UCD VentureLaunch Accelerator

VentureLaunch Accelerator

Supports UCD researchers launching commercial ventures based on university intellectual property.

The UCD VentureLaunch Accelerator is an annual programme held at NovaUCD, the innovation and technology transfer hub of University College Dublin, designed to support the creation and launch of new commercial ventures based on UCD intellectual property. The programme equips UCD researchers with the commercial skills required to lead a new venture, covering marketing, finance, fundraising, and pitching, and concludes with a formal showcase at which the overall winner is announced. The 2024 winner, SusBioME, was a greentech startup developing electro-processing technologies for anaerobic digestion to increase renewable gas yields from biomass, indicating the range of deep-tech spinouts the programme produces.

For the 2026 cycle, expressions of interest are due by the end of June 2026. A maximum of seven projects are selected each year by the VentureLaunch Programme Board through a screening process conducted by UCD's Knowledge Transfer team. Selected projects participate in seven four-hour workshops held on consecutive Wednesdays from early October to mid-November, structured around the Business Model Canvas methodology, with expert mentoring on marketing, finance, sales, and investor pitching. The overall winner receives €10,000 in cash seed money plus professional services and supports valued at an additional €20,000, with the award announced at the Annual Showcase and Awards event in late November.

Eligibility is strictly limited to research projects emerging from UCD intellectual property. Applicants must have, or be willing to develop, a credible commercial team including a commercial advisor, demonstrate evidence of a scalable market opportunity, possess tangible IP with a clearly defined technology roadmap and freedom to operate, and present a technology-funding plan through to business launch within one year. The NovaUCD Customer Discovery Programme is the recommended preparation step before submitting an expression of interest, and prospective applicants are advised to speak with their Knowledge Transfer Case Manager before applying.