Six emerging University College Dublin (UCD) start-ups, which between them are seeking to raise €6.5 million in investment, are set to pitch their business ideas at the 2018 UCD VentureLaunch Accelerator Programme Showcase and Awards.
The overall objective of the 3-month UCD VentureLaunch Accelerator Programme, which is delivered at NovaUCD, is to support the creation, and to accelerate the launch, of sustainable and profitable new ventures based on intellectual property emerging from UCD.
The participating start-ups are Illumino, Kogii, NAIAD, Output Sports, Pace-Man and ProvEye. During the Awards event the founders of the six participating start-ups will each deliver an elevator pitch to an audience comprising members of Ireland’s venture capital, research, state agencies, industry and business communities.
An overall winner, selected by an external evaluation panel, will be presented with the 2018 UCD Start-up of the Year Award. The winner will also receive a cheque for €10,000 and a professional services package to the value of €10,000.
These prizes are sponsored by AIB, Bryan Maguire Business Consulting and Deloitte. The overall winner will also receive incubation space at NovaUCD to the value of €12,000.
Nicola McClafferty, Investment Director, Draper Esprit, will be the guest speaker at the event. Draper Esprit is one of Europe's most active VCs and backers of Irish successes Movidius and Clavis Insights. Nicola McClafferty, a UCD graduate, worked in venture capital before founding Covetique, an online marketplace for pre-owned luxury fashion which was acquired by ASOS in 2015.
Source: www.businessworld.ie
