BRIDGE NETWORK CONSORTIUM OF LEADING IRISH UNIVERSITIES & INSTITUTIONS ANNOUNCE WEBINAR SUPPORTING THE COMMERCIALISATION OF RESEARCH CREATING JOBS AND BOOSTING THE ECONOMY

November 27th: UCC Innovation today announced details of its Innaugural ‘virtual’ Bridge Network Event ‘Bridging to Impact’.

Experts to showcase Impact through Innovation in virtual webinar

The Bridge Network is Ireland’s largest technology transfer consortium which brings together researchers and innovators from University College Cork, Teagasc and Cork Institute of Technology and the Institute of Technology Tralee soon to be MTU to support the commercialisation of research. Research Collaboration at the public research – industry interface is a key driver in the development of Ireland’s knowledge transfer system, supporting innovators and entrepreneurs and ultimately creating jobs and boosting the economy. 

The webinar will showcase some compelling examples of research and Innovation collaboration with Industry partners with four superb case studies featured including Boston Scientific, Alcon, Wild Atlantic Health and Anabio Technologies Ltd. The esteemed keynote speaker for the event is Michelle Collins, Head of Nutrition and Sustainability Innovation at Glanbia who will be interviewed by MC Newstalk and RTE presenter Jonathan Healy. Michelle Collins brings an important insight into the benefits of innovation for companies and will be providing some excellent advice to other companies interested in working with public research organisations, amongst other topics.

VP of Research and Innovation, UCC Professor Anita Maguire and Chair of the Bridge Network Governance Group today commented;

‘’In these difficult and challenging times , I believe it is more important than ever to celebrate the impact of the Bridge Network Consortium. Its important role in supporting partnerships with industry, and licensing technology will continue into the future, positively impacting the economy and creating high value jobs’’

Director of Innovation, UCC and Bridge Network Consortium Lead, Dr Rich Ferrie added;

‘’Our consortium works tirelessly to optimize the knowledge transfer process and ensure our partnerships with industry are successful . Our  ‘Bridging to Impact’ webinar will showcase four striking examples of research collaborations, each with partners committed to launching important innovative products, such as our work with Boston Scientifics with whom we have developed novel integrated circuits for next generation pacemakers’’

Michael Loftus, Vice President for External Affairs, Cork Institute of Technology also commented;

“CIT has maintained a long-term and strategic focus on working with industry and supporting the development of start-up businesses. We have been delighted to leverage the deep experience gained from this work to contribute substantially to the success achieved to date by the Bridge Network. As we move forward to establish the Munster Technological University with ITT, we look forward to increasing our contribution and impact across the innovation ecosystem of the South West, as well as maximising Ireland’s performance on the international stage.”

Siobhán Mac Sweeney, Head of Research Institute of Technology Tralee added further comment;

"Our consortium brings together the four research performing institutions operating in the south of Ireland. The regional impact of our work is geared towards driving the economic growth and development of our region. This is achieved by the Bridge Network facilitating easy access to new innovative technologies that emerge from our four institutions. We support existing companies to grow through easy access to our new innovative technologies and in turn we help make the south of Ireland more attractive for new business to locate here and invest in our region". 

Declan Troy, Assistant Director of Research in Teagasc said;

“It’s really exciting when something that emerges from research makes it as a commercial proposition. So, I’m really looking forward to this virtual bridge network event and in particular hearing from those successful entrepreneurs who are presenting their case studies. The Bridge network is helping to create an environment for more successful outcomes to emerge in the years ahead.”

The sponsor for the event is Knowledge Transfer Ireland (KTI) whose Director Alison Campbell will speak about the role and philosophy around the industry-academic interface in Ireland.

To register for this webinar ‘Bridging to Impact’ please visit https://bit.ly/3nLo9d1 #bridgenetworkwebinar.

 For more information please contact Tara O’Leary, Communications UCC Innovation on 0858077849 or email tara.oleary@ucc.ie

ENDS

Tara O’Leary | Marketing and Communications UCC Innovation |2.02 Western Gateway Building, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland

Tel: +353 0858077849|