IGNITE UCC

Happy New Year from us. Some of the many languages that have been spoken in the IGNITE UCC office. Can you identify all of them? Call in and add yours.

Reflecting on the Last Quarter of 2024: IGNITE at UCC Looking Back with Gratitude A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed to IGNITE's success in the final months of 2024—our participants, alumni, supporters, and the wider business community. Your dedication and engagement have been invaluable, and we look forward to continuing this momentum into the new year, fostering innovation and impact. Thank you to those who gave up their valuable time to talk to our start-ups. IGNITE hosted inspiring entrepreneurs and business experts who shared valuable insights, including: Vicki O'Callaghan (BabyBoo): Insights on digital marketing and operational efficiency. Andrea Doolan (Atlantia Clinical Trials): Lessons in scaling strategically and fostering strong company culture. Kate Hyde (Glencove): A story of resilience through bootstrapping and innovation. Seán Kelleher (Trustap): Building a tech start-up from Cork to global markets. Aimee O'Regan, KPMG: Delivered an informative seminar on corporate structures, taxation, and strategies tailored for start-ups. Shane Curtin BBus QFA PB, Bank of Ireland: Provided practical banking advice for start-ups, ensuring financial preparedness.

Reflecting on the Last Quarter of 2024: IGNITE at UCC Looking Back with Gratitude A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed to IGNITE's success in the final months of 2024—our participants, alumni, supporters, and the wider business community. Your dedication and engagement have been invaluable, and we look forward to continuing this momentum into the new year, fostering innovation and impact. Thank you to those who gave up their valuable time to talk to our start-ups. IGNITE hosted inspiring entrepreneurs and business experts who shared valuable insights, including: Vicki O'Callaghan (BabyBoo): Insights on digital marketing and operational efficiency. Andrea Doolan (Atlantia Clinical Trials): Lessons in scaling strategically and fostering strong company culture. Kate Hyde (Glencove): A story of resilience through bootstrapping and innovation. Seán Kelleher (Trustap): Building a tech start-up from Cork to global markets. Aimee O'Regan, KPMG: Delivered an informative seminar on corporate structures, taxation, and strategies tailored for start-ups. Shane Curtin BBus QFA PB, Bank of Ireland: Provided practical banking advice for start-ups, ensuring financial preparedness.

Inspiring Lessons from Vicki O'Callaghan of BabyBoo This week, we had the pleasure of welcoming Vicki from BabyBoo to share her entrepreneurial journey and invaluable advice with us. From starting small to selling over 2 million bibs, BabyBoo has grown into a brand loved by parents everywhere. Here are some of the key takeaways from Vicki's story: 🛠 Expertise is Key: Build on your strengths (like Vicki’s expertise in digital marketing) and seek help in areas you need (finance, manufacturing, etc.). Learn the basics yourself before hiring specialists—be it financial expertise, HR (Michelle had HR expertise), or advertising. 💬 Engage with Your Audience: Respond to negative comments; don't delete them. Use feedback to improve. Build trust and reviews through tools like Trustpilot. 🛒 Know Your Customers: BabyBoo’s customers often collect their bibs, driving their yearly style changes. Listening to customers led to innovations like BabyBoo's 40 gift box varieties. 🔧 Operational Tips: Test products rigorously; BabyBoo independently tests all baby products. Always get contracts and agreements in writing—never assume! Work with a customs clearance agent and build a strong relationship. 📈 Marketing That Works: Focus on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, but prioritize owned data like email lists. Use agencies strategically for Google and Facebook ads. Do PR and collaborations (e.g., Hairy Baby, Irish Illustrators) to build reputation. 🏆 Programs & Associations: Programs like the LEAN for Business with LEO were pivotal in their journey. Business associations (e.g., Retail Excellence, Guaranteed Irish) offer valuable support. 💡 Other Insights: Incremental improvement beats striving for perfection. Have a clear differentiating factor; BabyBoo prides itself on its quality (e.g., 3-layer, organic cotton bibs). Pricing matters—figure it out early!  Thank you, Vicki, for sharing your journey and inspiring us to aim high while staying grounded in what matters most.  

