Supporting women entrepreneurs – inclusion through innovation
The University of Galway is committed to promoting women entrepreneurs and enabling innovation from concept design to market reality.
We are all aware that it can be difficult to attract and support women into the technology workforce. The technology industry lags behind other sectors with women making up only 28% of the technology workforce. These low numbers can be attributed to several factors including the lack of role models and support, as well as challenges aligning personal and professional needs.
However, here in the University of Galway commercialization space we have an innovation ecosystem where all entrepreneurs can thrive. The university’s Innovation Office strives to create an enabling and conducive environment for female entrepreneurs. We are proud to highlight that 41% of our 32 most recent startups have female founders. This is a much higher statistic than the global average.
The Innovation Office offers mentorship and training programmes that pair clients with mentors especially chosen to suit their needs and offers a wide range of business development opportunities. There is a particular focus on getting the balance right between cross-functional supports and good mentorship.
“We value diversity and ensure the contributions of all members of our community are recognised and valued. The centre's support services are tailored to individual needs, ensuring open communication with our start-up ecosystem to offer the support needed’.’
Below we spotlight and celebrate some of our inspiring female founders and their cutting-edge innovations.
Alison Liddy - Relevium Medical
Alison Liddy CEO for Relevium Medical says; “After learning the frustrations with the lack of effective pain treatments for people with debilitating chronic pain conditions through the BioInnovate Programme in the university, I became consumed with finding superior solutions, which led to the founding of Relevium Medical”
Relevium Medical’s approach to creating effective pain treatments is by leveraging biopolymers found abundantly in the body - tailoring these with innovative pharmacological molecules to create novel therapeutic formulations targeting each selected disease. Find out more about the company here
Elle Sander - Lifelet Medical
Elle Sander is the Co-Founder of Lifelet Medical, a medical device spin-out from the University of Galway innovating heart valve replacement and is one of the University’s 30 Under 30 champions. Lifelet Medical is developing a polymeric heart valve that is free from animal tissue and does not require blood thinners or open-heart surgery, greatly expanding patients’ options for heart valve replacement while reducing long-term impacts for patients and the environment.”
Elle says “My eyes were opened to the world of cardiothoracic surgery as an undergraduate researcher at age 19. This experience inspired me to pursue a career that would serve future patients. I am grateful for the University’s support of clinical innovation and R&D, and thankful for the ecosystem of entrepreneurs here who encourage and sharpen one another.” Find out more about the company here
Suzanne Moloney - HidraMed Solutions
Driven by her own experiences living with Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS) since the age of 13, Suzanne Moloney, CEO and founder of HidraMed Solutions determined to find a solution to help herself and others to make wound care management for HS patients less strenuous and help them live life to the fullest.
Suzanne says, “I believe that more awareness of this condition will lead to faster diagnoses which is key to managing the condition.” Her company, HidraMed Solutions, is the world’s first and only Hidradenitis Suppurativa-specific wound dressing system, making it the perfect self-care solution for managing HS flares.
Marie Therese Maher - Nua Surgical
Marie Therese Maher, Co-founder and COO of the award-winning NUA Surgical has over 20 years industry experience with MedTech multinationals and start-ups, bringing products from concept through to commercialisation.
Marie says “Nua Surgical is dedicated to creating innovative surgical solutions in obstetrics and gynaecology, and we have developed an innovative surgical retractor to tackle major unmet needs of Caesarean Section (C-Section) impacting patients, clinicians, and hospitals.” More details on Nua Surgical can be found here
Dr Michelle Tierney - SymPhysis Medical
Dr Michelle Tierney, CSO & Co-Founder of SymPhysis Medical says “science and research should lead to tangible impacts. After a decade in academia, I realized I was more interested in using my knowledge and skills to solve real world challenges faced by patients.”
Dr Tierney co-founded SymPhysis Medical whose mission to develop innovative technologies in the area of palliative care led them to develop their emergent technology, releaze, which is a drainage technology to treat a common complication of late-stage cancers, malignant pleural effusion (MPE). Find out more about SymPhysis’s work here.
Dr Liz McGloughlin - Tympany Medical
Young and breaking barriers, Elizabeth McGloughlin, CEO of Tympany Medical is an award-winning entrepreneur whose innovative solutions led to the founding of Tympany Medical.
She says “Tympany Medical is developing cutting-edge endoscope products for ENT (ear, nose and throat) surgeries. Solascope, will allow surgeons to have continuous visualization intraoperatively and will be the worlds' first single-use, variable angle, self-cleaning endoscope.” More details on Tympany Medical can be found here.
