The company was created out of the ‘Technology Enhanced Therapy’ project, led by Dr. Gavin Doherty in collaboration with Dr. John Sharry, a joint translational research project undertaken by NDRC with Trinity College Dublin’s School of Computer Science & Statistics and the charity Parents Plus at the Mater Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service.

SilverCloud Health provides a platform to enable healthcare professionals and organisations to rapidly create and deliver a broad range of engaging computerised therapeutic/wellness programmes to their clients. It was one of six companies short-listed for the Software Investment Forum, an event jointly run by the Irish Software Association and Irish Venture Capital Association which sees start-ups compete in front of a panel of venture capitalists and angel investors.

Speaking after the event, SilverCloud CEO Ken Cahill said;

“We are delighted to receive this award and I am confident that it will help us take the next step in our progression as a business. The team involved in SilverCloud Health spans commercials; researchers; and healthcare professionals, providing us with a great base from which to generate international sales and grow the company..”

NDRC CEO Ben Hurley congratulated SilverCloud Health saying;

“SilverCloud is a great example of NDRC’s approach to bridging the gap between research and venture investment, with this accolade from ISA/IVCA demonstrating the quality of commercial offerings coming out of NDRC.

“Through our Catalyser investment programme, NDRC builds joint ventures with research and established company partners with the aim of turning research ideas into product offerings. NDRC invests in these joint ventures to create market capital and I am certain SilverCloud will be the next in a line of success stories.”

Dr. James Callaghan, Associate Director of  Trinity Research & Innovation in Trinity College Dublin said that the genesis of SilverCloud was when Trinity Computer Scientist, Gavin Doherty, an expert on human computer interaction in healthcare, along with Dr. David Coyle from his team joined up with John Sharry of Parents Plus, with an idea for an online system to support mental healthcare;

“Gavin’s and John’s idea was to revolutionise the healthcare sector by providing programmes that cover the full spectrum of health and wellness from depression and anxiety to addictions and long term Illness. By forming a team with Ken Cahill and project researchers James Bligh, Karen Tierney and David Coyle, they developed SilverCloud to a stage where these research ideas will be utilized for societal and economic benefit.”

Ends

For further information: http://www.silvercloudhealth.com

Thursday 10th May 2012: NDRC (National Digital Research Centre) has announced Ireland’s first ‘Swequity Exchange’ where budding entrepreneurs, mentors, and experts in tech, business and the creative industries will form teams and develop potentially winning tech startups.

NDRC’s Swequity Exchange is rewriting the way startups happen.  It will bring people with business ideas together, choose the best ones and match them to a team of qualified voluntary experts and mentors.   The team will get equity in the business if it kicks-off, while the startups get qualified advice and support from the start.

The starting point is a competition that matches the best ideas with the best expertise.  Swequity Exchange is taking applications now – both from idea holders and from people with tech, creative, business and marketing skills who want to get involved.  Teams will then work together at NDRC for a 5 week concentrated period, culminating in August.

Any interested techie, business expert, designer, creative guru or marketer is invited to apply to be a team member by 1st June at www.inventorium.org/events/swequity.

The programme will bring together ‘idea owners’ – budding entrepreneurs with a technological idea or start-up that is getting off the ground – with execution teams and entrepreneurs over five weeks. Each team will have a full complement of skills to give it the best possible chance of successfully executing – from strategy and marketing through to technology, design and business development.

Speaking ahead of the event, NDRC Inventorium Director, Mark Kearns, said; “We often meet people with fantastic ideas but lack the technical expertise to build the product.  Other times we meet creatives or techies with beautiful mockups or prototypes but they lack the business skills to bring their product to market. Swequity will bring these people into a new structure designed to address this challenge and build flourishing startups.

“Through Swequity, teams will be formed consisting of:

-    Idea owners whose hot concept will be chosen by competition and who will have the opportunity to work with a team of experts to propel the idea to the next stage;

-    Experienced ‘Super Mentors’ who will evaluate the opportunities for the idea sharing their experiences and perspectives;

-    Software developers, business executives, designers, creatives and marketers who will work closely with the other team members to bring the idea to fruition and who will become part-owners of the idea.

