8th March 2025
Female entrepreneurs are driving some of the most groundbreaking advancements in disruptive technologies in Ireland, helping to transform industries and reshape the future. Many of the 105 successful projects under the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment’s Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF) are female-led ventures which are challenging conventional norms and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. Their leadership in deep tech and research-driven innovation in diverse areas from artificial intelligence to biotechnology to sustainable energy not only fosters innovation but also paves the way for a more inclusive and diverse technological landscape.
Ireland’s female innovators continue to break through with bold solutions that address some of the world’s most pressing challenges. These dynamic entrepreneurs and the exciting DTIF projects they are leading include:
- Vivienne Williams, Co-founder and CEO of Cellix, a company providing microfluidic pumping solutions, bio-chips and automated platforms for cell-based assays. Vivienne specialises in commercialising analytical and life science tools, integrating diverse technologies into practical products that drive Cellix’s growth. Cellix are the lead partner in a consortium with two research institutions on a €3.3m DTIF project to develop a fully automated, closed system which addresses challenges in cell manufacturing for gene therapies.
- Anita Finnegan, CEO, Nova Leah, a company that specialises in cyber-security risk management systems for medical devices. Dr. Finnegan founded Nova Leah in 2015, transforming her doctoral research on cyber-security risk management into an award-winning framework for securing connected medical devices. Nova Leah are involved in two DTIF projects: one is a €1.5m project software platform to automate the secure collection, sharing, updating, aggregation, anonymisation and broader community sharing of medical device security-related information, while the second is a €2.2m project to develop a platform for secure storing of data relating to cardiovascular diseases.
- Dr Lucy O'Keeffe, CEO, CroíValve Ltd, an early-stage medical device company focused on the treatment of tricuspid regurgitation (leaking heart valves). Lucy has extensive experience in medical device development, leading R&D programs from concept to launch at Medtronic, including an early trans-catheter aortic program. CroíValve are leading a €5.9m DTIF project to develop a preclinically validated solution to enable treatment of over 90% of patients with tricuspid regurgitation. Women hold 70% of CroíValve’s senior leadership team roles, 50% of board positions and constitute 60% of the 40-strong CroiValve team.
- Ríona Ní Ghriallais is the Co-Founder & Chief Technical Officer at ProVerum Medical, a company focused on the development of novel minimally invasive devices to treat Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), or prostate enlargement. Ríona co-founded ProVerum in 2016 as a spin-out from Bio-innovate and TCD, and has spent over 15 years working in the medical device industry, specialising in bringing new device designs from concept through development and clinical study. ProVerum were awarded €2.9m to develop a treatment solution for BPH that can be performed in a doctor's office setting and is less invasive than currently available BPH treatments.
These four women are representative of the many other notable female innovators working on cutting edge disruptive technologies being funded under DTIF. Indeed, within DTIF Calls 2 to 6, female innovators constitute over one fifth (21%) of the circa 2,700 project team members involved. Similarly, almost one fifth of projects are led by women, most prominently in the Health and Well-being sector, followed by the ICT and the Energy and Sustainability sectors.
The impact of these female founders and project leaders in disruptive technologies extends far beyond their own companies. They are inspiring a new generation of women to step into STEM fields, launch startups, and lead high-growth ventures. As the tech landscape evolves, the contributions of female entrepreneurs will continue to shape industries, redefine progress, and prove that innovation knows no gender. We should celebrate their achievements.
DTIF Call 7 is open for applications until 30 April, with more exciting project applications from some of Ireland’s leading female entrepreneurs expected by that deadline.
Find out more by visiting Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund - DETE
ENDS
Notes to Editors
The Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF) is a €500 million fund established under the National Development Plan (NDP) in 2018. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment manages the DTIF with administrative support from Enterprise Ireland. The purpose of the fund is to drive collaboration between Ireland’s world-class research base and industry as well as facilitating enterprises to compete directly for funding in support of the development and adoption of these technologies. The aim is to support investment in the development and deployment of disruptive technologies and applications on a commercial basis.
DTIF Call 7 applications are assessed by panels of international experts against four criteria – quality of the disruptive technology, excellence of overall approach, economic impact and sustainability, and strength of the collaboration.
Since the Fund was launched in 2018, a total of 105 projects were awarded funding of over €376m. The 396 project partners involved are operating in every region across the country, with 59% of those partners located outside of Dublin.
