WEALTH October 8, 2026 0 Comments

NovaUCD’s Bold Move: Meet the Two Game-Changers Just Dropped ‘In Residence’ That Could Flip the Startup Scene on Its Head

Ever wonder what happens when decades of gritty healthcare entrepreneurship and cutting-edge biomedical engineering collide under one roof? Well, NovaUCD at University College Dublin is about to show us — by bringing onboard two powerhouses: Ciaran McCourt as Entrepreneur in Residence and Dr. Eoin O’Cearbhaill as Engineer in Residence. With McCourt’s 30+ years of shaping healthcare tech across continents and O’Cearbhaill’s trailblazing work in medical devices and soft robotics, this dynamic duo is set to turbocharge innovation like never before. It’s not just about fresh ideas; it’s about turning those sparks into global successes, connecting researchers and entrepreneurs in a way that could redefine the future of healthcare startups. Curious how seasoned wisdom meets raw innovation to launch the next big thing? You’re in the right place. LEARN MORE

NovaUCD has appointed healthcare entrepreneur Ciaran McCourt as Entrepreneur in Residence (EiR) and biomedical engineer Dr Eoin O’Cearbhaill as Engineer in Residence (ENGiR).

The appointments form part of the University College Dublin (UCD) innovation hub’s in-residence programme, which aims to connect experienced commercial and engineering executives with researchers, entrepreneurs, staff and students.

McCourt has more than 30 years’ experience building, financing, scaling and exiting healthcare technology companies across Ireland, the UK, Europe and the US.

His experience covers medical devices, digital health, diagnostics, software and connected care, with a particular focus on US market entry, growth and strategic exits.

“I am delighted to return to UCD in this unique capacity and to have the opportunity to work with its researchers, students and entrepreneurs,” McCourt said.

“UCD has an extraordinary depth of ideas and technical expertise. I hope to bring my experience building healthcare technology businesses in Europe and the US to help turn promising ideas into successful companies with global potential.”

Dr O’Cearbhaill is director of the UCD Centre for Biomedical Engineering and leads the UCD Medical Device Design Group at the UCD School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering.

His research covers medical device design, therapeutic delivery and microneedles, additive manufacturing, soft robotics, and the biomechanics of the gastrointestinal tract and vasculature.

His group’s work has contributed to three UCD spin-out companies – LaNua Medical, Latch Medical and Lia EyeCare – as well as more than a dozen patent filings and over €8m in competitive research funding.

“I am delighted to be working with Ciaran McCourt and the NovaUCD team on this initiative,” Dr O’Cearbhaill said.

“NovaUCD companies and UCD’s research groups have a great deal to offer each other, and I want to build stronger links between them.”

Liam Cronin, UCD director of innovation, said the university would leverage the pair’s “deep commercial and engineering expertise” to accelerate promising technologies towards market, spin-out or start-up success.

He added that the programme would help expand UCD’s innovation capacity while strengthening links with industry, investors and entrepreneurial talent.

The EiR and ENGiR will work with the NovaUCD team to identify technologies with potential for commercialisation and opportunities to establish new UCD spin-outs and start-ups.