The AgTechUCD Innovation Centre recently announced the twelve start-ups selected for its second accelerator programme dedicated to early-stage AgTech and Agri-food start-ups with global potential.
Three Dublin-based start-ups, Biotec, RialtoLabs and Well Spent Grain, are among the start-ups selected for the programme.
Biotec provides independent thermal process validation services to the Irish food sector. Biotec has developed a machine learning algorithm that can be used as an early warning food safety management system for food companies to minimise food safety issues. Founders Professor Francis Butler, UCD Centre for Food Safety, UCD School of Biosystems and Food Engineering and Dr Fergal Tansey are taking part in the programme.
RialtoLabs has developed an artificial intelligence solution to take traditional lab analysis into the field and offer the results in near real-time at the point of measurement. Founder Joseph McMahon is taking part in the programme.
Well Spent Grain is focused on creating high-quality and value-added food products, such as snack bites, from brewers’ spent grain providing a win-win solution for breweries and consumers to positively impact climate change. Founder Sunkyung Choi is taking part in the programme.
The other participating start-ups are based in Cork, Kildare, Kilkenny, Sligo, Tipperary, Waterford and Westmeath.
The 2022 AgTechUCD Agccelerator Programme, which has just commenced, is an intensive 12-week programme, tailored to address the particular needs and challenges facing start-ups in the AgTech and Agri-food sectors. It is focused on fast tracking the business development and leadership skills of participants and to provide them with the support and guidance needed to accelerate their start-ups in Ireland and internationally.
The programme includes dedicated business development workshops and investor readiness training, mentoring from industry experts and business advisors, guest speakers and facilitated introductions to AgTechUCD’s venture capital and business angel networks.
Niamh Collins, Director, AgTechUCD Innovation Centre “The cohort of start-ups selected to take part in our second Agccelerator programme are developing disruptive innovations with global potential in the wider AgTech sector. We now look forward to the next 12 weeks when we will focus on supporting the commercial development of the participating start-ups.”
She added, “Through the AgTechUCD Agccelerator Programme we will also be working with the participants to help enhance their visibility in the marketplace, attract new customers and investors and forge new partnerships at home and internationally.”
She concluded, “AgTechUCD has established key relationships with strategic players in the agtech and foodtech sectors in Ireland, Europe and in the US, which will leverage to support the participating start-ups to launch or scale their products or services into existing and new territories.”
AgTechUCD, based at UCD Lyons Farm and part of NovaUCD, is focused on promoting and accelerating the launch and scaling of start-ups and SMEs, in Ireland and internationally, with disruptive innovations in the AgTech, Agri-food and VetTech sectors, as they build their innovative businesses into leading companies on the global stage.
AgTechUCD, funded through the Regional Enterprise Development Fund administered by Enterprise Ireland, supports founding entrepreneurs as they build their innovative businesses into leading enterprises, though the AgTechUCD Agccelerator Programme, and by providing access to incubation space and to on-farm testing for new products and services at UCD Lyons Farm.
The 2022 AgTechUCD Agccelerator Programme will conclude next January when participating start-ups will pitch their businesses to a panel of investors.
Partners on the 2022 AgTechUCD Agccelerator Programme, include, Enterprise Ireland, AIB, The Yield Lab Europe, Devenish, Carbery, Ornua, HerdWatch, IFAC, Thrive/SVG Ventures and The Virtual Vet who are supporting the programme.
