The Award winners of the 2023 New Frontiers (Phase 2) Programme run by IADT Media Cube in partnership with NovaUCD were announced.

Thirteen (13) early-stage start-ups, based in the greater South Dublin area, incorporating South Dublin, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown and North Wicklow, took part in the Enterprise Ireland funded programme over the last 6-months.

The New Frontiers programme provides participating entrepreneurs with access to a comprehensive package of supports including mentorship from some of Ireland’s leading business people, funding support from Enterprise Ireland, and access to resources including hot-desk facilities from IADT Media Cube and NovaUCD.

Following final pitches to a judging panel during a showcase event held at the dlr Lexicon in Dún Laoghaire, four (4) of the participating start-ups, Assiduous, Snappie, Push Me and AI Interpreting, were announced as Award winners.

Assiduous was named winner of the One-to-Watch Award, sponsored by IADT Media Cube. Assiduous is a capital markets technology company dedicated to helping owners of aspiring growth companies build valuable businesses and achieve financial independence. To do so Assiduous is developing a digital platform to do the ‘heavy lifting’ to prepare business owners and executive teams for efficient and credible market engagement and capital raising.

Fergal Meegan, CEO and co-founder, Assiduous, completed the programme.

Snappie was named winner of the Best Pitch Award, sponsored by NovaUCD. Snappie is a digital platform for creative agencies that removes most of the complexity out of the website creation process. Snappie gives designers the knowledge and tools to use best practices when studying the brand and design language of clients and to apply them to specific examples. Snappie generates a fully functioning website which the agencies fully own.

Mihael Melnic, founder, Snappie completed the programme.

Push Me was named winner of the Most Likely to Scale Award, sponsored by LEO DLR.  Push Me provides a digital coaching platform, that is grounded in the latest behavioural and performance science, to help companies retain their top talent. The platform is designed around helping professionals feel more engaged and connected at work by empowering them to find solutions to the challenges they face every day in their roles. 

Philip Brophy, CEO and founder, Push Me, completed the programme.

AI Interpreting was named winner of the Best Innovation Award, sponsored by Flynn O’Driscoll. AI Interpreting is developing a platform for businesses and Governments to engage with the Deaf community using AI sign language interpreters.

Mark O’Brien, founder, AI Interpreting completed the programme.

This is the second New Frontiers (Phase 2) Programme delivered by IADT Media Cube in partnership with NovaUCD.

The 2022 Programme was completed by twelve start-ups. In the first six-months since completing the programme these start-ups have so far collectively secured just over €930,000 in follow-on financial support or funding from Enterprise Ireland, Local Enterprise Offices, private investment and Science Foundation Ireland.

The start-ups have also created 19 full-time and 2 part-time jobs together with 15+ internship positions with national and international students. In addition the start-ups have also entered new export markets in the UK, Portugal and Germany.

Orla Reynolds, New Frontiers Programme Lead, IADT Media Cube, said, “It has been an absolute pleasure working with the entrepreneurs this year and seeing them develop their businesses over the last 6 months. I am also incredibly proud of the success our participants from last year have had since completing the programme.”

Emma Leahy, Vice-President Research, Development and Innovation, IADT, said, “The IADT Media Cube and NovaUCD New Frontiers collaboration is an exciting partnership and brings together an experienced team who offers invaluable support to the start-up community. The remarkable level of engagement and motivation demonstrated by each of the New Frontiers participants speaks volumes to their commitment to the programme and ambitions for the future.”

Tom Flanagan, UCD Director of Enterprise and Commercialisation, NovaUCD, said, “I would like to congratulate the Awardees, and all the participants who completed the second New Frontiers Programme which we have delivered in partnership with IADT Media Cube. The standard of the pitches was excellent which demonstrates that the participating start-ups have the potential to grow, raise funding, create jobs and scale on the international stage similar to the achievements made to date by the participants of last year’s programme.”   

The members of the judging panel were Rachel Gallagher, Enterprise and Development Manager, IADT Media Cube; Tom Flanagan, Director of Enterprise and Commercialisation, NovaUCD; Lisa Cunningham, Business Mentor, LEO DLR and Alan O’Driscoll, Partner, Flynn O’Driscoll.

Phase 1 of the New Frontiers Programme will begin in October, with recruitment for Phase 2 due to begin in December for a February 2024 start.