From left: Dr Siobhain O' Mahony, founder of FemmeMeno; Dr Julie O’ Sullivan, founder of SkinCoat; and Emer O' Shea, commercialisation case manager with UCC. Image: Daragh Mc Sweeney/Provision
The two start-ups are developing health products with the help of the Cork-based APC Microbiome Research Centre.
Two women-led start-ups from University College Cork (UCC) have received combined funding of more than €1m from Enterprise Ireland’s Commercialisation Fund to develop products aimed at women’s health and skin health.
FemmeMeno, founded by Dr Siobhain O’Mahony, is a collaboration between the Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience at UCC and APC Microbiome Ireland, a research centre funded by Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland (formerly Science Foundation Ireland).
The company provides targeted support during menopause and perimenopause, helping balance hormones and improve overall health and wellbeing. It is estimated that by 2025, more than 1bn people will be post-menopausal and due to higher life expectancies, women now spend up to 40pc of their lives in perimenopause and menopause.
FemmeMeno plans to develop a scientifically backed and clinically validated supplement to improve menopausal health, for which it received €761,829 from Enterprise Ireland.
SkinCoat, founded by Dr Julie O’Sullivan, has developed a topical probiotic cream aimed at alleviating eczema symptoms. A collaboration between UCC’s Department of Microbiology and APC Microbiome, the start-up has received €248,918 from Enterprise Ireland to bring its product to market.
According to the Irish Skin Foundation, one in five children and one in ten adults in Ireland suffer from eczema, a preventable condition. “SkinCoat addresses the drawbacks of conventional treatments such as steroids and antibiotics, the latter of which contributes to the global issue of antimicrobial resistance,” UCC said in a statement.
“SkinCoat’s probiotic approach provides a natural and microbiome-friendly solution, aiming to improve the quality of life for those with eczema and other atopic skin conditions.”
Ireland ranked third in Europe for investment in women-led start-ups last year, with 31pc of start-ups supported by Enterprise Ireland in 2023 having a woman in its founding team.
“Entrepreneurship is essential to Ireland’s economic growth, yet women entrepreneurs often encounter challenges in the space, including unconscious bias, limited access to funding, and a lack of female mentors and role models,” said Dr Sally Cudmore, the director of UCC Innovation.
Earlier this month, Galway-based start-up SymPhysis Medical, which was co-founded by chief scientific officer Dr Michelle Tierney, raised €2.2m to carry-out pre-clinical studies for its medical device aimed at treating end-of-life cancer patients. A part of the funding was awarded by Enterprise Ireland.
Don’t miss out on the knowledge you need to succeed. Sign up for the Daily Brief, Silicon Republic’s digest of need-to-know sci-tech news.
