Cork University Business School hosted a Hackathon for Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) funded doctoral candidates and postdoctoral researchers on 12th June 2025.
Over the course of the day the participants working in teams, from the RETORNA and INSPIRE projects, developed ideas for a solution (product /service) for a problem, within an underlying SDG theme. The focus was on understanding how to develop an innovative commercial opportunity or social enterprise out of it.
Organised by Dr Aileen Murphy and Dr Ann Kirby (PIs, RETORNA, CUBS), in collaboration with Oonagh Cahalane (Project Manager, INSPIRE, APC) the participants had a productive day wherein they experienced what it means to develop a product or service that is commercially viable.
Facilitated by Dr Maria Coakley (Economics), in the morning the students had sessions on Idea Generation and Design Thinking delivered by Dr Andrew Pope (BIS); Lean Canvas delivered by Dr Gillian Barrett and Dr Fiona Edwards Murphy (Management and Marketing), and heard from Dr Mark O’Sullivan, Neurobell about his first-hand experience of commercialising his research. In the afternoon, each team met with range of mentors from Cork University Business School (Dr Lana Repar), the Health Innovation Hub (Dr Michael Twomey), APC (Prof Siobhán O’Mahony and Dr Julia O’Sullivan), the INFANT Research Centre (Michelle Dorgan) and Republic of Work (Eshna Gogia).
The six teams then presented the commercial viability of their innovation to a panel of judges, Prof Ciara Heavin (BIS, CUBS), Dr Alison O’Shea (Neurobell) and Mr Ed Donovan (AMS Services). The standard was excellent, with in depth details on the proposals and evidence of great teamwork. There was a strong AI focus in the solutions ranging from resolving the housing crisis to cleaner oceans. Prizes (sponsored by AMS Services) were awarded to two teams for best pitch and best business idea/ commercial opportunity.
Participants from RETORNA – a H2020 MSCA doctoral network programme which aims of which is to find treatment for Retinal Disease based on RNA therapy.
Maria Pires, Universidad Católica de Valencia
Yao Yao, Radboud University Medical Center
Nathalie Smeets, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen
Enola Missonnier, Universidad de Alicante
Ioannis Papazoglou, Bahçeşehir University,
Vaishnavi Karthikeyan, Leiden University Medical Center
Claire Willmington, UCC
Ceren Sahin, Universidad de Alicante
Maria Zawadzka, Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine
Chiara Ceresoni, Universidad Católica de Valencia
Participants from INSPIRE –a 2-year H2020 MSCA postdoctoral programme cofunded by APC Microbiome Ireland. Which aims to cultivate the next generation of scientific leaders who are adaptable, systems thinkers at the forefront of leading microbiome research.
Morgane le Drean
Lea Roussin
Shivankar Agrawal
Cristina Rosell Cardona
Mathieu Thabault
Nathan Nuzum
Saba Imdad
Felipe Miceli de Faria
Manon Oliero
Zhe Pan
Maria Kulecka
Munawar Abbas
Elisa Di Stefano
Valentine Turpin