ideaslab Archives | Lisa Regan PR

Celebrating Belonging with University of Galway’s IdeasLab

March 11, 2024

University of Galway’s IdeasLab celebrated International Women’s Day with an event, themed ‘Belonging,’ which brought together a diverse lineup of speakers and panellists to highlight the unique experiences and journeys of women in Ireland, as well as to promote inclusivity and equality.

08/03/2024 repro free: Celebrating Belonging on International Women’s Day: University of Galway’s IdeasLab Hosts Empowering Event The University of Galway’s IdeasLab celebrated International Women’s Day with a special event in the heart of Galway City in the Druid Theatre. The event, themed “Belonging,” brought together a diverse lineup of speakers and panelists to highlight the unique experiences and journeys of women in Ireland, as well as to promote inclusivity and equality. Keynote speaker Emer O’Neill, a well-known presenter and advocate, led an engaging discussion with a panel of female students from IdeasLab’s CreateHER programme. The panel delved into the multifaceted experiences of women in Ireland, inspiring thought-provoking conversations and reflections. The event also featured the comedic stylings of Áine Gallagher, bringing laughter and light-heartedness to the occasion. Dr. Helen Maher, Vice President for Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion at the University of Galway shared her insights and perspectives on fostering inclusivity and equality in higher education and the important role we have in society for society. The event marked the final celebration of the CreateHERprogramme, a pioneering initiative that empowers and supports female undergraduate students to explore and consider innovation, entrepreneurship, and leadership in their personal and professional lives. The programme achieves this through round table workshops, mentorship, and networking opportunities, which has since its launch early in 2022,created a vibrant community of empowered and skilled future female leaders and innovators. The participants involved in the CreateHER programme also have the unique opportunity to shadow and learn from influential female leaders in various industries, underscoring the programme’s commitment to providing practical guidance and real-world experience from all sectors across our city and region. The message is that by empowering and su

Keynote speaker Emer O’Neill, a well-known presenter and advocate, led an engaging discussion with a panel of female students from IdeasLab’s CreateHER programme. The panel delved into the multifaceted experiences of women in Ireland, inspiring thought-provoking conversations, and reflections.

The event also featured the comedic stylings of Áine Gallagher, bringing laughter and light-heartedness to the occasion. Dr. Helen Maher, Vice President for Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion at the University of Galway shared her insights and perspectives on fostering inclusivity and equality in higher education and the important role we have in society for society.

The event marked the final celebration of the CreateHER programme, a pioneering initiative that empowers and supports female undergraduate students to explore and consider innovation, entrepreneurship, and leadership in their personal and professional lives. The programme achieves this through round table workshops, mentorship, and networking opportunities, which has since its launch early in 2022, created a vibrant community of empowered and skilled future female leaders and innovators.

The participants involved in the CreateHER programme also have the unique opportunity to shadow and learn from influential female leaders in various industries, underscoring the programme’s commitment to providing practical guidance and real-world experience from all sectors across our city and region.

08/03/2024 repro free: Áine Gallagher, Comedian Celebrating Belonging on International Women’s Day: University of Galway’s IdeasLab Hosts Empowering Event The University of Galway’s IdeasLab celebrated International Women’s Day with a special event in the heart of Galway City in the Druid Theatre. The event, themed “Belonging,” brought together a diverse lineup of speakers and panelists to highlight the unique experiences and journeys of women in Ireland, as well as to promote inclusivity and equality. Keynote speaker Emer O’Neill, a well-known presenter and advocate, led an engaging discussion with a panel of female students from IdeasLab’s CreateHER programme. The panel delved into the multifaceted experiences of women in Ireland, inspiring thought-provoking conversations and reflections. The event also featured the comedic stylings of Áine Gallagher, bringing laughter and light-heartedness to the occasion. Dr. Helen Maher, Vice President for Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion at the University of Galway shared her insights and perspectives on fostering inclusivity and equality in higher education and the important role we have in society for society. The event marked the final celebration of the CreateHERprogramme, a pioneering initiative that empowers and supports female undergraduate students to explore and consider innovation, entrepreneurship, and leadership in their personal and professional lives. The programme achieves this through round table workshops, mentorship, and networking opportunities, which has since its launch early in 2022,created a vibrant community of empowered and skilled future female leaders and innovators. The participants involved in the CreateHER programme also have the unique opportunity to shadow and learn from influential female leaders in various industries, underscoring the programme’s commitment to providing practical guidance and real-world experience from all sectors across our city and region. The message i

The message is that by empowering and supporting each other as women from diverse backgrounds and experiences, these young women will build a network of support that will grow with them as they progress in life. A belief that reaffirms the University of Galway’s commitment to nurturing a diverse, inclusive, and equitable environment for all.

