SepTec lead the way at Big Ideas awards
DCU Invent spin-out SepTec was this year's big winner at the Enterprise Ireland awards as SepTec's co-founder Kellie Adamson was presented with the “One to Watch Award” at EI's Big Ideas 2018.
SepTec was one of 12 investor-ready start-up companies to pitch their new technology solutions to investors at Enterprise Ireland’s annual showcase of start-up innovation emerging from higher education institutes at the Guinness Storehouse, Dublin.
Kellie Adamsom of SepTec received the award for the outstanding pitch of the day. Each start-up had just three minutes to promote their innovations and business propositions to an invited audience made up of the Irish research and business communities.
SepTec has developed an exciting new solution for rapid, sensitive and cost-effective sepsis diagnosis. Sepsis is the body’s life-threatening immune response to the presence of bacteria in the blood or other infection and can claim lives within hours.
SepTec’s exclusive approach is designed to achieve more rapid and automated pathogen identification in minutes, not hours.
The technology can detect sepsis associated pathogens in whole blood within 15 minutes.
In its 10th year, the Enterprise Ireland’s Big Ideas event illustrates the commercialisation potential of the academic research emerging from Ireland’s higher education system across a range of sectors.
This year’s Big Ideas included software which allows you to de-mix music and separate sound, a new medical device to diagnose concussion in seconds and a breakthrough treatment for pancreatic cancer.
Speaking at the event, Julie Sinnamon, CEO, Enterprise Ireland said:
“Start-up businesses that spin-out from research are the result of successful collaboration between Higher Education, State Agencies, Investors and Business.
These spin-outs are an important source of start-ups for Enterprise Ireland because they tend to be based on disruptive technology, so investors looking to get in early on the next big thing, have come to the right place.
Enterprise Ireland’s Big Ideas event, which is in its 10th year, is a window on world-class research being carried out in academic institutions all over the country.
Many of the companies profiled here have gone on to achieve global success. I warmly congratulate Kellie Adamson from SepTec on winning the “One to Watch’’ Award. We hope to work with the company to help them realise their commercial potential and bring their innovation to new markets”.
The keynote speaker at Big Ideas 2018 was author Mark Gallagher who spent much of his career in Formula One. He provided fascinating insights from the world of motorsport and used his experiences of how the Formula One industry transformed itself to discuss “Business innovation in the fast lane”.
Gearoid Mooney, Divisional Manager, Research and Innovation, Enterprise Ireland added:
“Enterprise Ireland helps shape and develop Ireland’s market-driven research and development capabilities to meet business needs.
We work with research institutes to help with the discovery, protection and transfer of commercially valuable intellectual property, accelerating the process of business start-up and growth.
Many of our former Big Ideas participants have gone on to achieve success. Companies like Artomatix, nearForm and Soapbox Labs have all taken to the Big Ideas stage over the last decade to showcase their innovative propositions to the business community.
Given the quality and business potential of the pitches here today, there is a little doubt that many of these Big Ideas will become profitable ideas in the future.”
Big Ideas 2018 included:
One in 10 people will suffer from Atrial Fibrillation (quivering or irregular heartbeat) during their lifetime - AtriAN Medical has developed a new medical technology to safely and effectively treat the disease by targeting the origin of the problem.
Way2Be is a smartphone and smartwatch navigation solution that helps people with intellectual disabilities to find their way around independently. Saving time and cutting costs,
En-Perium provides real-time information to architects, engineers and builders on compliant design.
Stronger, lighter, cleaner - PlasmaBound is a new and innovative structural adhesive for joining lightweight materials to meet the needs of manufacturers in the automotive, aerospace and mass transport sectors.
Time is critical for the diagnosis of sepsis which affects 30 million people worldwide every year - 8 million die as a result. It can take days to diagnose this life-threatening immune response to the presence of bacteria - SepTec's new technology can detect this deadly infection within 15 mins.
One third of all our food goes to waste. Senoptica Technologies' innovative sensors detect faults in food packaging, helping to reduce food waste and health hazards
Described as being “like Photoshop for music and sound", AudioSourceRE's innovative technology is a breakthrough in sound separation. The technology will de-mix or reverse engineer locked music and audio files without having to access the original recording materials or master tracks.
Prolego Scientific’s algorithms and software solutions can be used to boost the performance of genetic tests and improve breeding values of pedigree animals and crops.
Chemogel offers a new approach to the treatment of pancreatic cancer by increasing patients’ eligibility for surgery.
iTremor's Ocular Microtremor Measurement device detects concussion on the side of the pitch in just 3 seconds.
A new blood-based test for prostate cancer from Atturos will help physicians develop personalised treatment for patients.
Pharmaceutical companies are seeking better ways of capturing the full value of their medication to patients - Cortex Analytics offers a solution.