Enterprise Ireland showcase helps inventors tap into potential investors

Technologies capable of raising IQ, improving hygiene in hospitals, halving hot water bills, and reducing horse-breeding costs were among the “big ideas” pitched to investors by Enterprise Ireland.

Enterprise Ireland’s Big Ideas Showcase at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium introduced 19 inventors and inventions — developed by publicly-funded research — to more than 300 possible investors and business partners attended yesterday’s event.

Minister for state for research and innovation, Seán Sherlock, said: “The Government is striving to create the right environment where ideas can be identified, protected, and commercialised, leading to the creation of much-needed jobs for this economy.

“Since 2007, Enterprise Ireland has provided €30m under the Technology Transfer Strengthening Initiative to the third-level sector and this is having a real and tangible effect.

“This event is about turning publicly-funded research into companies, spin-outs, intellectual pro-perty, and jobs. It’s about cultivating the investment by the taxpayer in our third-level institutions and harvesting the rewards.”

Greg Treston, head of research and innovation at Enterprise Ireland, said: “The focus of the Big Ideas event is to get deals down between the inventors and investors during the 150+ one-to-one meetings that take place.

“A key part of our strategy for economic growth and job creation is to support and invest in Irish research capability and the commercialisation of this research.”

Three awards were made, honouring individuals for their work on the commercialisation of research projects: UCC’s Dr Alan Holland, UCD’s Dr Dolores O’Riordan, and DCU’s Stephen Daniels were honoured.

The event follows up on Enterprise Ireland’s international investor forum in London, which it said had the potential to attract combined funding of around €10m for hi-tech start-ups based here.