Jenny Mullery, Head of Engagement for IdeasLab said, “This is our 3rd iteration of CreateHer. Taking the feedback from the participants and contributors, the programme is growing and going from strength to strength. Providing undergraduates with the opportunity to connect with themselves, industry and the community is vital to give them the confidence to be the innovators and leaders in their chosen fields.

Speaking of the event theme and the CreateHER programme, Emer O’Neill said, “Ní neart go cur le chéile, with unity comes strength and more than ever before we need to remind each other to be kind and share love and positivity”.

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University of Galway unveils President’s Award for Innovation and Entrepreneurship to foster student excellence

December 4, 2023

University of Galway President, Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh has launched the newly introduced President’s Award for Innovation and Entrepreneurship that recognises and celebrates the achievements of University of Galway students in the realms of entrepreneurship and innovation.

It was officially launched as he formally opened the IdeasLab Space on campus, marking the institution’s commitment to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship among its student body. IdeasLab is University of Galway’s student innovation hub. It is an open collaborative space designed to enable students to explore ideas and personalise their entrepreneurial and innovative skillset to succeed in the complex world beyond university.

The award features three tiers of achievement, namely Bronze, Silver, and Gold. Students who complete one IdeasLab programme during their degree are eligible for the Bronze tier, while those who successfully complete two programmes earn the Silver tier. The highest honour, the Gold tier, is reserved for students who undertake more than two programmes or complete the IdeasLab’s summer incubator programme ‘Start100’.

The President’s Award for Innovation and Entrepreneurship has been designed to acknowledge the pivotal role that student-driven innovation and entrepreneurship play in shaping Ireland’s future. By providing a structured framework for the development of these skills, the University aims to enhance the overall student experience and prepare its graduates for industry.

“We believe that students who develop innovative thinking and entrepreneurial skills play a crucial role in enriching their communities, advancing knowledge, and building a good society,” said Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh. “The President’s Award for Innovation and Entrepreneurship reflects our commitment to cultivating our students’ capacities to become agents and architects of positive change and aligns with our values and our commitment to investing in the social, economic and intellectual development of our communities, nationally and internationally.”

The formal opening of the IdeasLab Space symbolises the University’s dedication to creating an environment that nurtures creativity, collaboration, and transformative ideas. This space is a vibrant hub where students can bring their innovative concepts to life, collaborate with like-minded peers, and receive mentorship from industry experts.

Natalie Walsh, Director of Entrepreneurial Development stated that ‘Today is a milestone moment for innovation in our university as we formally launch our student innovation space IdeasLab and our new President’s Award for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The space and new awards programme demonstrate our commitment to empowering students as catalysts for positive change and equip them with the skills and competences to succeed in their futures’. For more information go to www.universityofgalway.ie/ideaslab.

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University of Galway IdeasLab Start100 programme celebrates student entrepreneurs

July 7, 2023

LambCam were named overall winners with Glow by Chlo Cosmetics recognised as the ‘One to Watch’

LambCam, a software to help farmers monitor sheep’s behaviour during lambing season, has been named the winner of the University of Galway IdeasLab’s 2023 Start100 student entrepreneurship programme University of Galway.

The highly acclaimed Start100 programme, showcased the innovative ideas of 12 teams of aspiring student entrepreneurs. The final event saw teams pitch their unique ideas to an expert panel of judges from academia, research, industry, and enterprise at a special showcase event on campus in front of an audience of students, mentors, enterprise and University of Galway staff.

The winning entry of the 2023 Start100 programme was LambCam securing €5,000 in funding. Glow by Chlo Cosmetics were recognised with the ‘One to Watch’ award, affirming their potential for future success.

The Start100 programme is an intensive six-week programme run out of University of Galway’s IdeasLab – the student innovation hub, open to all disciplines, located at the heart of the campus. Start100 connects students into a thriving community of innovators and entrepreneurs across Ireland and culminates at this showcase, where each team presents their ideas.

This year, the varied group of student entrepreneurs had ideas ranging from an app designed to improve your rowing capabilities to beauty and skincare products.

Teams underwent a transformative entrepreneurial journey, nurturing their ideas and focusing on how to best leverage their network and funding opportunities for future success. With the guidance and support of mentors, speakers and the vibrant startup ecosystem in Galway and across the country, the students developed and validated their business models, developed their networking skills and built a peer-to-peer community to support one another to develop and grow.

