IADT NovaUCD New Frontiers celebrates five years of entrepreneurial impact with milestone event held at Dún Laoghaire’s historic Carnegie Library.

Since launching at IADT five years ago, the programme has supported founders across Phases 1, 2 and 3, helping entrepreneurs test business ideas, establish new ventures and progress towards investment and scale.

Over the full 5-year cycle, IADT NovaUCD New Frontiers programme has supported 301 entrepreneurs with participating founders collectively raising €23.3 million in funding and creating 197 jobs.

The five-year milestone was marked on 30 September, where emerging founders from across South Dublin showcased their businesses and celebrated their entrepreneurial achievements.

Hosted by IADT in partnership with NovaUCD, the event marked the culmination of the Enterprise Ireland-funded New Frontiers Phase 2 programme, which supports early-stage founders to develop their businesses, build market readiness and prepare for future growth.

Phase 2 participants complete six months of intensive business development, supported by a €15,000 scholarship, mentoring, workshops and access to the IADT, NovaUCD and wider entrepreneurial ecosystem.

As IADT NovaUCD New Frontiers enters its next phase, the programme will continue to support entrepreneurs in transforming innovative ideas into sustainable businesses, creating jobs and contributing to the region’s growing entrepreneurial ecosystem.

“IADT NovaUCD New Frontiers is about turning entrepreneurial potential into real business opportunity. We give founders the time, expertise, networks and practical support to test their ideas, challenge their thinking and build stronger, more investment-ready businesses. By the end of the programme, founders have not only greater clarity about where they are going, but the confidence, capability and connections to take their businesses forward.”said the New Frontiers Programme Manager Susanne LEstrange.

Speaking during the New Frontiers Showcase, Ciara Concannon, National Programme Manager for New Frontiers at Enterprise Ireland said, “New Frontiers is Enterprise Irelands national entrepreneurship development programme, it gives early-stage entrepreneurs a fully supported 6-month period in which to work on their innovative business idea, to take them from idea stage to investment. It where we sow the seeds for the next wave of High Potential Startups coming from Ireland that will be internationally traded.”

Pictured Front row: Lisa Brown DLR LEO, Ciara Concannon Enterprise Ireland, Anudari Baatartsogt LuminaeCx, Beth Pereira Cavallore, Jenny Kilbride My Law, Helen O Shea, Wealth Wisdom, Max Crinion Morgan RespEire. Back row: Susie Kilcoyne Lockett AI Labs, Gearoid Keegan Hedj, Damien O Rourke LR Music, Flavia Macruz ESG Data Core, Alistair Bunch GNV, Jonathan O Beirne Flynn O Driscoll.