongst
focused on enhancing Quality of Life. residents and staff”.
Reminiscence therapy is a validated,
evidence based approach which has
been found to improve nursing home Advantages
residents mood and wellbeing and also
have a positive impact on cognition REMPAD has been successfully trialled in
and communication. nursing homes with residents suffering
from dementia where it has been found
to maintain wellness and improve mood
through social interaction.
The Next Generation of
Reminiscence Therapy “We have a pipeline of customers
waiting for REMPAD to come on the
REMPAD, a novel connected-care market” says Julia O’Rourke, “We are
solution emerging from research carried looking for investment to bring this
out in DCU, delivers next generation valuable a much needed resource to
reminiscence therapy as part of them”.
person-centered care in nursing
homes for residents with dementia.
Notes
2013 1516 2013
OxyMem
Wayne Byrne
Changing the economics
of wastewater treatment
Activated Sludge has been the Bubble-less aeration
cornerstone of wastewater treatment for
the last 100 years. This is a very energy Researchers at UCD have developed
intensive process due to the requirement OxyMem which does not rely on a
to provide oxygen, via aeration, to the bubble to transfer oxygen, instead
pollution degrading microorganisms OxyMem uses gas permeable
so it can be discharged back to the membranes, that allow oxygen to be
environment.Typically 2.5 percent of a transferred directly to the wastewater
developed nation’s electricity (US, UK, treating bacteria. OxyMem is capable of
Ireland) is used for the treatment of achieving up to 100% oxygen transfer
wastewater and aeration accounts for efficiency, as no oxygen is lost to the
60% of this demand. The reason the atmosphere. The results are a four fold
demand is so high, is that large volumes saving on energy costs when compared
of air (21% oxygen) must be forced down to forced aeration.
to the bottom of deep tanks to create In addition to the energy benefits,
bubbles. The bubbles then travel to the OxyMem’s patented system uses fewer
surface and during the short journey chemicals, has lower pumping costs,
transfer some of the oxygen to the water is built on a reduced physical footprint
where it is available to be used by the and has the added benefit of being fully
microorganisms. Once at the surface automated.
the air bubbles escapes back to the
The system comprises a turnkey aeration
atmosphere resulting in a loss of 60-70%
system for the wastewater market which
of the potential oxygen.
has been valued at 4 billion euro and is
expected to grow to over 6.5 billion euro
in the near future. OxyMem is the first to
deliver this technology at a commercial
scale and has a full size unit on test at
Severn Trent’s Minworth site, the second
largest water treatment plant in the UK.
“Our objective is to secure a €3 million
Euro investment to fully develop our
manufacturing/extrusion capability” says
Wayne.
Notes
2013 17Crescent System
Dr. Garrett Ryan
Hypertension – a nerve
knockout solution
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, Garrett and his team have developed a
is a significant problem in the modern novel drug delivery system; the Needle
world affecting large proportions of Catheter System delivers drugs safely
the world’s ageing population. Many of and effectively to a target location, at a
those affected can control the condition specific depth where the drug diffuses
using a cocktail of drugs but there is a around the artery. This procedure
significant proportion who are resistant results in minimal damage to the vessel
to current pharmaceutical therapies. wall, reducing the risk of late stage
complications.
Clinicians have shown that by destroying
the nerves within the wall of the renal
artery, they can succesfully lower
blood pressure in patients resistant to Advantages
medication. The majority of devices Renal denervation is predicted to
in development use energy based be a game changer in the treatment
systems to destroy the nerves (known as of hypertension, as well as potential
sympathetic nerves) by burning through indications such as sleep apnea, chronic
the artery wall. While all have shown heart and kidney failure and diabetes.
efficacy in the form of reduced blood This drug delivery solution should
pressure, there is the potential for long represent a more cost effective solution
term damage to the inner surface of the to energy based systems being sold in
artery. the market at present.
“Our objective is to secure investment
that will facilitate the creation of a start-
Finding a cure for resistant up company dedicated to bringing the
hypertension Crescent System to market.”, says Dr.
The Chemical Renal Denervation project, Ryan.
emerging from research carried out at
Trinity College Dublin and NUI Galway,
has developed an alternative solution to
target the sympathetic nerves.