Professor Pól Ó Dochartaigh, University of Galway Deputy President and Registrar, said: “University of Galway is committed to transforming our values of excellence, respect, sustainability and openness into actions and deeds. Today we witnessed that first hand through our students in their pursuit of societal impact through enterprising ideas. The University, in partnership with our business community, plays a crucial role in nurturing their growth and supporting our people and our planet and we are incredibly proud of our student entrepreneurs.”

Dr Natalie Walsh, Director of Entrepreneurial Development at University of Galway, said: “We are excited to see a surge in interest in entrepreneurship across our campus. The Start100 teams have truly impressed us with their exceptional quality and innovative ideas, serving as a testament to the remarkable success of the programme. We are committed to leveraging our achievements and exploring new collaborative partnerships to maximize opportunities for our student entrepreneurs.”

The judging panel for the final event included: University of Galway Vice-President Engagement Dr Paul Dodd; Chief Executive of Complete Laboratory Solutions (CLS) and scientist Evelyn O’Toole: one of Ireland’s leading financial advisors and internationally recognised Certified Financial Planner Paul Merriman; one of the Top 100 Women in STEM in Ireland and Partner at Atlantic Bridge – Kauffman Fellow Helen McBreen; and Aerogen Chief Executive and founder John Power.

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Award winning entrepreneurial program kicks off at University of Galway

June 14, 2023

IdeasLab Start100 to show impact that can happen in just 100 days

University of Galway IdeasLab has taken home gold for their Start100 Program in the Entrepreneurship at universities category at the University Industry Innovation Network (UIIN) Conference held earlier this month in Budapest. IdeasLab’s Start100 Program which supports entrepreneurial students to take their idea to impact in 100 days was acknowledged for its great emphasis on peer-to-peer learning and support, and showcases stories from across the entrepreneurial spectrum to create relatable and achievable role models.

Based in the heart of University of Galway campus, IdeasLab are back with their six-week student incubator programme, Start100. Now in its second year, this year there are 12 teams who are embarking on an entrepreneurial journey with the aim of taking their innovative idea to the next step.

‘Within a year Start100 has been embraced by our entire ecosystem and the support we are receiving from mentors, judges and our community is a testament to the importance of nurturing innovation and entrepreneurship in Universities. This year we have increased our number of projects to 12 based on the huge demand for Start100 from our incredible students. We have ideas that span digital health and sports, skincare, AI, agriculture and sustainability. We are looking forward to showcasing our entrepreneurs at our demo day on the 29^th of June’ Dr Natalie Walsh, Director of Entrepreneurial Development, University of Galway.

Throughout the programme Start100 teams will have the chance to hone their business model and connect into a vibrant startup ecosystem. Start100 will link students with a bank of University of Galway Alumni, mentors, and speakers to inspire, advise and support the next generation of entrepreneurs.

This programme also connects students into a thriving community of innovators and entrepreneurs across Ireland. This year, the varied group of student entrepreneurs have ideas ranging- from an app designed to improve your rowing capabilities to beauty and skincare products.

The programme began in May, and will culminate on June 29th, 2023, where the participants will showcase and pitch their business ideas to a panel of expert judges. Each team participating will receive funding of €4,000 to aid them in the development of their innovative idea. The overall winning team of the Start100 programme will receive a further €5,000, and the runners-up will receive a further €1,000. AskPaul.ie is sponsoring the overall prize fund of €6,000 for the final event this year.

Within Start100 the judges play a crucial role in selecting the overall winner and runners-up of the Start100 programme. The judges are experts in their respective fields, with a wealth of experience in entrepreneurship, innovation, and venture capital.

The Judges for IdeasLab’s Start100 Summer Accelerator programme include VP for Engagement with the University of Galway Paul Dodd, CEO of Complete Laboratory Solutions (CLS) and scientist, Evelyn O’Toole, One of Ireland’s leading financial advisors and internationally recognised CFP® (Certified Financial Planner), Paul Merriman CFP®, One of the Top 100 Women in STEM in Ireland, Partner at Atlantic Bridge – Kauffman Fellow Helen McBreen and Aerogen CEO and founder John Power.

Start100 is funded by the Government of Ireland Human Capital initiative

For more on IdeasLab and Start100 teams for 2023 check out https://www.universityofgalway.ie/ideaslab/.

