University College Dublin designates a new head of Innovation
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The prestigious University College Dublin (UCD) just hired Liam Cronin as their very first Director of Innovation! This new guy is all about boosting the school's innovation game, from breeding start-ups to commercializing research outcomes.
Cronin will be running the show when it comes to the strategic direction of UCD affairs handled by NovaUCD, their hub for fresh ideas, know-how transfer, and commercialization. He was previously CEO of the RDI Hub, where he nurtured nearly a hundred start-ups and expanding businesses in County Kerry. These ambitious enterprises grabbed over €250 million, resulting in more than 430 job creations and the launch of an impressive 70 new products and services.
Since 2020, close to 10,000 people have peppered their brains with RDI Hub training programs.
"UCD is killing it in the innovation and entrepreneurship realm for the past two decades, especially since NovaUCD came into the picture. I'm beyond thrilled to land this new role as UCD's Director of Innovation," shared Cronin.
"And what's even better? NovaUCD was recently celebrated by the Financial Times and Statista as one of Europe's premier start-up hubs for the second year straight – and it's the only university bred startup hub in Ireland to make the Top 150 list," he added.
The man's got serious experience, having spent over three decades in the innovation world. When he was the RDI Hub's CEO, he dished out top-notch leadership in research commercialization, helping to turn academic breakthroughs into real-world solutions that really matter. Plus, he's the mastermind behind the university's new comprehensive innovation blueprint.
UCD's pushing innovation and commercialization to the next level with someone like Cronin on board.
Technology plays a significant role in Cronin's innovation strategies, as he plans to leverage it for research commercialization at UCD, transforming academic breakthroughs into real-world solutions. His experience with the RDI Hub demonstrates that he has used technology effectively for education and self-development, training nearly 10,000 people in research development skills.
