Testimonials from industry about their experiences working with Irish research performing organisations
"Much of Kastus’ success can be attributed to a long collaboration with DIT, in particular the Hot House and CREST teams. Over 10 years we have built a very strong relationship with DIT Hot House, they have been extremely supportive and have a very strong understanding of what they can contribute to help companies like Kastus succeed. They were instrumental in guiding the development of a robust IP strategy which ultimately succeeded in securing global patents. DIT is home to a wealth of technical expertise and laboratory facilities; our collaboration with the CREST team for example has enabled Kastus to develop a suite of game changing products with real World commercial appeal. I would strongly recommend collaborative engagement with DIT and we look forward to further R&D projects."- John Browne, Founder & CEO, Katsus
“Our strong relationship with Athlone Institute of Technology has undoubtedly given us the edge in a very competitive international environment,” says Mergon CEO Pat Beirne. “We are very much seen as the ‘go to’ company when someone is looking for moulding expertise. Being able to tap into the deep reservoir of knowledge that resides within AIT has helped us maintain our reputation for capability and ongoing innovation.” Pat Beirne, CEO, Mergon
“For fast growing Irish companies such as IPC to develop and deliver new products, it is essential that we can quickly and easily access the expertise that we need from a wide network of development partners. CCAN membership has enabled us to do just that. CCAN makes it easy for us to collaborate with large medical device companies and leading research institutes like the CRANN Institute. Within CCAN the whole development process from project definition, to execution and subsequent IP licensing is streamlined and efficient. It is exactly what industry needs. In our view CCAN is by far the easiest way for both small and large companies to engage in such collaborative R&D.” Henrik Bjoerk, Co-founder and Director, IPC
"In the past four to five years, Ceramicx Ireland collaborated with Irish universities on a number of R&D projects with the support of state funding. This offered an opportunity to work with industrially experienced academics. As an SME, the possibility to work with PhD-qualified researchers helped us to advance the science and understanding of our products to a point where we could justify hiring PhD graduates to raise our in-house capabilities. Working with Irish colleges gives SMEs the opportunity to access highly qualified individuals and new technologies that we could not create or access with in-house scientific capability. I recommend that other SMEs with the necessary maturity and resources explore these opportunities." Cathal Wilson, Director, Ceramicx Ireland Ltd
"I’ve been actively involved in commercialising technologies from a number of Irish universities since 2008. We’ve built a company based on licensed technology which was developed in university laboratories and made available to us by the Technology Transfer Office. We are confident it will grow into a substantial business which would not have been possible if the college had not developed the core technology. We received a lot of support from the university Technology Transfer Office and have found it to be a rewarding experience on many levels." Alan Phelan, CEO, NucleusVP Group
"Trinity Biotech is a leading manufacturer of diagnostic platforms and tests in Ireland. We constantly seek new technologies globally which are game changing in our field. In 2012 we licensed a new Invitro Diagnostic technology from Maynooth University, which will be revolutionary in our market. I would actively encourage all individuals and organisations to tap into the research potential of Irish universities and institutes of technology and to familiarise themselves with the new technologies that are available to companies across the country." Philip Noone, Vice President Sales & Marketing, Trinity Biotech Plc
"Molloy Environmental Systems is a small company specialising in wastewater treatment. We are continuously looking for new opportunities. With the help and advice of the Technology Transfer Office in NUI Galway, we licensed the right to commercialise a new and unique waste water treatment technology. As a small company it is difficult to compete in new markets dominated by larger, long-established companies. Through technology transfer we have been able to launch a new, highly competitive product based on advanced technology which allows us target previously inaccessible markets. In addition, we have the backup of the university staff, who are world leaders in their field. We found the technology transfer process minimises our R&D risk and is an essential step in the development of our company." Shane Fox, Engineer, Molloy Environmental Systems Ltd
"UCD brought an innovative technology they had developed to the attention of Largo Foods which was potentially the basis of a groundbreaking new product for Largo. We had a very positive engagement with NovaUCD and quickly came to an agreement to license the key IP. We then accessed the technical capabilities in UCD together to develop the technology to bring it closer to market readiness. For any business this a great way to make advances in innovation that would normally be beyond the technical scope of most companies. We have learned much about company-college collaboration and will continue to use this avenue to solve technical challenges in the future." John Donnelly, General Manager, Largo Foods Ltd
"Code On is a technology-enabling company that licenses IP from a number of universities. We approached Maynooth University to license the high-quality research coming out of the Hamilton Institute and were impressed with their Technology Licensing Office. Maynooth University’s licensing officers are experienced business professionals with a sophisticated understanding of and a focus on commercialising new technologies. As a result, licensing discussions moved quickly and smoothly with the right key issues identified and quickly resolved. We highly recommend working with NUI Maynooth on both research development and licensing." Laila Partridge, Code On Ltd
