Three University of Galway graduates will be awarded for the impact of their startup companies at this year’s MIT Technology Review Innovators Under 35 Europe festival.
The celebration of young European innovators is taking place in Gaoth Dobhair, Co Donegal, today (Thursday ) and tomorrow.
Each of the three Galway-based innovators co-founded MedTech and health tech companies having graduated from University of Galway’s landmark BioInnovate programme.
The three are Elle Sander, co-founder and chief executive of Lifelet Medical, a medical device start-up innovating in heart valve replacement; Bárbara Oliveira, co-founder and clinical lead of Luminate Medical, which has developed a novel, pain-free and patient-centred medical device to prevent hair loss during chemotherapy; and Brendan Staunton, co-founder and chief executive of Amara Therapeutics, a spin-out which is revolutionising the treatment of pelvic health conditions by delivering digital support to patients’ smartphones.
“Being nominated for the MIT Technology Review Innovators Under 35 Europe awards is great recognition,” said Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, president of University of Galway. “Elle, Bárbara and Brendan are among our brightest young researchers and innovators, and to see them being heralded among their peers in Europe is testament to University of Galway’s promotion of innovation and our determination to break new ground in research, all the while with a focus on the public good.”
MIT Technology Review Innovators Under 35 Europe is an annual list that recognises outstanding innovators who are younger than 35. The awards span a wide range of fields including biotechnology, materials, computer hardware, energy, transportation, communications, and the Internet.
University of Galway is partnering with the festival organisers, Údarás na Gaeltachta and other partners, to bring this year’s festival of innovation to Gaoth Dobhair, Co Donegal and to celebrate young European visionaries pursuing the same objective: innovation, ingenuity, and advances toward addressing the world’s most pressing challenges.
