Two Belfast companies have scooped awards at the InterTradeIreland Seedcorn Investor Readiness Competition. GenoME Diagnostics has been named the Best New Start winner, pocketing a cash prize of €50,000 while Sonrai Analytics won a Special Award of €10,000 for the Best Company stemming from a university spinout or support programme.
Seedcorn is the island of Ireland’s biggest business competition for innovative new start and early stage businesses in any sector. Since its inception in 2003, more than 3,100 companies have been through the programme and finalists have raised in excess of €256million in equity funding.
Its aim is to support innovative new starts as well as early stage businesses from any sector or part of the island to become investor-ready. Participants also have the chance to benefit from business planning workshops and mentorship support throughout the competition.
Established in Belfast in 2020, GenoME Diagnostics are currently developing a novel blood test to detect an earlier diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Its technology can be applied to biomarker discovery and development in a wide range of diseases and applications.
Commenting on the win, Shannon Beattie, Chief Operating Officer (COO) at GenoME Diagnostics said: “We are thrilled to be announced as the ‘New Start’ category winner this year as we were up against very stiff competition. The prize money will allow us to validate our ovarian cancer diagnostic and get it into clinics as quickly as possible. It will also provide us with the opportunity to increase our business visibility internationally through networking at trade shows and conferences.”
Belfast-based Sonrai Analytics is an innovative Artificial Intelligence (Al) enabled technology company. Its data-integration platform revolutionises precision medicine for Biotech and Pharma to accelerate discovery in diseases impacting lives today.
Congratulating the winners, Ken Nelson MBE, InterTradeIreland Chairman said: “Seedcorn aims to nurture and promote the growth of new enterprises across the island of Ireland. After a difficult year, it’s extremely encouraging to see the wealth of enthusiasm, innovative thinking and ambition that these businesses – both North and South – bring to the table.
“On behalf of InterTradelreland, I would like to congratulate NUA Surgical and GenoME Diagnostics on their overall win and Sonrai Analytics as the special award winner. We wish them success and prosperity in all of their future endeavours. I have no doubt that they are destined for greatness and look forward to following their journey.”
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