Setanta Space targets €2m raise after UCD accelerator win

Setanta Space is raising €2m to launch its Vertis AI platform after being named One to Watch at UCD’s 2026 AI Ecosystem Accelerator.

Setanta Space was selected for the award as the six-month programme, delivered by NovaUCD in partnership with CeADAR, Ireland’s Centre for Applied AI, concluded with a showcase for investors and industry representatives.

Ten AI-first start-ups completed this year’s accelerator and are collectively seeking €17 million in pre-seed or seed funding to support their growth plans over the next 12 to 18 months.

Setanta Space was co-founded by James Murphy and Adam Taylor in 2025 and is developing AI software and modular onboard computing hardware designed to make satellites and spacecraft more autonomous, resilient and capable.

The NovaUCD-headquartered business is an Enterprise Ireland High Potential Start-Up and was accepted onto the ESA BIC Ireland initiative earlier this year. The two-year business incubation programme supports Irish start-ups connected with the space sector.

€2m raise for Vertis

Setanta Space is currently developing Vertis, a software tool designed to enable specialist engineers to deploy AI on satellites, drones and resilient systems more quickly.

“I am delighted and thrilled that Setanta Space was named winner of the One to Watch Award at the end of the 2026 AI Ecosystem Accelerator programme especially given the calibre of the other participating start-ups,” said James Murphy, founder and CEO of Setanta Space.

👉 No tech background needed to bring your business into the AI age! Secure your Google AI Professional Certificate to complete the certification at no cost. Apply now and get started!

He said the company believes Vertis could substantially reduce the engineering work involved in deploying AI systems.

“Our Setanta team is currently developing a new software tool, which we are calling Vertis, which will enable specialist engineers to put AI on satellites, drones and resilient systems automatically with one click of a button, which currently would take weeks of deployment work to complete. The benefits and opportunities for this technology are really significant and include a reduction in engineering time and costs for any company using our software.”

Murphy added: “We are currently raising a €2 million pre-seed round to launch Vertis and bring it to market.”

Ten companies target €17m

The 2026 AI Ecosystem Accelerator focused on helping AI-first businesses build commercial traction in international markets and prepare for investment and scale.

Alongside Setanta Space, the companies completing the programme were AnotherTrip, Databuckets, Diotima, Envaira, Infralign.ai, MESO, Neuronourish, RunCommerce and Stormlands Mining.

“Congratulations to Setanta Space on being named the winner of the One to Watch Award at the end of this year’s AI Ecosystem Accelerator,” said Liam Cronin, Director of Innovation at UCD.

“This year’s programme was focused on supporting 10 excellent and ambitious AI-first start-ups that already had market validation or live pilots underway and are focused on accelerating traction on a global stage and are actively seeking to close a funding round. I would like to congratulate all ten start-up teams who completed this year’s programme and wish them every success in achieving their collective funding target of €17 million over the coming months.”

The accelerator combines commercial, fundraising and technical support. Founders receive guidance from CeADAR AI experts covering areas including data strategy, model evaluation and AI deployment readiness.

Participants also have access to collaborative working space at NovaUCD and opportunities to connect with entrepreneurs, corporates and investors.

Dr John Lonsdale, CEO of CeADAR, said: “This year’s accelerator featured inspirational entrepreneurs working across diverse sectors. They combined their in-depth sector knowledge with the latest in AI techniques to come up with highly investable innovations. CeADAR has been delighted to provide technical support during their journey”.

Building Ireland’s AI start-up pipeline

The programme forms part of CeADAR’s European Digital Innovation Hub for AI programme, which supports Irish start-ups and SMEs developing AI technologies.

The EDIH initiative has €700 million in funding from the European Commission and the governments of member states, while the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, through Enterprise Ireland, leads the programme in Ireland.

“The AI Ecosystem Accelerator programme at UCD continues to play a key role in developing a strong pipeline of innovative AI-first start-ups across Ireland,” said Laura Clifford, Senior Programme Manager EDIH at Enterprise Ireland.

“Congratulations to this year’s cohort which has just completed the programme and Enterprise Ireland looks forward to continuing to support these founders, in collaboration with NovaUCD and CeADAR, as they grow and scale their start-ups.”

Each of the 10 companies pitched at the final NovaUCD investor showcase to an invited audience of investors and industry representatives.

The judging panel comprised angel investor John Collins of Tech Operators; Simon Factor, Head of New Ventures at NovaUCD, who chaired the panel; Amy Neale, General Partner at Delta Partners; and Cillian Sugrue, Venture Associate at Elkstone.

Thirty start-ups have now completed the three AI Ecosystem Accelerator programmes delivered to date.

Applications for the next programme are due to open in the first quarter of 2027.