Ones to Watch: OCE Technology

Barry Kavanagh, CEO, OCE Technology

In our Ones to Watch section, we highlight some of the top movers and shakers in Ireland. This week we feature OCE Technology.

What is it?

OCE Technology provides high-technology components and subsystems, including compact and robust ‘system on chip’ and ‘system in package’ devices that are particularly suitable when cost, weight, robustness, or tolerance of harsh environments are important.

Some of these devices are radiation-hardened and have space flight heritage, while others are used in in-flight recorders.

OCE also supplies software tools for use in developing embedded software. These tools increase the productivity of embedded software developers by allowing them to visualise what is happening within a complex system on a chip, and by helping them detect and correct programming errors.

Who’s behind it?

The company founders are Gerry Clarke, Barry Kavanagh and professor Michael Ryan. Long-term personal relationships with the founder and CEO of Zhuhai Orbita Control Engineering have also been influential in the company’s development.

How is it funded?

OCE, headquartered at NovaUCD, is an Enterprise Ireland high-potential startup with investment obtained under EI’s matching funding programme.

The company has also obtained private investment from a Chinese-Canadian investor. Set up four years ago, the company has largely supported itself with product and contract sales.

Future plans?

OCE is due to launch a range of satellite subsystems outsourced from companies in China that supply the very successful Chinese space programme. These subsystems include power, attitude and orbital control systems.

The products will be launched at the Paris Space Week exhibition in March. OCE is also starting to explore the market for its products in the USA.