START Fund
The Teagasc START Fund is an annual internal research fund, offering the opportunity to Teagasc researchers to avail of up to €15,000 for a 6-month project to aid in early-stage assessment of concepts and ground-breaking innovations with commercial potential. The START Fund aims to support the development of early-stage commercialisation projects that may in time form new spin-out companies.
The successful teams that have received funding through the competitive START fund calls are drawn from across Teagasc research centres.
START Fund Winners
2025 Winners
- Prof Mark Fenelon: Heat Stability Sensor
- Dr Ruth Hamill: HySPec Beef
- Dr John Kenny: DNA Detect Plus
- Dr Elodie Ruelle: MoSt-Simple
2024 Winners
- Dr Declan Bolton: Validation of an innovative biotechnology to control Campylobacter in broilers
- Dr Shivani Pathania: Rhubarb Absorbent Pad
- Dr Laura Mascaraque: Market Research for Protein-Rich Plant-Based Alternatives to Animal Derived Gelatine
- Dr Dheeraj Singh Rathore: Developing a Valuation Framework for the Forestry Breeding Programme
2023 Winners
- Prof Paul Cotter & Dr. Miguel Fernandez de Ullivarri (UCC): ALPACA Bio
- Dr Karen Daly: SOLAS
- Dr Rita Hickey: Milkybiotics
2022 Winners
- Dr Maria Hayes & Dr Paula O’Connor: Pet Aging and Wellness
- Dr Maria Hayes & Dr Emer Shannon: BioHealth
- Dr Peadar Lawlor & Prof Gillian Gardiner (SETU), Dr Ruth Rattigan (SETU): Proswine
- Dr Shivani Pathania: Tamper Proof Packaging
2021 Winners
- Dr Susanna Barth & Dr Serguei Kouchnir, Ewen Mullins: Hybrid Ryegrass Breeding
- Prof Paul Cotter & Dr John Leech: Bespoke Fermented Foods
- Dr Norah O’Shea: VisioBot
If you are a Teagasc researcher and you have a technology or concept you would like to explore, please contact engage@teagasc.ie to find out more