Tyndall was proud to sponsor the launch of a new national event focussed on the commercialisation and innovation ecosystem – the inaugural Launching Future Disruptive Technologies (LFDT) Summit. The two day summit brought together national stakeholders and international delegates from the UK, European Union and the US to discuss challenges, opportunities and more at UCC’s Western Gateway conference hall.
Plans are already under way to bring the conference to its next destination city in 2023 as it delivers a crucial strategic platform for the spin-out communities in Ireland and across Europe.
23 spin out founders pitched for a prize of €10,000 before an international panel of judges from Ireland, the US, UK and EU.
Winner Cormac Flynn, from Súil Pharma based in Galway, was delighted with the Summit, and said “From the connections made, I have 4 investor meetings, one with the business development team of a multinational in the ophthalmic pharma space, 2 potential collaborators and 2 potential accelerators that are interested in hosting the next stage of our journey. As well as lots of new contacts and interesting projects, and a really good conversation with (summit sponsor) Taylor Wessing. It was a really positive event!”
Over 270 delegates attended the event with 36 panellists involved. Keynote addresses were delivered by Katharine Ku, Former Executive Director of Stanford University’s Office of Technology Licensing, and Denis Purcell, Founder & Chairman of Aisling Capital, a US-based life sciences fund.
A total of six panels discussed a wide range of issues affecting commercialisation and spin-out activity in Ireland. There were robust debates on spinning companies out of Research Performing Organisations (RPOs); what investors are looking for in spin-outs; the role of universities in the innovation process; and what innovation in technology transfer looks like.
Peter Finnegan, Head of New Ventures at Tyndall, and a co-founder of the LFDT Summit, was delighted with the feedback received from delegates after the first Summit, saying, “We were very fortunate to assemble six stellar panels over the course of the two days. It was satisfying to see so much positivity, goodwill and enthusiasm for the first LFDT Summit. We have already started plans for what the LFDT Summit 2023 will entail!”
Mícheál Collins, Spin Out Manager at UCC, and also a co-founder of LFDT, said “The vast commercial and social impact potential of Ireland’s world class research, needs this diverse community to come together to make the opportunity a reality. We can look forward to the emergence of a connected and vibrant ecosystem powered by the summit as a hub for all stakeholders. Our goal is the recognition and development of spin out technology firms as a key drivers of leading edge technology in society.”