Businesses formed as part of the Ignite Start-up Incubation Programme at University College Cork now employ more than 300 staff and have contributed €66 million in salaries, new data reveals.
The programme equips recent graduates with the skills and tools to develop an idea into a business.
Graduate founders were celebrated at UCC yesterday with an event showcasing the innovation and entrepreneurship of founders and promotors undertaking the start-up programmes at the university.
"Innovation plays such an important role in shaping our future and we are proud to have so many successful businesses start out on the IGNITE Start-Up Incubation Programme," said IGNITE Director Eamon Curtin.
"This showcase is about spotlighting the founders and promoters who want to make a difference, to benefit society through innovation and entrepreneurship," he added.
The IGNITE Start-Up Incubation Programme is based at University College Cork and is open to anyone who has graduated from a third level institution in recent years and has the passion and ambition to work on an idea that has the potential for economic, environmental or social impact.
Start-up founders who started on IGNITE include William Nolan of AddAptiv, Dr Sinead Bleiel of AnaBio Technologies Ltd, Ryan O’Neill and Ian O’Sullivan of LegitFit, Dr Mark O’Sullivan of Neurobell, Clare Meskill of Telea, Conor Lyden of TrustAp and Shannen O’Reilly of TrustDish.
IGNITE is now inviting applications from start-up founders and promoters to join the programme in 2025.
