NovaUCD has announced SusBioME, an emerging Greentech start-up, as the overall winner of the 2024 UCD VentureLaunch Accelerator Programme. SusBioME is developing technology for use in the anaerobic digestion process to increase renewable gas yields from biomass.

The annual VentureLaunch Programme, which is run by NovaUCD, aims to support the creation and launch of sustainable and profitable new start-ups emerging from University College Dublin (UCD).

Renewable gas from anaerobic digestion is key for energy security and sustainability. In the anaerobic digestion process, organic feedstocks, including wastes, are digested and turned into biogas or biomethane, which can be used exactly like natural gas. However, a major bottleneck limiting renewable gas production is the low digestibility of feedstock used in the anaerobic digestion process, which leads to unrealised gas yields and low operational efficiency.

To address this problem SusBioME, a start-up emerging from the UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science, is developing modular, plug-in disruptive electro-processing technologies to make feedstocks more biodigestible. As a platform technology, it can be applied to a wide range of feedstocks and bioprocesses.

By the direct applications of electric fields, the SusBioME technology physically disrupts feedstocks, which rapidly and very efficiently make them more biodigestible leading to gas yield improvements of up to 30% for renewable gas producers along with reduced operational costs and increased revenues.

The members of the SusBioME team are Dr Ajay Menon, who completed the VentureLaunch Accelerator Programme, Professor James Lyng, Norman Maloney and Bernie Fitzpatrick.

Dr Ajay Menon, UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science and a promoter of SusBioME said, "We are delighted to have been named the overall winner of the 2024 UCD VentureLaunch Accelerator Programme.

Everyone knows why renewable energy is important, but few know how much of it is sourced from biomass. Last year, 59% of the EU's renewable energy came from biomass-based bioenergy, more than wind, solar and hydro combined. Renewable gas, made using anaerobic digestion, is the most promising and important kind of bioenergy and is a huge and growing industry.

However, a major bottleneck in the process is that the feedstock cannot be digested very well leading to unrealised gas yields. The SusBioME technology which we have successfully trialled addresses this issue and results in gas yield improvements of up to 30%, an important development for the sector."

He added, "Currently we are half-way through our Enterprise Ireland Commercialistion Fund project, and we already have three trial partners secured for pilot demonstrations. In 2025 we intend to spin-out of UCD, raise some €500k in pre-seed funding and commercially launch SusBioME."

He concluded, "I would like to acknowledge the excellent support provided by the NovaUCD team, the VentureLaunch programme facilitators, and the other VentureLaunch participants, especially for their invaluable feedback and advice throughout the programme. I would like to acknowledge and thank Enterprise Ireland for their continuing support through the Commercialisation Fund and also BiOrbic, Bioeconomy SFI Research Centre and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine."

The main objective of the UCD VentureLaunch Accelerator Programme is to equip participants with the knowledge, skills and understanding that will be required to work as part of a team leading a new commercial venture. On completion of the programme the expectation is that participating new ventures will have developed a commercially viable business plan.

The programme consisted of eight (8) workshops delivered over a three-month period from February to April at NovaUCD. The Business Model Canvas approach to start-up development forms the basis of the programme with each session consisting of a mix of taught content and interactive workshops delivered by ...

Almost 2,000 event-based jobs are now up for grabs following the launch of a nationwide recruitment drive to fill positions at festivals, gigs, football, and hurling matches being held across the country over the summer months.

Leading recruitment specialists Excel Recruitment say they are looking for candidates to fill a myriad of positions, including bar staff, cashiers, waiting staff, kitchen staff, chefs, and cleaners, in various locations in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Kildare, and Donegal. At 1,200, the lion's share of the roles will be Dublin-based, while 250 positions will be available in Cork, and around 450 jobs will be available across Kildare, Galway, and Donegal.

Popular events that staff could be working at include the Punchestown Festival, the Galway and Ballinrobe races, the Trinity Summer Series - which will feature headline acts such as Paul Weller, Tom Odell, and The Villagers; and the Fairview Park concerts - which will see Fat Boy Slim, The Coronas and The Saw Doctors, amongst others, take to the stage.

