In 2021, Tyndall National Institute undertook a collaborative project with Irish SME Waggi Connected Pets, under the CALIN (Celtic Advanced Life Science Innovation Network) funding programme. CALIN was a 7-year project under the EU INTERREG program and facilitated innovation and research and development support for Irish and Welsh SMEs by providing funding to support project collaboration between universities and developing startup businesses.

Waggi Connected Pets' mission is to become a global leader in wearable and community-orientated smart technology for pets and their owners. In particular, the company was focused on developing a next generation version of their key product, which would help pet owners find missing pets, track activity & health metrics while allowing seamless recording and sharing of key healthcare information with owners, caregivers and vets.

Through the CALIN programme, Tyndall and Waggi collaborated to review and support Waggi’s current product offering. By the close of the project, Tyndall had designed a tracker hardware unit which addressed the key challenges identified by the Waggi team and developed a bespoke validating firmware to enable continuous testing and further scalable development by the Waggi team. In order to enable access to the IP outputs of this project, UCC Innovation and Waggi entered into an exclusive licence agreement in 2023 after a short negotiation period. This licence agreement provides exclusive access for Waggi to the design verification firmware along with the hardware designs for the next generation tracker.

Waggi is set to launch in 2025, this innovative pet wearable is poised to revolutionize the market, offering unparalleled tracking, health monitoring, and care management features. Whether for dogs or cats Waggi ensures that owners are always connected, informed, and ready to provide the best care possible.

Through the CALIN programme, Tyndall National Institute has supported 30+ Irish SMEs to address their innovation challenges through enabling access to world-leading experts and facilities based in Tyndall.