By Business & Finance 
UCD will showcase the latest high-tech and knowledge-intensive ventures emerging from UCD and National College of Art and Design (NCAD) research programmes at the 2013 UCD VentureLaunch Accelerator Showcase and Awards next week.
Six new ventures will compete at the Awards to win a €25,000 prize.
Four of the participating ventures; Aficionado, Fondúireacht Bhéaloideas Éireann (National Folklore Foundation), Kinesis Health Technologies Ltd and Nuritas Ltd are emerging from UCD, while the other two, Gazel and Obeo, are emerging from NCAD.
The overall objective of the UCD VentureLaunch Accelerator Programme is to support the creation and to accelerate the launch of sustainable and profitable new ventures based on intellectual property emerging from UCD and NCAD, a recognised college of the university.
The programme aims is to equip UCD and NCAD researchers with the knowledge, skills and understanding that will be required to work as part of a team leading a new commercial venture.
This new annual accelerator programme has been designed and is managed by UCD’s Office of the Vice-President for Innovation. The first programme took place over the last three-months at NovaUCD, the Centre for New Ventures and Entrepreneurs at the University.
The UCD 2013 VentureLaunch Accelerator Showcase and Awards Evening takes place on Wednesday, 20 November in the UCD O’Brien Centre for Science, UCD, Belfield, Dublin 4.
From 4pm attendees will have the opportunity to meet with and talk to the promoters of the new ventures during a showcase event. Attendees will also have the opportunity to meet with and talk to the promoters of several NovaUCD client companies who are currently fund raising.
During the main awards event, which commences at 5:30 pm, each of the participants on this year’s programme will deliver a pitch to an audience comprising members of Ireland’s venture capital, research, state agencies, industry and business communities.
Stuart McGoldrick the founder and CEO of The Physio Company and of Spectrum Health will be the guest speaker at the awards evening.
Speaking in advance of the Awards evening Professor Peter Clinch, UCD vice-president for innovation said: “Innovation is the third pillar of UCD’s core mission and two of UCD’s key innovation themes are putting knowledge to work and growing and supporting new business. Through the new UCD VentureLaunch Accelerator Programme, held at NovaUCD, we are supporting researchers to accelerate the process of putting their knowledge to work by establishing new ventures which will translate innovative ideas arising from their research programmes into new companies providing value-added products and services.”
The overall winner will be presented with the 2013 UCD VentureLaunch Accelerator Programme Award and a cheque for €10,000 which is sponsored by AIB. In addition the winner will receive a professional services package to the value of €15,000 by Arthur Cox, Bryan Maguire Business Consulting and Deloitte.
All are welcome to attend the 2013 UCD VentureLaunch Accelerator Showcase and Awards.
This event is one of a series of events to mark the 10th anniversary of the official opening of NovaUCD the Centre for New Ventures and Entrepreneurs at UCD.