Shane McLave, Managing Director of Excel Recruitment, said this year's recruitment drive is going to be one of the biggest they've embarked on to date for the events industry:

"We are looking at a busier than ever season for our events clients. Ireland's live music industry is increasingly attracting top international acts - creating exciting job opportunities for those wishing to work in such events."

Mr McLave continued:

"The nature of the work means that the hours can be flexible, and short and long contracts are on offer - a setup which is often very attractive to Ireland's student population. That said, it's not only students who can secure some work for the summer - we are recruiting people with all levels of experience.

Ireland has the talented hard-working workforce needed to bolster these events and to ensure we maintain the standards that Ireland is renowned for when it comes to live arts and entertainment".

A recruitment open day for the positions is being held in Excel Recruitment's Dublin Office on Wednesday, April 24th from 3 pm - 7.30 pm. Last year's event recruitment open day saw more than 700 people line up around the block at Excel Recruitment's offices at Mary's Abbey.

The recruitment specialists are welcoming all applicants who are interested in working at one of the nationwide summer events to register, as long as they are over the age of 18. The positions being advertised are largely temporary summer jobs, though both short- and long-term contracts are available.

The UCD Centre for Digital Policy, with the support of Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation Dara Calleary TD and Microsoft, today announced the release of a newly created AI video series to help build AI policy understanding and capabilities among policymakers, developers and others.

Bringing expert academic, legal, industry, political and policy expertise and insights together, the five short videos provide a solid base for anyone interested in deepening their knowledge and understanding of this dynamic technology and social policy space. Contributors include Minister Dara Calleary, AI Ambassador Patricia Scanlon, and Drs. Elizabeth Farries and Susan Leavy from UCD; AI Advisory Council member Barry Scannell; and TrialView's Stephen Dowling.

The video series builds on a collaboration between UCD and Microsoft, which saw the introduction of the Microsoft-UCD Digital Policy Programme at UCD in 2020 with the goal of building digital policy capability amongst the public and private sector in Ireland and across the wider EU.

The announcement was made at the Digital Ireland Conference organised by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment today in Dublin Castle. The event sought to underline Ireland's position as a digital leader at the heart of European and global digital developments and demonstrate Government's commitment to drive greater clarity, coherence and cooperation in digital in Ireland.

Welcoming the release of the AI video series, Minister Dara Calleary TD said: "Ireland can lead in responsible AI and innovative AI and be at the core of AI innovation in Europe. As we look ahead, skilling up in AI will give people the skills and confidence to deal with and manage AI. Skills are also crucial to understanding ethical AI and person-centred AI, which are two key principles of Ireland's national AI strategy."

Dr Elizabeth Farries from the UCD Centre for Digital Policy said: "Communication and comprehension need to occur along every point of the AI supply and development chain. We need communication and understanding of ethics from researchers and developers to Governments embracing these technologies. That is why we recommend capacity building for policymakers and developers alike through education, including the programmes offered at UCD Centre for Digital Policy."

James O'Connor, Microsoft Ireland Site Lead and Vice President of Microsoft Global Operations Service Center, said: "AI is a transformative technology that has huge potential to empower workers, businesses and communities across Ireland. As the use of AI tools and technologies accelerates, it is important that both the policy opportunities and challenges created by the technology are well understood.

By providing insights from a wide-ranging set of experts across academia, policy and industry, the new AI video series produced in collaboration with the UCD Centre for Digital Policy can help to deepen understanding in these key areas and ensure responsible AI principles are put into practice."

The AI Video Series, along with a similar series on Cyber Security produced last year, are available to view at www.digitalpolicy.ie.

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Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, Emer Higgins TD has announced that Limerick's H&MV Engineering has won the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Horizon Award at a ceremony in Dublin. H&MV Engineering was recognised for its design and construction solutions across data centres, wind farms and solar and battery projects.

The award was presented by Minister Higgins and Enterprise Ireland CEO, Leo Clancy.

Now in its second year, the AWS Horizon Award aims to recognise firms that have helped to improve employment in Ireland, exported their skills or products to other regions and markets, or positively played a part in the wider reputation of the cloud infrastructure industry.