Notes
18 2013Aficionado
Kevin McCarthy
Online management of
organisational expertise & skills
Large multinational corporations with Somewhat comparable to Linkedin,
thousands of employees over multiple Aficionado is distinct in that expert
geographical locations, by the nature of doesn’t need to regularly update their
their scale and disparate locations, have profile with recent work.
difficulty in keeping track of what teams
The expert profile is built automatically
are doing in other locations and which
and this was deliberate because people
experts are on which teams etc.
generally only update their information
sporadically meaning the data decays
Aficionado is a platform for the location
and becomes less useful very quickly.
of expertise, and management of
expertise, across an organisation. This Initially, the prototype was developed
technology can be used internally within for the research market. Aficionado was
an organisation from an administration able to tap into the wealth of document
or HR point-of-view, but it can also be repositories in seven Irish institutions,
used externally to showcase expertise use publication outputs to build rich
and skills. profiles of researchers. People can
search for particular experts or skillsets
Expert engagement and across all universities in Ireland.
management Aficionado has potential in a wide
This Cloud-based software solution uses variety of sectors such as government,
document repositories or other streams pharma, banking & finance and
of information, such as internal social professional consulting firms and
networks or Twitter streams to build an the professional recruiting market.
expert profile of the individuals and then “We have come to Big Ideas to talk to
hang search and discovery services off interested investors regarding seed
the profiles. funding for our business” explains Kevin.
Notes
2013 19Smart Wall Paint
Ronan Clarke
Whiteboards with a
difference
Smart Wall Paint is a breakthrough Rapid Growth
concept – a novel paint that when
applied to any smooth surface, Smart Wall Paint Ltd was established
transforms it to a wipe-on/wipe- by Ronan Clarke in 2012 and already
off whiteboard surface. Smart Wall has a significant presence in Ireland,
Paint is working with CREST ( Centre UK, Europe, Australia and Canada.
for Research in Engineering Surface The company is growing rapidly with
Technology) at DIT through the its workforce of six set to double in
Innovation Partnership programme the coming months. In addition to its
and is developing generation three of five English language ecommerce sites,
its product range, which I will bring a Smart Wall Paint will launch Italian,
unique new product to the market in German and French language sites
2014. Smart Wall Paint is used primarily in September.
by Business and Educators to change Roughly 90% of the product is exported
the way they the communicate and through both online and channel
collaborate. partners such as large stationery
Smart Wall Paint is already in production companies. Smart Wall Paint is also
and selling globally. Customers already represented through distributors in UK,
using Smart Wall Paint include large Hong Kong, Dubai and Singapore with
and small businesses, schools and this route to market set to increase
universities such as Google, Twitter, significantly throughout 2014.
Facebook, Marks & Spencer, Tesco, “Smart Wall Paint changes the way
Microsoft, Trinity College, Glenstal people work together by turning
Abbey and hundreds more all over the ordinary rooms and walls into working
world. spaces that help people engage,
collaborate and create.”
Notes
20 2013Innovamab
Dr. Paul Leonard
Innovation in monoclonal
antibody discovery
Pharmaceutical and biotechnology with a unique effect and the potential
companies are continuously looking to create the next blockbuster drug.
for new cutting edge technologies to Researchers currently run exhaustive,
improve their ability to discover and lengthy and expensive experiments to
develop new drugs. The former stars of test antibody-producing cells in order
the show were small molecule drugs but to identify the MAbs with therapeutical
the drug development market has now potential that are most suitable for
moved towards larger biological drugs clinical trials. Technology has not
such as monoclonal antibodies (MAb) kept pace and this process has been
and it is expected that these drugs will described as like searching the internet
account for 60% of market growth in the without Google.
future.
