Novel concept for milk and dairy processing wins at Teagasc-VistaMilk Catalysing Connections inaugural event
Catalysing Connections is a pilot pre-accelerator programme designed to foster novel idea generation, innovation and entrepreneurship in early career researchers from across the VistaMilk SFI Research Centre hosted by Teagasc.
Multidisciplinary teams of postgraduate students and postdoctoral researchers combined to bring the VistaMilk approach of “Measure-Predict-Act" to grand challenges facing the Agri-Food sector. Mentorship and support of the teams has been provided by Technology Transfer Offices from the VistaMilk participating Universities and Research institutions, including Teagasc, University College Dublin, Walton Institute South East Technological University, Tyndall National Institute, University of Galway and Dublin City University.
The event held on Tuesday, 3 October, was a culmination of a five month programme of entrepreneurial training, topical discussion panels from experienced Irish company founders and exploring novel ideas for the thirty participants. “Our ambition was to demystify the entrepreneurial experience, journeying from ideation through to business planning and investment pitching,” according to Dr Karen Dawson, Technology Transfer Case officer at Teagasc and Catalysing Connections co-founder. She said; “There are a lot of common skills required by both researchers and entrepreneurs, including planning, communication and bringing together collaborative teams on a coherent project concept. Catalysing Connections is a safe space for our young researchers to explore and grow their leadership and innovation skills outside of their day-to-day research.”
James Healy, co-founder of Catalysing Connections, is the Business Development and Intellectual Property Manager for the VistaMilk SFI Research Centre. He said; “It has been great to see VistaMilk researchers from the different institutes and scientific backgrounds coming together. They have shown amazing creativity, expanded their skills and grown their networks, which will all have a long lasting impact on their research careers in VistaMilk and beyond.”
Each multidisciplinary team was provided with a ‘Grand Challenge’ from a series of topics currently facing the Agri-Food sector:
- Soil - Next generation Soil Nitrogen management
- Pasture - Next Generation Pasture and Grassland Management
- Animal/Cow - Next generation digital tool for on-farm animal health management
- Food - Sustainability in Food Production without over Processing
- Carbon - How do we move beyond current methods of carbon sequestration monitoring?
The panel of judges drawn from the worlds of industry, investment and research chose Team Food - “MilkoSense” a novel dairy processing concept technology that has the potential to reduce energy costs, as the winners. The winning team comprised of Dr David Kelly, Teagasc, Dr Gaetan Drouin, Teagasc, Dr Han Shao, Tyndall National Institute, University College Cork and Mr Conor Fitzpatrick, Teagasc who will receive €5,000 funding from the VistaMilk SFI Research Centre to explore their concept further. Each of the winning team members will also win a communications course “Persuading on Purpose” sponsored by Eric Fitzpatrick of Arc Speaking and Training.
James Healy noted: “We were so impressed with how the five teams worked collaboratively to tackle the challenges presented to them, considered their solutions, engaged with potential end users to create really strong pitches. They really embraced the training and advice from our expert panel discussions over the past five months.”
Head of Technology Transfer and Commercialisation at Teagasc, Dr Siobhán Jordan noted; “Innovation and entrepreneurship is critical to develop and deliver transformational technologies for the Agri-Food sector. The participants on the Catalysing Connections programme are well equipped to think outside the box to solve the future challenges throughout their careers in research and industry.”