Prospective applicants can obtain detailed information on the Fund and on the application process through enterprise.gov.ie/DTIF
Further information on the four featured individuals and their DTIF projects that were awarded funding:
Vivienne Williams, Co-founder and CEO of Cellix, holds an M.Sc. in experimental physics from Trinity College Dublin and has expertise in laboratory automation, instrumentation, and plastic injection moulding, with a focus on microfluidics, MEMS, and fluid dynamics. As a co-inventor, she holds several US and European patents related to Cellix’s technology. The DTIF project that Cellix is involved in is:
DTIF Project Title: Microfluidic Gene Transfection Cell Analysis and Sorting Platform (GTCASP)
DTIF Funding Awarded: €3.3 million
Project Partners: Cellix Ltd, Trinity College Dublin and the University of Galway.
Project Details: The DTIF project focuses on the development of a microfluidic Gene Transfection Cell Analysis and Sorting Platform (GTCASP) which addresses the challenges in cell manufacturing for gene therapy by offering a fully automated, closed system. The vision is for this technology to become a standard in the field of cell therapy and thus an integral part of the redevelopment of Ireland’s bio-pharmaceutical manufacturing industry as gene therapy forges new markets for personalised medicine.
Anita Finnegan, CEO, Nova Leah, is a recognised leader in her field, who advises on medical device security and has authored key papers for international bodies. Twice nominated for the EU Prize for Women Innovators, she has earned global recognition, while Nova Leah now employs over 30 cybersecurity specialists across its European headquarters in Dundalk, Ireland, and its US office in Boston. The two DTIF projects that Nova Leah are involved in are:
DTIF Project Title: Connected Medical Device Cybersecurity Transparency
DTIF Funding Awarded: €1.5m
Project Partners: Nova Leah and Dundalk Institute of Technology (DKIT)
Project Details: Nova Leah, in collaboration with Dundalk Institute of Technology, are developing a central software platform, Select IS, to automate the secure collection, sharing, updating, aggregation, anonymisation and broader community sharing of medical device security related information. The target market for use of Select IS includes medical device manufacturers and healthcare providers.
DTIF Project Title: Medical Imaging Ireland (MED-I)
DTIF Funding Awarded: €2.2m
Project Partners: IBM Ireland, Nova Leah, UCD, Dundalk Institute of Technology (DKIT) and Davra Networks Ltd
Project Details: The aim of the MED-I project is to develop a platform providing secure and compliant data absorption, indexing and access combined with analytics and visualisation capabilities on a range of cardiovascular diseases. The platform will support a ‘marketplace’ for the entire ecosystem of actors in the medical imaging domain to bring data, technology and expertise together for the purposes of sharing, collaborating and ultimately mutually benefiting from their engagement with the platform.
Dr Lucy O'Keeffe, CEO, CroíValve Ltd, holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from University College Dublin, a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from University of Limerick and a Diploma in Project Management from University College Cork. Prior to CroiValve, she led global programs developing innovative technologies at Medtronic, Nypro and ICON PLC. The DTIF project that CroíValve is involved in is:
DTIF Project Title: DUO XL
DTIF Funding Awarded: €5.9m
Project Partners:Croivalve Ltd, Blueacre Technology Ltd, University College Dublin (UCD).
Project Details: DUO XL is a device that will treat patients with a leaking heart valve (tricuspid regurgitation), where the tricuspid valve remains open, causing blood to flow from the right ventricle to the right atrium. It is common among heart failure patients. This device is delivered into the heart via veins or arteries to replace or repair the defective valve without needing open-heart surgery.
Ríona Ní Ghriallais, Co-Founder & Chief Technical Officer, Proverum Medical, graduated from the University of Galway with a first-class honours degree in Bioengineering and a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering. She has spent over 10 years working in the medical device industry, specialising in device concept, design and development, and preclinical and clinical analysis. The DTIF project that Proverum is involved in is:
DTIF Project Title: PROVIEW
DTIF Funding Awarded: €2.9m
Project Partners: ProVerum Ltd, Innovative Catheter Solutions Ltd and Trinity College Dublin (TCD)
Project Details: The consortium is developing a fully disposable, flexible, low-profile system for the delivery of a Minimally Invasive Surgical Therapies (MIST) implant, incorporating integrated imaging, for the treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), or prostate enlargement. The PROVIEW delivery system will be the same size as a diagnostic cystoscope and, as such, would be suitable for doctor’s office use as a simple, minimally invasive, 5-minute procedure under local anaesthetic, thereby avoiding the need for post-operative
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