A LIMERICK start-up has been heralded as ‘one to watch’ as it was named one of the winner’s of University College Dublin’s (UCD) third annual accelerator programme.
PitSeal, founded by Marion Cantillon, was awarded the FBD One to Watch award at the AgTechUCD Agccelerator Programme, which aims to fast track the commercial and leadership skills of participants and to provide them with the support and guidance needed to accelerate their start-ups in Ireland and on the global stage.
PitSeal is an eco-friendly biofilm spray that forms an airtight seal over silage pits, eliminating the need for plastic sheeting and weights.
Ms Cantillon, who is currently a PhD Walsh Scholar at Teagasc and University College Cork, received a €10,000 prize as part of the accelerator programme.
“The invaluable guidance and mentorship that PitSeal received throughout the programme has positioned us well to further develop and expand our team as we roll out on our test farms,” she said.
“The recognition from AgTechUCD, FBD Insurance, and the panel of judges has significantly strengthened our ambition to grow PitSeal and reach as many farmers as possible. Special thanks also to all the mentors and farmers who have supported me from the beginning.”
Also awarded was Cork company Moonsyst, who developed a smart rumen monitoring solution that collects real-time information from inside cattle, dubbed an ingestible ‘Fitbit’ for cows.
Gary Ryan, AgTechUCD director, said: “I would like to congratulate Moonsyst and PitSeal, both with international ambition and the passion to drive their concepts forward, as winners of our third AgTechUCD Agccelerator Programme.”
“Our programme aims to support the commercial development of the participating start-ups by helping them to further develop their innovative solutions, to enhance their marketplace visibility, to attract new customers and investors and to build new partnerships at home and on the international stage.”