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More on Start100:

Start100 supports entrepreneurial teams to take their idea to impact in 100 days. The program revolves around five key pillars:

• Networking (peer-to-peer and external)

• Matched mentorship

• Workshops (pitching, financial literacy, introduction to local ecosystem)

• Support (from program hosts and one another)

• Storytelling (from existing entrepreneurial role models).

testimonial

Communication Strategy for IdeasLab University of Galway

March 27, 2023

Building our community within and outside the University of Galway has been priority for IdeasLab over the past 12months. Lisa has supported us in understanding how important our mission, vison and communications are in this process. Understanding these elements from the unit perspective but also how our personal profiles impact on our community has been insightful. Lisa has successfully helped us grow and connect with a broad community in Galway city and beyond and we are now equipped to nurture and grow this community even further in the next 12 months.

Jenny Mullery University of Galway IdeasLab

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MC and Moderator for IdeasLab IWD CreateHER event 2023

March 27, 2023

Lisa Regan recently MC’d our CreateHER finale in the Druid Theatre in Galway city. Her commitment to the event from the outset was evident and she supported us in the venue selection to ensure the right atmosphere, worked with us on running order, theme and stage set up. Lisa captured the essence and feel of the event we were trying hold. Through her research, thoughtful questions and inclusive style she brought our vision to life, for what was a night us and the audience will remember for a long time. Although Lisa had one role on the night she gave so much more to the entire event than we could have asked for.

Jenny Mullery University of Galway IdeasLab

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IdeasLab name ICTUS Medical and IRIS as Start100 winners for 2022

July 12, 2022

Celebrating student entrepreneurs Start100 showcase allows students to pitch investible ideas and innovations

IdeasLab, the entrepreneurial and innovation hub at NUI Galway, has announced as the inaugural Start100 winners for 2022.

ICTUS Medical and IRIS were crowned the winners of the inaugural Start100 programme from NUI Galway’s IdeasLab.

ICTUS Medical received the overall award for Start100, with IRIS receiving the One to Watch award.

Nine teams of students presented at a special showcase event bringing their innovative ideas to a panel of judges from the worlds of academia, research, industry and enterprise after an intensive six-week programme hosted by IdeasLab.

IdeasLab launched their new student incubator programme, Start100 earlier this year. Start100 helps students with an early-stage concept to transform their ideas into potentially investible innovations.

The Start100 programme provides physical space, key networking opportunities, expert mentorship from alumni and enterprise, as well as a support fund of over €40,000. Students have access to funds to research and develop their idea throughout the programme, and have the chance to win a final event prize fund.

ICTUS Medical is spearheaded by Peter Best-Lydon, a Galway native and recent Biomedical Engineering graduate, and Ciarán McDermott, a final year student in Electronic Engineering. They are developing a painless monitoring device that empowers stroke survivors to take control of their health by detecting sleeping strokes.

“We are absolutely delighted to win. Start100 has been a massive help to us with all of the connections that we have made,” Peter Best-Lydon said. “There is a buzz every week in IdeasLab and it was great to get a sense of working in a start-up. We are really looking forward to making a significant impact to the patient.’’

The One to Watch prize was awarded to IRIS, which was co-founded by Keelan Rowley and Michael Dillon, both recent graduates of NUI Galway’s BSc in Project and Construction Management.

IRIS is a safety device that helps detect the presence of people and animals from machinery like Tractors, Diggers, Dumpers. A cost-effective device that saves lives and families. Winning this award will allow Michael and Keelan to focus on prototyping and validating their idea.

President of NUI Galway, Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh launched the showcase event.

“At NUI Galway, our values – respect, openness, excellence and sustainability – are what define us and more importantly we strive to see them become not just words but actions and deeds. Supporting students on a journey of societal impact through enterprising ideas is part of that mission for the public good. It’s a great encouragement to see young people finding solutions to problems through innovation, ideas and solutions and also to see them being supported in that journey by our educators, our university community, and our civic and business networks,” Professor Ó hÓgartaigh said.

The difficult decision of selecting the most investable idea was made by a diverse judging panel representing some of Irelands best and brightest entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and academics. The panel for the final showcase included: Dr Helen McBreen, Partner Atlantic Bridge; Professor Michelle Millar, Dean of Students at NUI Galway; Dr Paul Dodd, Vice President Engagement, NUI Galway; Dr Vanessa Creaven Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Spotlight Oral Care; and Finn Hegarty, Co-Founder and Chief Procurement Officer at GloFox.

Dr Natalie Walsh, Director of Entrepreneurial Development at NUI Galway, said: “In recent years, we have seen some fantastic student entrepreneurs create global businesses in the west of Ireland. Through Start100 we now have a platform to support more students to achieve this type of success through the creation of commercial and social enterprises. Start100 is the first student incubator to launch in the University, designed with former and current students, our alumni and enterprise partners, we are incredibly proud to see Start100 come to life on our campus.”