However, there is one key factor that USP
determines how many new drugs are
developed and the final market price Innovamab’s multi disciplinary team at
of approved new drugs: the cost of DCU has developed a technology called
discovering and bringing a new drug DiCAST which is a new technology
to market. This cost is driven upwards solution for the early stages of MAb
by the fact that 95% of drugs in discovery. DiCAST improves the speed
development fail for reasons such as and quality of screening not only by
toxicity or lack of efficacy in clinical analysing vastly more cells at one time,
trials. but also by performing several steps in
one iteration (which can take weeks with
other technologies). The combination of
these patented inventions and know how
Looking for the “Golden Egg” provides a radically improved answer to
the question of ‘how can I find a one in a
Drug development companies have million MAb with greatest certainty and
established huge banks of monoclonal greatest probability of success?’
antibodies. As a result, the problem
is not in how to generate vast new “We are looking for investment to build
amounts of monoclonal antibodies but a company around the technology and
rather how to test and recognise their to take it to the world market”, explains
potential and find the one rare MAb Paul.
Notes
2013 21Gazel
Kevin Doherty
Reinterpretation of
household products
Gazel is a new company creating Thoughtful, enriching & inviting
products for the home that marry
usability and style with a cutting edge This product has become the catalyst
design focus. The flagship product, the for the team to spin out a premium
Effortless Clothes Hanger is a sleek and homewares company, and is the first
stylish reinterpretation of a household in a pipeline of products spread across
staple and showcases the design skill of the different areas of the home, from
the designers Kevin Doherty and Ronan bedroom to kitchen to living room.
Murphy, both Researchers at the Origin8 The Gazel brand will target the growing
Innovation Hub at NCAD. niche of urbanised and sophisticated
consumers throughout Europe, who
seek value-added and innovative
Imaginative lifestyle products products.
for the home The team is seeking investment to bring
The Gazel duo are ‘rethinking the their exciting products to market.
everyday’ to provide a richer experience
for people, by elevating the ordinary
through inspired design. Kevin and
Ronan take normal household products
and turn them into convenient and
modern objects of real beauty and
distinction.
The novel concept for the Effortless
Clothes Hanger took an everyday object
and reimagined it with universal design
in mind – it allows all manner of clothes
to be hung with minimum effort and
maximum comfort. The hanger even
slips into fully buttoned blouses and
shirts.
Notes
2013 23Web Real Time Communications
Miguel Ponce De Leon
Web real-time
communications
This web platform for mobiles, laptops Collaborate and Communicate
and desktops enables voice, video online in real time
and instantanous collaboration using
your web browser by default to deliver Developed by the research organisation
communications in real time. the TSSG, the business model has been
built around assisting mobile operators
The collaboration technology allows in Ireland, Europe and internationally.
you to connect your web browser Given that the mobile market has
peer to peer enabling voice & reached saturation and the price of
video conversations, screen sharing calls is dropping, mobile operators need
interactions and game playing all at the additional business productivity tools
same time. that they can offer companies. This
This system even allows a person to product offers business customers a
use their existing social networking range of different collaborative options
environment to take a call from someone such as having conference calls, and
on their mobile phone. context-based communications, being
able to see each others screens and
The platform facilitates any two work on documents in real time using
computers finding each other via a web the web.
browser so that they can connect and
communicate. There’s no longer a need “We’ve gained traction in the classified
to coordinate and synch up Skype id’s ads market, and require assistance to
etc as your existing Facebook, Twitter, accelerate that traction and explore
mobile number can be used to connect additional revenue streams.”, explains
your computers and communicate using Miguel.
the peer to peer technology.
The platform also exposes its p2p
real time features to web application
developers via API’s, allowing them to
integrate the platform into their web
service.
Notes
24 2013CipherDocs
Ed Grant
Cloud data encryption
& control
Many companies today are using the already been encrypted in real time
Cloud to store, create and share data when the documents were created or
while others have serious concerns shared. This means that even though the
driven by both compliance and the data is held in the Cloud, if a third party
desire to control their data at all times. wishes to access the data, or it has been
CipherDocs allows corporate users of shared with someone it shouldn’t have
Cloud platforms, particularly those using been, all they will see is cipher text.
Office 365 and Google Apps, to encrypt
the documents they are creating,
sharing or storing in real time and allows The key to encryption
them to retain complete control of who
can access the data. CipherDocs has a very simple
proposition: take control of your data in
Without using CipherDocs encryption, the Cloud in real time. The only way that
Office 365 data is stored, shared the information that has been encrypted
and created in a clear text form. This by CipherDocs can be accessed is
precludes companies in some regulated by sharing a key which you control
industries and certain jurisdictions from – without the key, the data is never
storing data in the cloud while other disclosed.
companies simply have concerns over
data control and the threat of a 3rd “Our objective is to raise up to
party being able to gain access. If the €500,000 to complete and launch our
corporate user such as a bank, health Microsoft Office 365 solution.”,
company or insurer, has deployed explains Ed.
