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NEW START-UPS

Irish Entrepreneur gives the lowdown on some innovative start ups! See our fundamentals of entrepreneurship section on financing your business

ACCELERATING MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY
Michael Murphy, Chief Executive of NCB Ventures with Vivienne Williams, Managing Director, Cellix

Cellix Ltd, an instrumentation company, is providing new microfluidic technology based solution in the areas of drug discovery, diagnostics and medical research. Cellix is committed to becoming the leading provider of microfluidic tools and accessories for the investigation of new therapies for anti-inflammatory conditions. The new company was formed as a spin-out from research completed in Trinity College Dublin. Cellix has developed and produced disposable biochips capable of mimicking human capillaries.

The company’s products combine advanced research in the areas of microfluidics and nanotechnology. Cellix Limited recently announced the completion of an €800,000 investment round in the company. NCB Ventures, the venture capital arm of NCB Group, led the investment. Co-investors were OTC, a French Venture Capital fund and Enterprise Ireland. The seed capital raised will be used to finance the company’s continued R&D and expansion into international markets.

The main application of Cellix products is for cell-based assays and is ideally suited for studying cell adhesion, migration, invasion, chemotaxis and shear stress models in diseases and microenvironments.


A VAST PORTFOLIO OF PRODUCTS
Michiel Helmes, Chief Scientific Officer, Paul-Roman Vaas, Application Scientist, Rory Geoghegan CEO

Newly incorporated company Red Box Direct Ltd offers scientists across Europe a range of specialised hardware and software used for experiments in the fields of physiology, pharmacology and biochemistry. The company represents manufacturers who make innovative solutions for scientists’ needs and provides scientific instrumentation for use in cell and tissue biology, and analytical chemistry.

Red Box Direct source their products from companies in Australia, Canada, the USA and Japan. The company is a distributor with the added value that they understand the scientific problems their portfolio of products is aimed at and can offer technical advice and support to customers. Their business model is to build a viable business as a distributor while also developing products for the same customer base. Since conception last year, Red Box has formed distribution agreements with many companies internationally.


A VIRTUAL REVOLUTION
Playing a key role in facilitating home based businesess

Virtual Assistant’s Limited (VAL) was formed by Kevin Donohue and Marie Kirk in 2006. A VA is an independent business person providing a range of professional support services to clients. VAL is a new network of Virtual Assistants and can provide the knowledge and resources to build a successful business from home. VAL employs a number of support agents to provide VAs with telephone support from a call centre in County Monaghan. From the same call centre, telesales executives deal with customer enquiries. They will match the company in search of a service to the VA whose skills are most appropriate.


FIRST ALL ISLAND NETWORK
Harnessing the knowledge of highly successful Irish entrepreneurs and sharing the secrets of their success is at the heart of the first entrepreneur network. Aspiring entrepreneurs from across the island of Ireland will be invited to take part in a series of high level master classes over the next year where they will have the opportunity to benefit from the experience and advice of some of the islands most successful entrepreneurs.

InterTradeIreland is creating a panel of the island’s most well known and highly experienced entrepreneurs who will lead the masterclasses and provide mentoring support to early stage and growth companies.


BONBON IDEA
Beniot Lorge was born in France where he worked as a pastry chef. In 1999, he moved to Ireland where he has now set up his own luxury handmade chocolate company called Lorge Chocolatier in Kenmare, Co Kerry. Lorge is the winner of six medals at the Great Taste Awards in Dublin including two golds. Lorge ‘s chocolate are made in Bonane where you can see chocolates being made, enroll on a course and make them yourself or buy some to take home. Lorge makes chocolates for all celebrations and his products are perfect for any event including christenings, weddings and communions.
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