A summary of nine projects showcased at the event included:

I Said Speak – An information awareness video that delves into Ireland’s drink culture among students

Receipt Relay – A customer insights software for retail and hospitality chains using point of sale and consumer app integrations

IRIS – A safety device that helps detect the presence of people and animals from farm machinery – saving lives and families

Matán Marketing – Digital marketing for gyms

Scrunch-UP – An anti-spike scrunchie for university students

ThoughtGarden – Self-administered CBT mobile game to reduce anxiety and depression

DataPals.io – A data-driven e-commerce agency that builds and optimises high-performance Shopify stores

Struts.app – An application that facilitates the remote capture of patient’s foot scan data using just a smart phone

ICTUS Medical – A painless monitoring device that empowers stroke survivors to take control of their health by detecting sleeping strokes

For more information check out

http://www.nuigalway.ie/Ideaslab

Or follow IdeasLab on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/company/nui-galway-ideaslab/

Twitter:https://twitter.com/IdeasLabNUIG

Instagram @IdeasLabNUIG

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About IdeasLab

IdeasLab at NUI Galway is an open collaborative environment for the campus community to explore and accelerate ideas. Programmes are open to all students from any year or course. Whether meeting new people, developing skills, working to solve global challenges or setting up a business is your aim, IdeasLab is the place to start.

Start100 is funded by the Human Capital Initiative (Government of Ireland) and the European Institute of Technology HEI Initiative.

Start100 Media

Quotes

Helen McBreen – Judge from Atlantic Bridge – Quote on all Start100 presentations

Through Start100 the student teams gained the experience and tools needed to build a business and that came across in spades in their presentations. The passion that came across in all of the presentations was huge. The friends that the student teams have built by engaging with one another and networking is fantastic. The impact of all of the ideas was impressive, every team spoke about huge problems in their target markets and spoke with passion, like most entrepreneurs do. The Start100 teams had a great understanding of the problems in their target markets and the need to solve them.

Helen McBreen quote on One to watch – IRIS

IRIS were our One to Watch in terms of the impact, the passion of their presentation, the teamwork involved throughout and the transformation from week one to week six of Start100

Helen McBreen quote on Overall Winners – ICTUS Medical

There is a huge market ahead for this winning team and their technology around stroke detection. It is very early days and there is a lot of road to go, there is going to be a lot of head winds, a lot of tail winds and challenges but this team clearly presented and demonstrated how they progressed over the 6 week Start100 programme. ICTUS Medical presented a clear plan for the years ahead and the work that they will have to do to bring their technology into the stroke market was very impressive.

Vanessa Creaven – Spotlight Oral Care – Judge – On both winning teams

In the overall competition the winning team really stood out in terms of their passion and ingenuity. ICTUS Medical have a huge opportunity to make a real difference on an individual patient level but also on the healthcare service as a whole. They presented a very structured and thoughtful plan and were seriously impressive Start100 participants. Both ICTUS Medical, as overall winners and ‘One to Watch’ IRIS were really patient focussed and would make a huge difference to the quality of life of patients.

President of NUI Galway, Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh on Start100

At NUI Galway, our values – respect, openness, excellence and sustainability – are what define us and more importantly we strive to see them become not just words but actions and deeds. Supporting students on a journey of societal impact through enterprising ideas is part of that mission for the public good. It’s a great encouragement to see young people finding solutions to problems through innovation, ideas and solutions and also to see them being supported in that journey by our educators, our university community, and our civic and business networks

Natalie Walsh IdeasLab quote on Start100

In recent years, we have seen some fantastic student entrepreneurs create global businesses in the west of Ireland. Through Start100 we now have a platform to support more students to achieve this type of success through the creation of commercial and social enterprises. Start100 is the first student incubator to launch in the University, designed with former and current students, our alumni and enterprise partners, we are incredibly proud to see Start100 come to life on our campus.

Peter Best-Lydon of overall winning team ICTUS Medical

Absolutely delighted to win. Start100 has been a massive help to us with all of the connections that we have made. There is a buzz every week in IdeasLab and it was great to get a sense of working in a start-up. We are really looking forward to making a significant impact to the patient.

IRIS – One to Watch

Michael Dillon

Start100 was a great programme. We really learned a lot and the lecturers that came in provided us with great insider information and helped us plan how we will expand our business. This prize really means a lot and will help us towards prototyping and field testing our design.

Keelan Rowley

Start100 has been critical in the development of our product. From the very beginning we were mentored throughout the entire process of the 6 week programme. We had brilliant tutors and lecturers. Winning this prize will be very important for our prototyping and validating the solution we have developed.