The super mentors will include seasoned entrepreneurs that have successfully trodden the path of taking the seed of an idea through to scaling and building a real tech business.   They will evaluate the pitches and business models from idea owners, identify opportunities, and determine what can be delivered within five weeks. They’ll also help teams determine what each person’s sweat equity will be worth in real equity, should the fledgling company take off.

Throughout the five week programme participants will be exposed to the Lean Canvas business model that is revolutionizing the way tech products are conceived, built and launched, with specific insights provided by Raomal Perera – co-founder of network365 that was later sold to Valista in a multimillion dollar deal.

“In particular, interested developers, marketers, business executives, sales executives, designers and anybody with the passion to make a business idea happen are invited to become part of ‘Swequity Exchange’. Not only will these participants get to work with fantastic people, superb mentors and industry gurus, they will experience hands-on what it takes to make a tech business fly whilst also owning a part of the next tech start-up from the outset,” said Mark Kearns of NDRC Inventorium.

Anybody interested in leading or participating in building the next big thing should log onto www.inventorium.org/events/swequity.

Science-based start-ups and investors invited to register their interest at www.investinginscience.com

Twelve of Europe’s best science start-ups will gather in the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin this July in front of an international panel of investors for ‘Investing in Science 2012’, as part of the Euroscience Open Forum 2012 (ESOF 2012).

Led by Ireland’s NDRC (National Digital Research Centre), ‘Investing in Science 2012’ will bring science-based start-ups from around Europe together with international investors who recognise the intellectual and commercial potential of their next-generation research and pioneering products.

Twelve start-ups will be chosen from a Europe-wide competition that was launched this month. An international panel of investment-focused judges will pick the strongest ideas with the winners pitching to venture capitalists and angel investors in Dublin on July 11^th. Any interested science-based start-up is invited to apply at www.investinginscience.com before June 1^st 2012.

Any investor interested in the hottest early-stage start-ups coming out of the continent’s universities and research institution is invited to register to attend with a high caliber and high net-worth groups of VCs already confirmed.

Investing in Science 2012 is a one day NDRC event as part of the prestigious Euroscience Open Forum 2012 Dublin and run in conjunction with European Tech Tour.

Speaking about the event, NDRC’s CEO, Ben Hurley said: “At ‘Investing in Science’, the sharpest investors will meet the hottest science start-ups’.

“NDRC collaborates with research groups and start-ups to commercialise science inspired ideas; to date we have worked with and invested in over 80 ventures, and we are delighted to be holding the first Investing in Science event as a concentration of connections and information on the best science start-up prospects. I would encourage any science start-up who believes their company and their ideas stands out from the crowd to log onto www.investinginscience.com and register immediately.

“Investors who want to avail of the opportunity to become part of Europe’s economic and intellectual supercollider should also sign up to attend.”

ESOF 2012 Director David Fahy, said: “Investing in Science is a great addition to the Euroscience Open Forum this year. Alongside our busy conference agenda, the Investing in Science competition and event will add a commercial dimension, bringing into focus the potential commercial impact of science to the Forum.

“Investors who choose to attend Investing in Science will also have the opportunity to participate in the full 5 day event and to hear from speakers including Nobel Prize winner; Jules Hoffmann, Craig Venter, James Watson, Bob Geldof, and many more.”

CONTRACT 
Specified Purpose Contract.

COMPANY DESCRIPTION 
The National Digital Research Centre (NDRC) in conjunction with Evolvability Ltd are currently working on an innovative project aimed at developing and commercialising a system that dynamically adjusts the operating parameter of NAND flash memories  in order to extend endurance and maintain retention as the memory device ages.

POSITION DESCRIPTION 
You will lead a small team developing a technology solution in NAND flash. You must have the ability to translate market findings into (technical) project requirements, drive the team towards operational excellence and take the initiative in finding innovative solutions to challenging problems.

As an experienced software developer, you will be expected to be a practitioner in and
advocate of best practices in software development methodologies and project
management approaches.

KEY RESPONSIBILITES
● Define and develop a NAND flash development tool-chain.
● Manage hardware and software development and integration.
● Perform primary research in MLC NAND flash optimisation.
● Lead and manage the project team operationally.
● Drive the team to achieve technical and commercial outcomes according to milestone deliverables.
● Provide regular project status updates as required.
● Define (technical) project requirements.
● Translate market findings into improved solutions.
● Technical review of specification documents.
● Operate and modify an open source flash file system.
● Set up the development platforms including hardware and software tools.