A 2023 study by Indecon International Economic Consultants (Indecon) provided an overview of the scale of investment AWS has made in Ireland since 2012, and demonstrated the positive ripple effects an AWS data centre has on local communities. The report found that AWS has increased economic output in Ireland by over €11.4 billion since 2012, contributing nearly €2.4 billion in additional economic output in 2022 alone.

The event provided an opportunity for a range of companies, service providers and other stakeholders to share their thoughts on the collaboration and relationship between AWS and Ireland's wider enterprise network.

Minister Higgins said:

"The Irish companies that work alongside our multinational base are a vital part of Ireland's economy. It is excellent to get an opportunity to get to recognise the success of these firms, who are at the frontier of the digital economy. Companies like this create jobs here in Ireland and, in the process, create a platform to expand internationally. I want to congratulate H&MV Engineering, and all the firms that were shortlisted for today's award."

Leo Clancy, CEO Enterprise Ireland, said:

"In recent years Enterprise Ireland has worked closely with H&MV Engineering as the company has expanded internationally. It is exciting to see this highly innovative business go from strength-to-strength creating new jobs here in Ireland and overseas and are worthy winners of this award.

I also wish to commend AWS as they continue to provide supports to a cross-sector of Irish businesses, including start-ups and scale-ups and play a significant role in nurturing innovation and growth within the overall enterprise eco-system."

Neil Morris, Country Lead for AWS in Ireland, said:

"We have seen the data centre industry in Ireland expand significantly over the last number of years, giving local companies the resources and opportunities to build world-leading solutions in the areas of engineering, manufacturing and logistics. The importance of these companies to the Irish economy cannot be overstated and each have contributed significantly to enterprise and employment in Ireland.

The work and success of H&MV Engineering is a prime example of the positive impact that foreign investment can have on the Irish economy, as a result of their collaboration with AWS."

PJ Flanagan, CEO of H&MV Engineering, said: "Ever since we started working with AWS in 2013, this has created many different jobs and roles in engineering, project management and a number of supporting jobs in our Irish offices. The support AWS has provided to us has allowed us to establish a presence globally. We are delighted to have been awarded the AWS Horizon Award this year and it is testament to the hard work and commitment shown by everyone associated with the company."

See more stories here.

Storm Technology, the market-leading digital solutions provider, has revealed the findings of its survey which found that over half (51%) of companies in Ireland permit the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) but don't have the policies in place to govern same.

The Storm Technology research - involving more than 100 IT leaders and decision-makers across larger enterprises and organisations across Ireland - further revealed that three quarters (77%) say their organisation is concerned about how to govern AI.

More worryingly, just 28% have a strategy in place to address any AI risks that arise. This could explain why 80% of IT leaders cited user adoption as a concern when considering AI implementation.

In terms of the top three most cited barriers to AI adoption in enterprises across Ireland, the research revealed these to be how to manage data, privacy and security (70%), a lack of trust in AI (66%) and a lack of AI skills (57%).

On the topic of skills, 61% of IT leaders don't believe their team has the skills or knowledge to implement and adopt AI. Taking this one step further, over half (57%) of enterprises appear to be lacking the sufficient in-house expertise to successfully leverage AI to drive business success.

The research further found that nine in ten (90%) see a lack of understanding around ethical and legal implications as a concern when it comes to AI implementation.

Despite these challenges, 43% of IT leaders think AI will help staff to achieve a better work/life balance. Furthermore, over a third (34%) think AI will help to reduce employee burnout in their organisation and a similar proportion (36%) think AI usage will reduce stress levels among staff.

Some 43% of IT leaders are currently using AI to assist with their work and 78% also think AI would allow staff to reduce manual repetitive tasks and focus on more meaningful work.

Despite this, just 28% of respondents think employees are optimistic about the impact of AI on their day-to-day routines and 60% revealedstaff are concerned about the impact of AI on their jobs.

Speaking about the findings, Mike Lillis, Chief Commercial Officer, Storm Technology, said: "While there is notable uptake in AI usage across enterprises in Ireland - something which is likely to grow in the months and years to come - a number of challenges and concerns remain.

"Business leaders need to ensure that they are governing the use of such technologies and equipping staff with the knowledge and skills to effectively and securely leverage same. Getting this right has the potential to significantly improve the lives of workers both inside and outside of the modern workplace.

