NovaUCD welcomes specialist duo

Dublin-based innovation and start-up hub NovaUCD has appointed two industry specialists to support the commercialisation of emerging technologies and the development of new businesses.

Ciaran McCourt joins as entrepreneur in residence, while Dr Eoin O’Cearbhaill has been named engineer in residence.

Ciaran brings more than 30 years’ experience building, financing and scaling healthcare technology companies across Ireland, the UK, Europe and the US.

His expertise spans medical devices, digital health, diagnostics and software, with a particular focus on commercialisation, US market entry and business growth.

Ciaran said: “I am delighted to return to UCD in this unique capacity and to have the opportunity to work with its researchers, students and entrepreneurs. 

“UCD has an extraordinary depth of ideas and technical expertise. 

“I hope to bring my experience building healthcare technology businesses in Europe and the US to help turn promising ideas into successful companies with global potential.”

Meanwhile, Eoin is director of the UCD Centre for Biomedical Engineering and leads the university’s Medical Device Design Group.

His research covers medical device design, therapeutic delivery, additive manufacturing and soft robotics, contributing to the creation of three university spin-outs: LaNua Medical, Latch Medical and Lia EyeCare.

Dr O'Cearbhaill added: “I am delighted to be working with Ciaran McCourt and the NovaUCD team on this initiative. 

“NovaUCD companies and UCD’s research groups have a great deal to offer each other, and I want to build stronger links between them. 

“I also want to encourage more academics, researchers and students to take the leap and launch the next generation of UCD spin-outs and start-ups.”

The group’s work has also supported more than a dozen patent filings and secured over €8 million in competitive research funding.

Through NovaUCD’s in-residence programme, both specialists will work with researchers, students and entrepreneurs to identify commercial opportunities and accelerate the development of university technologies into viable businesses.

Liam Cronin, UCD director of innovation added: “I am delighted to welcome Ciaran and Eoin onboard respectively as our new entrepreneur in residence and engineer in residence at NovaUCD. 

“Our aim is to now leverage their deep commercial and engineering expertise to help accelerate promising technologies emerging from UCD on the path towards market, spin-out or start-up success.

“The NovaUCD in-residence programme will support the expansion of UCD’s innovation capacity and deepen engagement with industry, investors and entrepreneurial talent strengthening UCD’s role as a driver of national and European innovation.”

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