NUMBER OF YEARS PREFERRED EXPERIENCE
Extensive knowledge of NAND flash memory in MLC.
5+ years experience in silicon fabrication  (specifically in silicon testing).
5+ years experience in software programming.
Post graduate or research experience.
Team leader experience.
Project management experience.
Working experience of Evolutionary Algorithms/Machine Learning and Metaheuristics an advantage.

SKILLS REQUIRED
Degree in Electronic Engineering/Computer Science with demonstrable hardware component.

Programming skills:
Strong C/C++ development skills.
Unix and/or Linux development skills.
Silicon Testing skills.

General:
General knowledge of the SSD and storage market.
Self starter / highly motivated.
Team player.
Excellent communication skills.

APPLICATION PROCESS 
Target Start Date:  Immediate

“Over the past few months my blog has stopped appearing, my Facebook has stopped posting and my Twitter has stopped tweeting. There are lots of reasons for this, the main one being my intense focus on an incredible opportunity that I had to grab with both hands.

Research & Hope is a labour of love. I poured my heart and soul into creating the website and I am just as passionate about my ‘baby’ as I was at the start. However, I also poured every penny I had into it (and quite a few I didn’t have!). So I spent several months searching for ways to make it financially sustainable.

I phoned and met everyone I could think of in every arena from the commercial to the charitable. I frequently met with praise and critical acclaim, followed by a swift apology that there would be no funding. Until I went to National Digital Research Centre (NDRC) and spoke to Mark Kearns Project Director for the NDRC’s Inventorium programme: http://www.inventorium.org/

At first he gave me a similar response. But then he paused… “What else do you have?” he asked. I began to explain numerous ideas I had been working through, although I had been thinking of these as ‘phase two’: things to work on after Research & Hope had become self-sustaining. With the gifts of lateral thinking and insight typical of NDRC, Mark started to unpick one of my ideas: an application for mobile devices designed to address severe communication difficulties that often lead to social isolation. “This sounds more like something we can work with,” he said, and he advised me to download an application form for LaunchPad, a three-month programme for high-potential start-up companies: http://www.ndrc.ie/launchpad/

I couldn’t believe my luck when I was joined by two incredibly talented business partners. Catherine Sweeney, who has many years’ experience in senior IT operations and management with high-profile international companies; and Vinny Reynolds, who was working at the Digital Enterprise Research Institute while completing a doctorate in computer science.

We filled in forms, pitched our ideas, and won a place on the LaunchPad programme. It began in September 2011 and it has been a phenomenal experience. We have been mentored by experts; talked to by entrepreneurs in every field; trained by professionals; and really looked after by an intensely knowledgeable and compassionate staff.

We are now testing our products and preparing the way towards launching the fruit of our labours: Neuro Hero. Neuro Hero is a subscription-based support package, designed to tackle problems of isolation often experienced by people living with communication difficulties. Neuro Hero will be available for iPad and other mobile devices as well as PCs. It includes six key elements, each of which help families to communicate with each other and rebuild relationships. Our software adapts to the level of each user and can be used anywhere. Neuro Hero‘s activities are designed to be therapeutic, fun and interactive. To view our work so far, please go to: www.neurohero.com.”

Techies, business experts, designers, creatives and marketers apply for your place on a Swequity team here by the 18th May.

What is Swequity?
NDRC Inventorium is ripping up the start-up rule book. We want you to help us rewrite the way startups happen.

We’re bringing idea owners together with execution teams and entrepreneurs to participate in a five-week lean canvas challenge. We’ll put together hit squads of idea owners (who will be our budding CEOs), ace developers, hot designers, creative marketers and smart business people, to build and shape ideas and make them ready for the next step.

Each team will have an experienced, successful entrepreneur as a mentor who will help evaluate the pitches and business models, identify opportunities, and determine what can be delivered within five weeks. They’ll also help teams determine what each person’s sweat equity will be worth in real equity, should the fledgling company take off. It’s not a straightforward process, so we’ll make it open, fair, and agreed in advance.

