Cork companies' dissolving drug tech and compostable PPE claim top prizes at €800k Seedcorn awards

ArrayPatch won the Deep Tech category at the prestigious competition

Darren Cunningham, CFO ArrayPatch and Dr Waleed Faisal, ArrayPatch CEO receive their DeepTech award from InterTradeIreland chair Richard Kennedy at the Seedcorn awards.

A Cork-based biotech spinout will get a €130,000 cash investment after winning the InterTradeIreland all-island Seedcorn Investor Readiness Competition for its groundbreaking medical technology.

ArrayPatch won the Deep Tech category at the Seedcorn competition, which had a prize fund of €800,000 for start-up and early stage businesses across Ireland.

ArrayPatch, which spun out from UCC in 2024, won the top award for its drug delivery technology. It is developing DerMap, which uses pain-free dissolving microneedle technology to allow medication to penetrate the skin barrier, dissolve, and release precisely at a target site. The technology bypasses the need for invasive treatments, and has the potential to transform how a whole range of issues are treated, including nail fungal infections, skin cancers, migraines, and metabolic diseases.

“Becoming the overall Seedcorn winner is a tremendous validation of our technology and our vision. ArrayPatch was built to make effective therapies easier, safer and more accessible for patients, and this recognition shows how much potential DerMap has to reshape drug delivery,” said ArrayPatch chief executive Dr Waleed Faisal. “The support we’ve received throughout the Seedcorn competition has sharpened our strategy and accelerated our path towards first-in-human studies. We’re incredibly proud of how far we’ve come, and excited for the next stage of growth.”

InterTradeIreland chair Richard Kennedy presented the B2B award to HaPPE Earth's Dr Mary O’Riordan and Lisa O’Riordan.

ArrayPatch was not the only Cork winner at the awards, with HaPPE Earth taking home €100,000 after winning the business to business (B2B) category. The company makes fully compostable personal protective equipment (PPE), which is then converted into fertiliser. Disposal of medical protective equipment is one of global healthcare’s biggest environmental challenges .

“Winning the B2B category is a huge boost for HaPPE Earth. Healthcare and industrial partners are under huge pressure to cut waste and meet ESG targets, and we are giving them a credible, compliant alternative to single-use plastics,” said HaPPE Earth co-founder and chief executive Dr Mary O’Riordan. “This win and recognition from InterTradeIreland validates that vision and will help us take the next step in scaling our business.” 

Dublin start-up Gigi Supplements won in the business to consumer (B2C) category for its science-backed supplements designed to support female hormonal health, including its debut product, the PMS & Hormone Balance Blend. “Gigi Supplements was born out of our own experiences, and this recognition from InterTradeIreland shows how powerful it is when women’s health is prioritised and backed by science. The prize will support us as we take Gigi to the next stage as we expand into the UK,” said co-founder and CEO Jennie Haire.

Slice of Life, a Dublin-based food start-up company, won the Impact Award, taking home €20,000. The company has created a healthier pizza which gives you three of your five a day.

This year’s Seedcorn final was contested by 12 regional finalists from across the island of Ireland. “This year’s overall winner, ArrayPatch epitomises the very best of what businesses across the island of Ireland have to offer and we are proud to support them at this early and very important stage of their development,” said InterTradeIreland chief executive Margaret Hearty. “The broad spectrum of businesses that participated in this year’s InterTradeIreland Seedcorn competition highlights the strength and vitality of the entrepreneurial ecosystem across the island. Each year, the competition attracts innovative start-ups and early-stage companies operating at the forefront of their respective sectors, and this year has been no exception.”

InterTradeIreland is the all-island economic development agency which helps businesses across the island to trade cross-border, collaborate, and attract investment, identifying opportunities for growth. To date they have supported over 57,000 businesses and generated €1.8bn in business development value.

Jennie Haire and Lisa Hughes of Gigi Supplements accept their B2C prize from InterTradeIreland's Richard Kennedy.