"As well as enabling people to work smarter and achieve more, AI can also drive business benefits, such as improved customer service and talent retention. In other words, by developing a proper strategy around AI, organisations can drive success for the business as a whole and those within it."

See more stories here.

A Finnish startup has developed a nutrient catcher that is installed in wastewater management systems. The wastewater treatment equipment is able to separate and collect all excess nutrients from concentrated wastewaters, which can then be recycled and sold back to the fertilizer industry, making businesses more profitable, mitigating eutrophication, and enhancing local food security.

NPHarvest, a spin-off from Aalto University, has raised €2.2M to take its proprietary nutrient catcher machine to the market. The round was led by Nordic Foodtech VC, with participation from Stephen Industries and Maa- ja vesitekniikan tuki ry. The round consists of a €1.3M equity investment and a €900.000 grant from the Finnish Ministry of the Environment and their RAKI program.

NPHarvest to tackle wastewater

NPHarvest has developed a novel and soon patented hardware solution for collection and recycling of nutrients from wastewater. With the new funding, NPHarvest is going to build the first commercially ready Nutrient Catcher, ready to be installed in their clients' facilities. Thanks to the process' modular design, the Nutrient Catcher can scale to different use cases and fit different facilities while keeping the production costs as low as possible.

"Our process is much more energy and cost-efficient and easier to operate than the current solutions. Our end product is ammonia salt, which is commonly used in the fertilizer industry. We are very excited about bringing this technology to the market after years of research and development, bringing sustainable and affordable recycled nutrients and fertilizers to the market," says Juho Uzkurt Kaljunen, CEO and founder of NPHarvest.

Nutrient fertilizers are vital for securing food production. However, excessive amounts of fertilizers, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, end up in the environment via wastewater or through nutrient leaching from agricultural areas. Both cause pollution of the ground and eutrophication in seas and lakes, which in turn causes overgrowth of algae and weeds, especially toxic blue-green algae, depleting oxygen and killing animal life.

Wastewater is also responsible for around five percent of all greenhouse gas emissions.

Losing valuable nutrients in wastewater is a missed opportunity for the whole agricultural ecosystem. Fertilizer prices are volatile and they need to be imported from abroad, decreasing self-sufficiency. The inability to remove excess nutrients from the ecosystem will also gradually lead to soil contamination, as farmers prefer using fossil-based mineral fertilizers or nutrient-rich manure. However, too much nutrients might actually result in nutrient deficiencies in plants.

NPHarvest's hardware can catch up to 90 percent of the excess but valuable nutrients from wastewater. Once the technology has separated the nutrients, they can be taken back to the fertilizer companies. NPHarvest's process also uses very little energy, as it doesn't require heating or pressure increase, reducing the costs of the process even further.

"No one has done nutrient catching on a real commercial level, which made us as foodtech investors impressed with NPHarvest and its unique technology. Ensuring food security while protecting the environment is one of the top priorities in the food system. NPHarvests technology has what it takes to combine these aspects in a very interesting business model," says Mika Kukkurainen, Partner at Nordic Foodtech VC.

NPHarvest has two patents pending and is gearing up towards building its first products, ready to be installed at wastewater management facilities. Their main customers are wastewater management plants, biogas plants, and livestock farms that are trying to cut their costs, reduce their carbon footprint, or earn extra income from recycled fertilizer sales.

Antti Myllärinen CEO of Doranova Oy, says: "Nutrient recovery stands as a critical component within the biogas industry, yet frequently encounters bottlenecks during the processin...

A series of Info Days to better acquaint Seeds of Bravery applicants with the project's opportunities is ongoing.

Recently, the Info Day, dedicated to the Business and Innovation Services and Innovative Entrepreneurship programmes, which offer grants of up to €10,000 and €25,000 euros respectively, was held.

Seeds of Bravery

The speakers discussed the differences between the types of support, the costs covered, and the evaluation stages. In particular, the Innovative Entrepreneurship programme focuses on:

Startups that continue to operate in Ukraine;

Women-led start-ups seeking to relocate or continue their operations in Ukraine or in one of the European Union member states and its associated OCT or Horizon Europe countries after the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

A key aspect of the project is a lump sum payment mechanism, designed to reduce the administrative burden on startups, allowing them to focus more on project performance than financial management.

