UCC launches Entrepreneur in Residence programme

12 Feb 2024

• In line with the University’s strategic goal of developing an innovative culture and entrepreneurial campus, UCC’s Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) programme will support the University in promoting and encouraging entrepreneurial activity among UCC staff, students and graduates.
• UCC has developed and is nurturing an entrepreneurial ecosystem that aims to encourage, create and support fifty new ventures in the next two years.

University College Cork (UCC) has launched its new Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) programme.

Led by UCC Innovation, the EIR programme aims to promote and encourage entrepreneurial activity among UCC staff, students and graduates. UCC has developed and is nurturing an entrepreneurial ecosystem that aims to encourage, create and support 50 new ventures in the next two years.

UCC’s EIR programme has recruited five experienced external entrepreneurs, who will broaden the entrepreneurial advice, mentorship and experience available to students, graduates and staff of the University who wish to launch or grow their new ventures.

UCC’s five Entrepreneurs in Residence are:

• Deirdre Mortell - founding CEO of Rethink Ireland, and a serial social entrepreneur
• Donal Daly - founder, CEO, and executive chairman of various technology and consulting companies with a keen interest in sustainability.
• Rick Livesey - neuroscientist and scientific founder and CEO of Talisman Therapeutics
• Liz Shanahan - life sciences entrepreneur with extensive experience advising leading global pharmaceutical and healthcare organisations.
• Ray Alcorn – engineer, and CEO at Exceedence Ltd and renewable energy business specialist.

These entrepreneurs are all either former staff or alumni of UCC and bring a broad range and depth of expertise to potential founders within the UCC ecosystem.

Speaking at the launch, Prof John Cryan, Vice President for Research and Innovation at UCC said: “As part of UCC’s strategic goal of creating an innovation culture and entrepreneurial campus, we are thrilled to be launching our Entrepreneur in Residence programme. Many of our Entrepreneurs in Residence are leaders in the areas of sustainability and re-imagining and addressing the complex societal, environmental, and political challenges faced across the world – which are two key thematic areas of our ambitious UCC Futures programme. We look forward to working with them.” 

Dr Sally Cudmore, Director of UCC Innovation said: “We are delighted to launch UCC’s Entrepreneur in Residence programme, as a further step to enhancing UCC’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Our five Entrepreneurs in Residence, all of whom are seasoned and experienced executives with expertise in establishing and scaling companies, will assist UCC Innovation in our aim of supporting 50 new ventures in the next 2 years. We are delighted to have such a strong cohort of Entrepreneurs in Residence who are willing to share their experience, have a passion for working with students and staff and are motivated to give back to a university that helped to shape their successful careers.”  

Kevin Dalton, Commercialisation Case Manager and EIR Programme Manager said: “UCC’s Entrepreneurs in Residence bring domain expertise and extensive professional networks which our students, graduates, and staff can leverage to accelerate the translation of promising ideas and emerging technologies into new ventures. We look forward to working closely with this impressive first cohort who are giving generously of their time for which we are extremely grateful.”

To learn more about UCC’s Entrepreneur in Residence programme, visit this link.