Do you have an idea?
If you’ve got an idea, the first step is to fill out the online application form outlining who you are and what you want to do. We’ll choose semi-finalists by Friday, 1 June. The semi-finalists will each make a short video pitch that will be used on Monday, 2 July, to help the teams choose a set of finalists to pitch live at our event on Thursday, 5 July.

Why submit an idea

• propel your idea rapidly to the next stage
• work with a pre-formed, energetic team with the precise skillset your idea needs
• learn, in a supportive environment, how a lean startup approach can turn ideas into income.

Do you want to join a team?
We are looking for techies, designers, marketers and anyone with a passion for making great business ideas happen. To apply to join a team complete the application form and include information about your expertise.

We want to help the next wave of digital entrepreneurs to:

• choose the best start-up ideas from the Swequity Exchange semi-finalists
• own a part of that proposition from the outsets
• experience, first-hand, the energy and vibe of a tech start-up
• be mentored by an experienced, successful tech entrepreneurs
• work closely with a smart team to deliver something tangible within five weeks

SWEQUITY TIMELINE

………………………………….
Friday, 18th May

• 5pm: Deadline for applications to be part of one of the execution teams

………………………………….
Friday 1st June

• 5pm: Deadline for submissions from idea owners

………………………………….
Wednesday, 20th June

• Team Forming Event
  9am-12noon: Meet your team (minus idea owners)

………………………………….
2nd – 6th July

• Kick-off Week

………………………………….
Monday, 2nd July

• Teams and mentors review 2-minute video pitches from idea owners
• Teams and mentors rank top ideas
• Teams and mentors prepare negotiating position for equity stakes

………………………………….
Thursday, 5th July

• Shortlisted idea owners perform live 5-minute pitches with open Q&A
• Public sweat equity negotiations between idea owners and teams

………………………………….
2nd July – 3rd August
Execution

• Teams work to complete their 5-week plan
• Series of workshops to help guide teams towards creation of a sustainable business
• Active engagement with mentors throughout

………………………………….
Friday, 3rd August
Final Awards Ceremony

• 4pm: Winners announced

[/droplist]

CONTACT US
Don’t sweat it, call us! Find out if Swequity might be for you.

Mark Kearns
mark@inventorium.org
+353 87 1322314

Fiona Hyland
fiona@inventorium.org
+353 87 6850916

Majella Murphy
Majella.murphy@ndrc.ie
+353 87 6786853

“The two primary objectives of SmartGrid are (1) the balancing of demand with supply and (2) the integration of renewables, including micro-generation.  The two objectives are interrelated.  The balancing of demand with supply is not just an exercise in shifting the volume of demand peak load.  It’s also about shifting some demand to periods when variable renewable generated energy is in plentiful supply to take advantage of variable renewable generated energy which has a marginal cost of practically zero because the fuel is free.

In Ireland we have a self contained electricity system, already with a high proportion of electricity generated from renewables and an ambitious target to increase the penetration of renewables to 40% by 2020 – the highest target in the EU for renewable electricity within a single electricity system.  The interrelated challenges of integrating renewables and balancing demand with supply will be faced earlier and on a greater magnitude in Ireland than anywhere else in the EU and maybe in the world.

Coupled with this major driver, Ireland has developed the information and communication technology (ICT) sector over several decades. On the industrial front, 9 of the top 10 global ICT companies have a presence here, and ICT accounts for one third of Ireland’s exports by value. On the academic front Ireland has excellent, long established ICT research programmes in all Universities and Institutes of Technology.  It is generally accepted that a SmartGrid is one in which ICT is incorporated into every aspect of electricity generation, delivery and consumption. So a critical competence in developing SmartGrid is ICT competence.

Given these two factors, Ireland has an opportunity to take a lead in this area on a global scale, by porting over our solid ICT competence base to develop the systems and applications that will realise Smart Grid. And that’s one of the key areas we’re focusing on here at NDRC.

On Feb 8^th 2012, co-hosted by NDRC and Eirgrid, 50 experts came together to workshop the digital technologies that will support the evolution of SmartGrid over the next 10-15 years.  The event provided an open innovation forum to three disciplines that might not otherwise collaborate; the power industry, the ICT industry and academia, each represented at the event in equal proportions.  The event was designed as a stimulus to get these 3 domains talking so that we, collectively, can start to put a shape on Smart Grid.  The workshop was Step 1 and gave us a roadmap of Smart Grid Digital evolution.  Step 2 is to use that roadmap in one-to-one engagements with ICT companies and academia to identify specific development opportunities, with our power industry collaborators available for guidance.