What are the non-financial benefits that programmes participants can have?

Matchmaking, which will include individual matchmaking trips for each beneficiary based on their needs, as well as a monthly digest with a list of common partnership events.

Access to Investors and Accelerators community, which will be provided through the Accelerace platform. It will allow startups to pass an investment readiness test, connect with relevant investors and accelerators, and access a collection of pitch decks from successful alumni.

Market Discovery Workshops - workshops aimed at providing comprehensive analytics of the EU market, which will start in May.

Market Fast-Track programmes - a series of 2-week online programmes to facilitate access to EU markets, which will start in September.

Female Entrepreneurship & Leadership programme - mentoring of female founders, support and guidance in their development in the tech arena.

The full video from the Info Day is available here:

The next Info Day will be dedicated to the Deep Tech Incubators programme, helping participants to understand how to raise up to €25k and what non-financial benefits are available. The event will take place on 17 April and registration is already open: https://forms.gle/iUtLsHNaucigetNn9

Moreover, the Seeds of Bravery Consortium has created a Guide for Applicants, which can quickly answer most questions.

The document describes in detail every aspect of the project - from getting to know the initiative to applying, evaluation and further stages. It is a roadmap for Ukrainian tech companies seeking to make an impact on both the local and European markets.

What does the guide contain?

An introductory part that will help you understand the essence of the initiative, its goals, and the level of commitment to the Ukrainian tech ecosystem.

Overview of support opportunities - extensive information on the 5 available programmes offering financial grants ranging from €10,000 to €50,000, adapted to different stages of startup development, as well as additional support tools.

Detailed description of the selection criteria, eligible sectors and eligibility restrictions.

Step-by-step application and evaluation process.

Quality Mark and other non-financial support services available for high quality applications that are not funded.

You can find the guidelines for applicants at the link in the Documents section: https://getonepass.eu/opportunities/uaseed

Funded by the European Union, under the European Innovation Council (EIC). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be held responsible for them. The UASEEDs project has received funding from the Horizon Europe Framework Programme under grant agreement No 101104445.

See more breaking stories here.

Guest post by Dr Jessica Barker MBE, author of Hacked: The secrets behind cyber attacks

Malicious insiders are a unique threat in the world of cyber security. Most internal organizational issues are non-malicious: people make mistakes within systems that are rarely designed to support them, usually with high levels of security friction and insufficient training and tools. Internal people with malicious intent are much less common but can be deeply damaging.

Hacked, insights by Dr Jessica Barker

Unlike external attackers, these individuals already have privileged access to an organization's networks, systems, and data, making their attacks potentially more devastating.

At the heart of some insider threats is the simple motive of financial gain. Individuals may exploit their access to sensitive company data for personal profit, such as selling trade secrets to competitors, committing fraud, or engaging in identity theft. If the insider has the offer of a new job, there can be a temptation to take data from their existing employer.

This was a theme of the infamous Formula 1 'Spygate', in which Nigel Stepney stole 780 pages of confidential information from Ferrari, handing it to Mike Coughlan, then chief designer at McLaren, seemingly with a view that the two could use the information as a springboard to secure new jobs at another team.

Financial motivation and ambition were apparently not the only driving factor for Stepney's actions. Having risen through the ranks of motor racing, Stepney was chief mechanic at Ferrari when Schumacher ruled the racecourse in the early 2000s. Recognised as pivotal in the team's success, it seems he was sorely disappointed when he did not get a promotion.

This is a common factor in malicious insider activity, as I explore in Hacked: The Secrets Behind Cyber Attacks. Those who feel undervalued, overlooked, or aggrieved justify their malicious activity against their employer. The desire for revenge, or a perceived levelling of the playing field, can push an otherwise loyal employee to rationalize their harmful actions as justified payback.

In a similar way, some insiders are motivated by personal beliefs or affiliations that are at odds with their employer's actions or values, as claimed by Edward Snowden. They might leak sensitive information to press outlets, activist groups, or even foreign entities to expose what they perceive as unethical practices or to advance a particular cause.