CipherDocs service then that data has
Notes
2013 25Iconic Translation Machines
Dr. John Tinsley
High quality cloud based
patent translation
Patent language translation is a long and The IPTranslator provides the technical
tedious process. With long sentences content required in a cost effective
and technical constructions it is very manner, it translates to an excellent
difficult and time consuming exercise, quality in a very short amount of time,
this has resulted in 75% of the cost of leading to a higher level of accuracy and
filing a patent coming from translation. productivity and resulting in significant
savings for customers.
Patent translation is a specialist skill
performed by subject matter experts. This novel cloud-based service can be
It is crucial that each translation is of a sector-adapted to target high growth
very high quality to ensure that it meets vertical markets within the overall
all of the legal requirements. Consumers translation industry.
want more for less, and sooner, all of
Resulting from three years R&D, the
this has led to demand way outstripping
company already have their first paying
supply.
customer on board, the service is also
being trialled by a number of potential
clients around the world.
Facilitating the Translation
industry and beyond “Having launched our flagship offering
we are now keen to speak with people
Iconic Translation Machines, a spin-out who feel they could help accelerate
company from DCU, have the solution - our growth and see Iconic Translation
they have developed advanced Machine Machines fulfill its potential”, explains
Translation technology to translate John.
one language into another. Their first
flagship product is IPTranslator which
is targeting the Patent and Intellectual
Property (IP) sector.
Notes
26 2013Vetex
Dr. Mark Bruzzi
Next generation clot
removal
Vetex is an interventional device for the chronic, lifestyle-limiting symptoms such
treatment of Deep Vein Thrombosis, as swelling, pain, and ulceration of the
which is the formation of a blood affected limb.
clot inside the leg. This can happen
Other therapies focus on mechanically
for a variety of reasons associated
disrupting and/or dissolving the clot
with surgery or anything that causes
with limited success and often requiring
a restriction in blood flow within the
long term treatment in an intensive care
venous system.
setting, resulting in significant cost to
In the US alone, it is estimated that the healthcare system.
DVT causes 600,000 people to be
hospitalized each year, with the resulting
Pulmonary Embolism (PE) leading to Efficient and effective
more than 100,000 deaths. DVT and PE clot removal
are responsible for 1 in 10 hospital deaths
annually (US figures). Some estimates The Vetex device can catch large
suggest that these conditions cause volumes of the clot in a matter
more deaths each year than breast of minutes reducing the need for
cancer, AIDS, or motor vehicle incidents. thrombolitics and the need for long
term stay in the intensive care unit.
Vetex was developed in conjunction The device has three component parts
with Gerry O’Sullivan, an interventional including a macerating and extraction
radiologist in Galway and leading expert mechanism attached to a basket, this is
in the treatment of the disease. He inserted into the venous system behind
identified a problem and worked with the knee and pushed to the location of
Mark Bruzzi, a biomedical engineer the clot. The device’s efficient capturing
and his research team to create a novel mechanism can then extract large
device to treat the condition. volumes of clot across a wide range of
Current standard therapy for the disease vessel diameters.
involves the use of anti-coagulation “Our objective is to secure investment
(blood thinning) drugs but while this and a commercial team to bring this
limits the development of the clot, it technology to the European and US
does not dissolve it which can result in market.”, explains Dr. Bruzzi.
Notes
2013 27Style-Eyes
Dr. Mark Hughes
The future of fashion
retail
The concept is quite straight forward: Searching for a needle
Style Eyes is a search engine that will in a haystack
find that dress, pair of shoes or handbag
that you have spotted out and about As creator Mark Hughes explains; if you
and want to buy. ever looked for a specific garment in
a search engine, you’ll know you get
Simply take a picture with your Smart thousands of results with hundreds of
Phone and using their image recognition these coming from online catalogues,
technology – and a network of retail making online searching labourious and
partners - Style Eyes allows you to source in many cases fruitless.
the item and buy it! While image recognition is becoming
After nine months of development, Style very popular and will over time become
Eyes launched onto the Irish market at ubiquitious, clothes have always proved
Dublin Fashion Festival 2013. difficult to capture because they
deform with peoples bodies, so visually
Over 300 of the leading fashion retailer’s that’s a real challenge. Style Eyes have
dresses, skirts, tops, bags, shoes and developed the technology to get around
accessories are on the Style Eyes system this.
