NovaUCD launches its 2008 Campus Company Development Programme (CDDP) next week with 11 new high-tech and knowledge-intensive start-ups.
The programme is now in its 13th year and 130 companies and 190 individuals have completed the enterprise programme, run by University College Dublin’s Innovation and Technology Transfer Centre, NovaUCD. Former participants in the programme now collectively employ over 675 people. Previous participating companies include Celtic Catalysts, ChangingWorlds, CRDS, Haptica, Locumotion and TopChem.
The new enterprises will bring their innovative ideas from intellectual concepts to fully developed and sound commercial business enterprises.
Ventures participating on this year’s programme are commercialising academic research undertaken in disciplines such as biomolecular and biomedical science, bioprocessing engineering, electronic engineering, physics and physiotherapy.
“The establishment of new high-tech ventures is an essential element in realising the full commercial potential of the significant investment in university research and development being made by the Government,” commented Dr Pat Frain, director, NovaUCD. “Clearly, programmes such as the CCDP have a major role to play in converting research-generated ideas into innovative new ventures.
“The 675 jobs resulting from the CCDP demonstrates the potential contribution of university research to the creation of high-quality employment.”
The CCDP is a nine-month, part-time programme designed to suit the busy timetable of researchers and academics. It offers a mix of monthly workshops, mentoring and one-to-one consultancy and is delivered by NovaUCD staff, with support from the NovaUCD sponsors, Enterprise Ireland, as well as other outside experts.
NovaUCD has over 40 incubation units, including bio-incubation units, and provides innovators and entrepreneurs with the necessary support and knowledge to take their ideas from proof of principle to commercial success. Some 22 knowledge-intensive companies are currently located in NovaUCD. The centre has been funded through a unique public-private partnership that includes AIB Bank, Arthur Cox, Deloitte, Enterprise Ireland, Ericsson, Goodbody Stockbrokers, UCD and Xilinx.
By Niall Byrne