Some malicious insiders are not turned, but instead are planted. Corporate or state-sponsored espionage involves insiders who spy on their employers on behalf of a third party. Insiders motivated by espionage are often recruited, coerced, or bribed by external entities seeking to gain a competitive edge or national security advantage.

In other cases, insiders are not planted or tempted by external groups, but rather are coerced. Threats to personal safety, blackmail, or manipulation can compel someone to steal or sabotage data. These individuals find themselves with no other perceived option due to the circumstances.

Recognizing the diverse motivations behind malicious insider actions is essential for developing effective security strategies. Thoroughly screening potential hires and conducting regular checks on existing employees, especially those with access to critical systems, is a fundamental step. Using the principle of 'least privilege' helps to ensure that employees have only the access necessary for their roles.

Monitoring tools support detection of unusual activity patterns that could indicate malicious intent.

Beyond all of this, it is important not to overlook the importance of awareness and culture. Building a positive and proactive culture of cyber security, in which employees are empowered to practice healthy security behaviours makes it harder for malicious insiders to operate without standing out. Fostering a positive work environment is just as important, especially in the current economic climate....

Guest post by Steve Hearsum, author of No Silver Bullet: Bursting the bubble of the organisational quick fix

A few years ago, a friend of mine who has deep experience of helping organisations with their digital 'transformation' ambitions explained to me one of the fundamental challenges they face when working with senior leaders. Exec teams in modern organisations are typically made up of people who have led the business to where they are today.

Faced with digitalisation and the need to invest in new technology, people and processes, these leaders make seven-figure investment decisions about things they, at best, have a superficial understanding of. To admit they do not know what they are talking about in this context is to accept that the self-image they have constructed over years, and maybe the ideal they have of the leadership team as a whole, is not quite true.

The lure of silver bullets

Who wouldn't want a certain answer?

Faced with a complex challenge, and the anxiety you experience when you realize you may not know what to do, who wouldn't want a Silver Bullet? You would be a fool not to buy one if such a thing existed. The problem is that quick fix, easy answer, simple solutions to complex challenges do not exist, whether that be for digital transformation, culture or a myriad other organisational challenges.

The evidence that no easy answer exists is simple: if it did, we would all be using the same consultancy, worshipping at the feet of one thought leader or buying the same airport tome by the latest exec moved to pass on their learning.

Here is where we run up against what Mark Cole and John Higgins coined the 'myth of fixability' (2022), which boils down to laziness in decision making, in part underpinned by assumptions about the nature of change.

Instead of accepting that change in human systems is unpredictable, fluid, emergent and a function of the quality and frequency of human interactions, we are lured by an endless stream of purveyors of Silver Bullet solutions, selling us 22 matrixes, n step models of change, methodologies that promise predictable outcomes and consultants and consultancies proffering beautifully animated slide decks that sooth our furrowed brows.

What drives the need for certainty?

In my research, I asked people what they believed fed the need for certainty that makes Silver Bullets so attractive. Several themes emerged, many recurring:

Expectations - of leaders, followers, stakeholders, shareholders, etc. which necessitates that a lot of weight is put on clarity, certainty and coherence.

Pace - the need to be seen to be doing something right now and the need for speed.

Archetypes of 'great leaders' - e.g. fast, decisive, confident, heroic, charismatic, etc.

Laziness - because, bluntly, it is too much like hard work (or too uncomfortable) to stop and think.

Fear and anxiety - of failure; of what might be discovered or revealed, about either the situation or oneself; existential anxiety; discomfort with ambiguity; of being exposed somehow as 'not knowing' or being seen as incompetent; of being held accountable; of simply being and bringing oneself to work, e.g. in the C-Suite and executive level more widely, how OK is it to 'be you', really? And underpinning all of that - shame.

Inability to cope with not knowing - not knowing what to do, why something is happening, what will happen if I do/do not act, etc.

The need to please - parent/child behaviour is rife in many organisations for the simple reason they reflect the humanity of those that work there. Part of this dynamic is the need for some leaders to be liked, to please employees and peers by being seen, for example, to have found the solution to a problem.

Displacement - the need to make someone - or something - else responsible. If things do not work it, it is the Silver Bullet that is at fault, not you.

Mindset - if your background is one that tends to a view that the world is inherently plannable or you have a high need for prec...