Enterprise Ireland today announced it has awarded €1.3m to three projects through its Commercialisation Fund. Each project will receive over €400,000.

Enterprise Ireland says the Commercialisation Fund provides a mechanism through which researchers can transform their ideas into commercially relevant businesses.

Enterprise Ireland has been working with third-level researchers for a decade on their journey as they seek to bring commercially relevant technology out of the lab and into the marketplace.

The three projects, all of which are led by women, which have been awarded funding are:

• StarMAT Technologies - star-shaped polypeptide materials for biomedical applications, led by Principal Investigator, Professor Sally Ann Cryan, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences.
• Adjuvenate - A platform solution for improved subunit vaccines, led by Principal Investigator, Associate Professor, Aisling Dunne, Trinity College Dublin;
• Development of gene therapies for common retinal disorders, led by Principal Investigator, Professor Jane Farrar, Trinity College Dublin.

Prior to the awarding of this funding, all three projects also received €15,000 from Enterprise Ireland to conduct commercial feasibility studies.

Commenting on the fund, Senior Commercialisation Specialist with Enterprise Ireland, Eithne McShane said, "We are delighted that the projects which have been awarded funding are all women-led. The medical research being undertaken by each of their teams will be looking at issues such as infectious diseases, adult blindness and drug delivery. We have seen in recent months the importance of medical research and look forward to assisting each on their journey to the marketplace with the ultimate goal of improving lives."

Source: www.businessworld.ie