(all with commercial agreements in
place) so that all you have to do is Designed for ‘anyone interested
simply take a picture, and the app will in fashion’, the multi platform app
source it for you. is free to users as revenues come
from agreements with retailers via
traffic delivered to retailer sites and a
percentage of any purchase.
Mark is looking to meet people who can
“help Style-Eyes reach its full potential”.
Notes
2013 2930 2013
MR Gum Innovation
Eamon Murphy
Biodegradable, non-stick
chewing gum
Chewing gum has become an enormous Eamon is an experienced food executive
littering problem and negatively affects and an Enterprise Ireland Business
the environment. Because of its non- Partner and has spent considerable
biodegradable nature, gum does not time seeking out commercial innovation
dissolve or decompose and each opportunities at Irish third level
piece left untreated lingers around for institutions.
decades. Eamon Murphy and Dr Liam
The promoters will work with the
Ryan have teamed up to develop and
experienced team at Agri-food and
launch their solution to this world wide
Biosciences Institute (AFBI) in Belfast
problem, a biodegradable, non-stick
to further develop and scale-up the
chewing gum.
technologies.
The duo have already developed
prototypes and aim to launch a chewing
gum with improved functionality over The Mission
products currently on the market. The
solution uses technology originally The mission of MR Gum Innovation
developed by Professor Elke Arendt and is to develop and launch an exciting,
Dr Ryan in UCC, supplemented by other innovative and environmentally-friendly
related technologies to provide a food- chewing gum brand. The technology
based alternative to the current rubber/ also has multiple applications across
latex based gum products. both food and pharmaceutical fields.
The gum will be produced using a MR Gum Innovation is currently at
multi-stage development platform, prototype stage and is investment ready.
combining a number of novel processing “Our objective is to secure investment
techniques. This will allow for the and support to help us turn what should
targeted and time-controlled release of be into what is.”, says Eamon.
functional molecules to create a variety
of customised products including longer
lasting and multi-flavoured gums.
Notes
2013 31Vasgard
Pat Hobbert
Varicose vein
prevention
Globally, one in four people will suffer A first of its kind
from varicose veins with 30% of females
and 25% of males presenting symptoms The device is a sensor which, after
at some stage in their lives. Besides initial measurements and fitting,
being a cosmetic problem, varicose is worn by the patient beside the
veins can be painful, especially while knee joint for 48 hours.
standing. Up until recently, little could The sensor continously monitors the
be done to treat the early stages of the venous blood pressure of the patient
condition. and identifies the patient’s specific
The only option available to people behaviours that lead to harmful venous
was surgical intervention (such as pressures. The technology involves
vein stripping procedures) in order to complex, patent-pending, algorithims
treat the more advanced stages of the which calculate the leg’s venous blood
disease. The main controllable factor pressure, providing personalised,
in the development of varicose veins is highly specific feedback and lifestyle
“venous hypertension” or high blood advice. The product will be supplied
pressure in the veins which causes to clinicians to enable them to provide
the veins to stretch and distort. By a new varicose vein screening service
reducing this venous blood pressure for people with, or concerned about
throughout the course of the day, one developing varicose veins.
can prevent varicose veins from forming Connected via desktop computer
or worsening. An NUIG research team software, the sensor technology will
have developed the VASGARD sensor, a automatically generate an in-depth,
technology-based product which non- high value, consultation report which is
invasively measures venous pressure in easy to understand which the patient
the veins of the lower leg. The device can take away with them. The avoidance
also offers an opportunity to proactively of deteriorating veins by following that
screen a patient to determine what life- advice will be significantly beneficial to
style factors are predisposing them to the potential patient.
varicose veins and to take the necessary
“Our objective is to secure funding,
avoidance action.
ideally from Investors, who can provide
expertise in addition to finances“, says
Pat.
