IGNITE start-ups spotlight sustainability, women’s health and sports tech at UCC showcase.
University College Cork’s IGNITE programme has this week unveiled a new wave of early-stage ventures tackling sustainability, women’s health and performance technology at its Autumn Showcase, following a €1 million award from the Higher Education Authority.
The showcase featured 14 start-ups founded by recent graduates, each aiming to transform ideas into scalable businesses with economic and social impact.
“We are proud to support talented founders in developing innovative business ideas into scalable and sustainable start-ups that deliver real social and economic value”
Among the innovations were technology to optimise rowing performance, zero-waste fashion design and a redesigned intrauterine device (IUD) for safer, more comfortable use.
The event comes after IGNITE secured one of five HEA Awards for exemplary performance and impact, based on case studies submitted by higher education institutions earlier this year.
The programme, established in 2011, has supported nearly 250 founders and is backed by Cork City Council, Cork County Council, local enterprise offices and Bank of Ireland.
The talent spark
Eamon Curtin, Director of IGNITE, said the award reflects the strength of the programme and its partners.
“We are proud to support talented founders in developing innovative business ideas into scalable and sustainable start-ups that deliver real social and economic value,” he said.
Among the ventures showcased were:
- Roteq, founded by Will Gunnarson and Sam O’Neill, uses smartphone sensors to provide real-time performance metrics for rowing athletes, enabling instant feedback and progress tracking on the water.
- The Zero Waster, created by designer Sarah O’Neill, applies regenerative design principles to fashion, producing unique garments from reclaimed and natural materials to challenge industry norms on waste and transparency.
- Elithiya, founded by Isabelle Curran, focuses on women’s health innovation. Curran has worked with clinicians and FemTech founders to redesign the IUD experience, developing softer insertion tools and supportive digital technology.
The annual showcase offered participants a platform to connect with investors and entrepreneurs. IGNITE remains open to graduates from any third-level institution who have the ambition to develop ideas with economic, environmental or social impact.
Top image: Start-ups supported by University College Cork’s IGNITE programme presented their business ventures at its Autumn Showcase 2025. IGNITE recently secured a €1 million Higher Education Authority (HEA) Award. Photo: John Allen.
-
Bank of Ireland is welcoming new customers every day – funding investments, working capital and expansions across multiple sectors. To learn more, click here
-
For support in challenging times, click here
-
Listen to the ThinkBusiness Podcast for business insights and inspiration. All episodes are here. You can also listen to the Podcast on:
-
Spotify
-
SoundCloud
-
Apple