🎉 Huge congratulations to Shannen O’Reilly of TrustDish Ltd and Elvis Seporaitis of Volta Robotics , two incredible IGNITE UCC alumni, for being named on the Sunday Independent's Thirty Under 30 list. Shannen O'Reilly is making dining safer for individuals with food allergies through TrustDish, an innovative app providing real-time allergen filtering and direct communication between customers and kitchens. Elvis Seporaitis is revolutionising sustainability in the EV industry with Volta Robotics, which automates the disassembly of end-of-life batteries, unlocking second-life applications and maximising recycling efficiency. Both Shannen and Elvis are recognised by the Sunday Independent as trailblazers and are part of a group of inspiring individuals driving transformative changes across industries. Their work exemplifies how innovation and determination can make a lasting impact on the world.

I am over the moon to have made this years Irish Thirty Under 30 list! Thank you Sean Pollock and Fearghal O'Connor for putting this article together and allowing me to meet so many inspiring entrepreneurs! I am so grateful to all of our amazing team at TrustDish Ltd ,especially Sean O'Reilly and Kevin O Regan! Well done to everyone involved! 🙌🏻 #trustdish #30under30 https://lnkd.in/ev8Rwk8p Thirty under 30: The Sunday Independent's young business trailblazers to look out for in 2025

Success is rarely linear and never achieved alone. Being recognized in this year’s Irish 30 Under 30 list is a humbling reminder of the incredible people and experiences that have shaped the journey so far. It’s fantastic to see Volta Robotics recognized for our work enabling safer, scalable, and efficient processing of end-of-life batteries. This milestone is a reflection of the mentors, supporters, and programs that have guided us, thank you IGNITE UCC, Rubicon Centre, Resolve Partners! I’m inspired by the talented and dedicated people on this year’s list curated by Sean Pollock and Fearghal O'Connor. Great to see fellow IGNITE alum Shannen O’Reilly recognized too! This recognition push us even more to advance our mission of building a sustainable, circular battery economy. If you’re passionate about sustainability and innovation, let’s connect! https://lnkd.in/eKMsH7Hp

Andrea Doolan, co-founder of Atlantia Clinical Trials, shared her incredible entrepreneurial journey with us, offering valuable lessons for anyone building a business: 🎓 From Microbiology to Clinical Trials Andrea's journey began with a degree in microbiology. After gaining experience in the U.S., she returned to Ireland, working with APC Microbiome. In 2012, Atlantia Clinical Trials spun out, and today, it boasts a 7,000 sq ft facility and serves global clients, including Chr. Hansen and DSM. 💡 Sales are Key Andrea emphasised the importance of investing in a strong sales strategy and building trust with clients by clearly articulating how your product/service makes their lives easier. 💼 Scaling Up Bootstrapped the business, taking no external investment. Expanded strategically: By 2017, they had a team of 45 in Blackpool, a location chosen for its access to participants. By 2019, they opened a Chicago office to meet client demands for U.S. data. Today, Atlantia Clinical Trials employs 60 staff globally. 👥 Team and Culture A strong team is at the core of sales success. Company culture matters: advancement opportunities and upskilling help retain staff even when salaries can’t compete with larger players. 🛠️ Governance and Growth Surround yourself with mentors and a well-connected board to share the burden of decision-making. 📈 Lessons for Entrepreneurs Know your product’s value proposition inside and out. Use your network to reduce costs and leverage financial supports. Building a business is not a lifestyle choice—it demands dedication, with 40–80 hour work weeks. Thank you for coming along Andrea Doolan and sharing these great insights with IGNITE UCC

Last week, Seán Kelleher, UCC Computer Science alumnus and CTO of Trustap, an IGNITE alumnus company, joined the School of Computer Science and IT for an engaging talk. Seán shared his entrepreneurial journey, from his days as a UCC student to building TrustAp, a Cork-based payments platform revolutionising secure digital transactions. Students and staff gained valuable insights into the start-up world, the challenges of entrepreneurship, and the opportunities for innovation in technology. A huge thank you to Sean for inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs! #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #UCC #IGNITE #ComputerScience #Startups If you see yourself as someone building the next Trustap, have a look at our programmes and supports https://lnkd.in/dxjkMyP6

Insightful seminar this week by Aimee O'Regan from KPMG Ireland covering corporate structures, taxation advice, and strategies tailored for start-ups. Thank you Aimee.