Notes
32 2013WRIPL
Dr. Kevin Koidl
Driving traffic to
online businesses
The number of online businesses is Interest profile
exploding, with global e-commerce
sales topping $1 trillion for the first time WRIPL’s aim is to build a long term
in 2012. But, how do you make your interest profiles in consumers. One of
business stand out in this busy space? the USPs is the fact that it doesn’t use
And how do you drive more traffic to Cookies so developing an interest profile
your site? over the long term on behalf of its online
partner’s allows WRIPL to correlate with
WRIPL has the answer, WRIPL that partner’s content and push relevant
technology will suggest relevant stories/ articles based on interest.
products from your site to consumers
who have expressed an interest in the A unique feature of WRIPL is that the
area. service can be applied to different
websites and services the consumer
Consumers sign up to WRIPL and is using. This allows WRIPL to unify
create an interest profile, WRIPL then the users experience and recommend
constantly updates the profile from relevant content based on the users
across the web by gathering information broad interests. As it is service based
about their activities – what they are WRIPL can continue the browsing
reading, what they are clicking on etc. experience across devices such as
This interest profile can recommend Mobile, Tablet and Desktop.
articles and products that are relevant
and interesting to the user over time. WRIPL’s technology can increase the
user experience by having a greater
If a reader is clicking on content about relevance of content and also the
Brian O’Driscoll for instance, WRIPL will revenue of the online partner by driving
suggest rugby related content to the traffic to their website.
consumer. “Our objective is to reach out to
additional customers and secure
investment”, says Kevin.
Notes
2013 33Ata-Bot
Dr. Deirdre Hogan
Targeted online
advertising
Nowadays, more and more companies Processing noisy language
are concentrating their efforts on online naturally
advertising, print ads are slowly but
surely becoming a thing of the past. The technology is born out of DCU
which has an expertise in technology for
Ata-Bot is a technology which looks at accurately processing human language.
user generated content such as Twitter User-generated content contains lots
posts, publicly available Facebook of typos, errors, slang and emoticons
comments and content generated on and this degrades the accuracy of most
forums. Ata-Bot can understand the text analytic tools, which are trained
intent expressed by the customer in the on well edited text such as newspaper
threads of these conversations, which it articles. Ata-bot technology is trained
links back to the service provider. The to accurately understand “noisy” user-
service provider in turn delivers more generated content.
relevant ads to the customer in real time
by offering products or services that The digital advertising industry
directly address the needs the person is generated a record-breaking $9.6
expressing online. billion in revenue for Q1 2013. Currently
advertisers can target consumers
Ata-Bot was trialled by analysing through a variety of ways, including
Twitter data in relation to the telecoms through demographic information and
domain, seeking out users who have browsing history, Ata-Bot has created a
expressed an intent to switch provider. niche approach to targeting consumers
This information would be very useful to by utilising their own user generated
rival service providers who can target content.
consumers who are possibly looking
to ‘churn’. In the same way, people “Ata-Bot is attending the Big Ideas
talking about when is the latest version Showcase with a view to meeting
of a phone coming out are possibly potential Technology Partners to trial
expressing an intent to buy a new our software” says Hogan.
product.
Notes
34 2013Notes
2013 35Notes 36 2013
Notes
2013 37Notes 38 2013
Notes
2013 39Notes 40 2013
WE’RE OPEN TO NEW IDEAS ESPECIALLY YOURS It all starts with a cup of coffee... ● Whatever your research work’s nature or stage ● Whatever the stage of your career ● Whether you are working alone or in a team ● Whether you have proof of concept or not The Commercialisation Fund programme enables researchers to develop innovations through Commercial Case Feasibility and Commercialisation Fund Project grants. Get in touch to find out how we can help you take your research to the next stage. www.enterprise-ireland.com/commercialisation
THANKS FOR ATTENDING
SHOWCASE 2013
25th September, Aviva Stadium
CONTACT
big.ideas@enterprise-ireland.com
Research and Innovation Business Unit
Enterprise Ireland
The Plaza
East Point Business Park
Dublin 3
www.enterprise-ireland.com/bigideas
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