One of the current programme participants is Steven Nee with a background in aircraft engineering and with his co-founder Gavin Quigley, a helicopter engineer, they set up EV Revolution.

The company is developing a range of electric vehicle chargers to help people who want to charge at home with retractable chargers and accessories. 

Another participant is Muireann Nic Cába whose business, Tag Audio Play, is a collaboration tool that people can use when inundated with messages from various platforms. The plug-in helps professionals save time and improve productivity by allowing them to record a voice memo directly to specific aspects of documents. 

Customers are in the construction industry, graphic designers working in the corporate sector and representatives of the legal and medical sectors.

Muireann said: “There is huge momentum behind our business now. The programme is challenging us to think outside the box and research our customer base in Ireland and internationally."

Alison Walsh, Programme Manager at the Rubicon Centre, said:  “New Frontiers Phase 2 is designed for those with an innovative business idea, who show ambition and wish to grow and scale up internationally. We are delighted to support these new start-up businesses, representing a diverse range of founders from different backgrounds from sectors including healthcare, software, fintech, environment sustainability and fashion, representing the thriving spirit of entrepreneurship in this region.”

Raising finance is a key input to the programme, including pitch preparation and access to a wide network of investors in both public and private in Ireland and abroad.

Funded by Enterprise Ireland, MTU will spend €3.5m over the next five years on the New Frontiers Programme, supporting entrepreneurs to deliver 75 new companies in the South-West Region. The Tom Crean Business Centre is also delivering the New Frontiers Phase 2 Programme from MTU’s incubation centre on the Kerry campus.