"For me the technology transfer office (NovaUCD) was and still is an essential starting point for the technology I develop. From filing my first IDF, patent applications, applied research funding applications, developing a business plan, spinning out a company, and engaging with investors, NovaUCD have offered support and advice. I registered for the Campus Company Development program organised by NovaUCD, which is designed to help academics (spin-out) and spin-ins to assess their business offerings. The technical and business idea was tested and developed with staff from NovaUCD through direct engagement with me. The act of engaging with the TTO educated me in the process of technology development and innovation. The relationship between NovaUCD and Enterprise Ireland provided me with access to a national and worldwide network that asked the hard questions which ultimately improve the research and technology." Kevin O’Connor, CEO Bioplastech Ltd
“The strong relationship with Prof McCarthy and his team of expert researchers at MU keeps PMS coming back, a partnership built on an ability to collaborate effectively on focused, applied solutions to challenging problems. The net outcome of this partnership is that PMS now plans to introduce AI / Machine Learning into several other road network data processing and give the company an extra edge when competitive for contracts internationally.” Dr Kieran Feighan, MD at PMS Pavement Management Services
“The research undertaken by IT Carlow went above and beyond the original plan and we are truly grateful for this. The team were great to deal with and did everything to make this project a success for us all. We will be working with IT Carlow again on this journey as we seek to get every pub on the planet to embrace PureNeck. We would strongly recommend IT Carlow and the Innovation Partnership to other companies." Emmett Hedigan, MD at Inferneco
“Our collaboration with the WiSAR Technology Gateway enabled us to refine and advance our MyGug prototype through a specialised research centre, resulting in a more cost-efficient product with connectivity feature thus increasing our value proposition and competitiveness.” Kieran Coffey, CTO at Grian Water Ltd
“Huawei continues to work closely with the researchers in the Insight Centre at Dublin City University to develop new technologies and advance the state-of-the art Machine Learning and Cloud Computing techniques. DCU Invent has been very helpful at all stages of this process and we look forward to our continued collaboration with DCU and plan more projects like this in the future.” Derek Collins, Director of Industry & Academia Research Collaboration, Huawei’s Irish Research Centre
“We have worked with Huawei on a number of other projects. I believe this initial research collaboration helped build confidence in the Irish research system as Huawei are now engaged with other SFI Centres and universities.” Noel O’Connor, CEO at Insight Centre in DCU
“This collaboration, and the support provided by RCSI Office of Research and Innovation and LEO Pharma has facilitated expansion of my research group, attracting a talented international postdoctoral fellow and helped me develop unique collaborative links with world class innovative researchers.” Dr Jamie O’Sullivan, Principal Investigator
“Following a successful study we hope to be able to expand our collaboration with Dr. O’Sullivan in line with the strategic objectives of the RCSI seed fund on other co-funded schemes within this field of research.” Khalid Aouidat, VP Global Thrombosis Strategy, LEO Pharma
“Our engagement with the Regulated Software Research Centre in DkIT through the Lero funded project has been very beneficial for STATSports. It has enabled us to put cutting edge medical device software development processes in place that will greatly assist us as we look towards providing solutions for the wellbeing and healthcare domains” Paul Johnson, GM, STATSports
“Over the past decade we have collaborated extensively with STATSports through a range of support initiatives crossing incubation and entrepreneur support programmes, research and development, student projects, student placements and innovation schemes. The level of focus by both organisations to continue to strengthen the strategic partnership is acknowledged with the success of this collaboration and provides a catalyst to increased engagement and opportunity scoping.” Aidan Browne, DkIT, Head of Innovation & Business Development
“The high level of competency and knowledge provided by the university has been evident, and is a valuable experience for the Trust. It has enabled the Trust to deliver a high-quality project, which can be utilised by the relevant agencies and may lead to further collaborations in this field with other NGOs and contacts beyond Ireland. By engaging with the university, the research carried out in Inishowen can be published in academic journals, further highlighting the work of the Trust and advancing knowledge of this topic in Ireland. The Consultancy Office allowed the Trust to deal with the administrative aspect of the project separately from the research aspect, ensuring that the project has effectively satisfied the requirements of the funders.” Trish Murphy, Project Officer, Inishowen Rivers Trust
“The technical know-how and support from AIT has been instrumental in gaining support from the wider business to continue the partnership through the next phases and helping bring industry partners on-board to provide support with next steps.” Sean Egan, Global Director of Marketing & Voice of Customer Development, Nelipak
“We approached Mike to develop a material for us that could help solve the global water crisis. Our teams meshed to bridge the gap between academic scientific research with real world product development, engineering and business development.” Kurt Francis, Molecule’s CTO
“The support from the TTO during the initiation of the collaboration and its formalisation into a feasibility study and then through negotiations of IP licenses and further collaborations was fantastic and a key enabler for us. It enabled a clear bridge between an academic and commercial organisation with ambitious commercial plans and allowed an outcome that was beneficial to both parties, while also key to building trust between the parties.” Paul Simpson, Sales Director at DCI
“Collaborative Research with UCD not only led to a breakthrough technology but enabled us to double our workforce, and was transformative for the company’s business model.” John O’Donoghue, CEO ENBIO
“Our projects with IComp have provided us with access to valuable knowledge and expertise which has helped EJ in Ireland become the centre for composite product development and supply to our European customer base.” Dr. Vincent Cooper, Composite and Plastics Product Manager, EJ