To make Step 2 real, we’re working hard to create specific development projects involving a collaboration between an academic partner, an industry partner and NDRC.  Not only can NDRC invest in a team who can base themselves in our building, but we also have the capability to roll up our sleeves and get the work done. Our core focus in these projects is developing a technical and commercial proposition that’s ready to raise investment and get to market.”

For more information about Smart-Grid-Digital, mailto:John.Geoghegan@ndrc.ie

Investing in Science 2012 is a one day NDRC event as part of the prestigious Euroscience Open Forum 2012 Dublin . At this event, 12 science-based companies will battle it out to a room of venture capital and other investors, with the chance to attract investment into their start-up venture. The 12 science-based start-ups will be selected competitively from a Europe-wide competition, launching in May 2012.

For full information, to apply to participate in the competition, and to register to attend, visit www.investinginscience.com

Wednesday April 4^th 2012 – Fifteen promising start-up ventures, selected from a competitive field of over 70 Irish and international applicants, have started into NDRC’s Launchpad accelerator programme for digital start-up enterprises.  NDRC’s Launchpad investment programme will culminate in May with a competition for a follow-on investment sourced from VC’s and angels.  NDRC is investing up to €20,000 in each start-up to support the founders during the programme.

The start-ups include businesses with diverse applications for digital technology ranging from medical training simulators to music analytics systems and apps for people with eating disorders.  Projects include cloud based customer service applications and systems for learning management, car sharing, urban planning and restaurant management.  Other concepts include a social media strategy tool, children’s travel review site, education management tools and pharmacy management software.

Following the competitive selection process, NDRC Launchpad participants have started a three month intensive mentoring and advisory programme alongside other start-ups, innovators, engineers and investors.  At the end of this period, the start-up promoters will pitch for follow-on investment.

Speaking today, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation, Richard Bruton said:

“If we are to create an economy that can sustain the number of jobs we need, we must not only seek to attract the next Google or Microsoft to Ireland, but also to create the next Google or Microsoft here in Ireland. A key part of this Government’s plan for jobs and growth is creating a powerful engine of indigenous enterprise, and high-tech start-ups will play a crucial role in this.

“Today’s announcement that 15 ambitious start-ups will receive a total of up to €300,000 from the NDRC is great news, and the quality of the people and the businesses involved is enormously encouraging. This Government is determined to support initiatives like this in every way possible, and through continued implementation of the Action Plan for Jobs we will ensure that dynamic start-ups like these can help drive a sustainable recovery in our economy”.

NDRC Launchpad Director Gary Leyden said: “These are new ventures headed by talented entrepreneurs with very innovative ideas.  Their future success depends on the ability to convert their projects from ideas into income, creating scalable business models and this is where NDRC has the expertise and experience to actively support them. A priority for NDRC will be to prepare and bring these start-ups to the attention of the investment community to create further value and opportunity.”

NDRC’s Launchpad programme attracts aspiring entrepreneurs and recent researchers with ideas and intellectual property capable of being brought to market and achieving a commercial return.  Qualification and acceptance into NDRC Launchpad provides a significant endorsement for start-up promoters and helps them with every aspect of their business while bringing them to an investment ready position and connecting them with potential investors.

Applicants come from Ireland and abroad where the quality and outputs of the programme are internationally recognised.  Last year, NDRC Launchpad was identified in the top six best accelerators in Europe following a study by the US Kaufman Fellows Programme.  NDRC has supported the acceleration of over 60 new start-ups through its investment programmes since it was established in 2008.

For details of the fifteen participating start-ups visit NDRC’s LaunchPad page

The current cohort of 15 NDRC LaunchPad V teams will pitch to a high profile investor panel. This exciting event marks the end of their participation on the NDRC LaunchPad programme.

The winning startups at Lift Off will have access to an investment fund from NDRC & SOS Ventures plus awards and prizes provided by Grant Thornton, Mason Hayes & Curran and the Irish Internet Association.

Some of our previous winners:

December 2011 Adjuno
May 2011 MySmark
December 2010 Picturk

This event is SOLD OUT.