Liam Cronin takes up his new role this month.

University College Dublin (UCD) has appointed RDI Hub CEO Liam Cronin as its first director of innovation.

In this new role, Cronin will oversee the commercialisation of research outputs coming from the university, driving its efforts to innovate while strengthening its ecosystem of entrepreneurs.

The new innovation director will also drive the strategic direction of NovaUCD – the university’s start-up hub – around innovation, commercialisation, enterprise development and consultancy. Cronin is set to take up his new role today (16 June).

Cronin has led RDI Hub, a Co Kerry-based innovation centre, since 2020. The Hub, a non-profit partnership between Fexco, Munster Technological University and Kerry County Council, is designed to encourage and accelerate new products and services.

With Cronin at the helm as CEO, RDI Hub has supported 100 start-ups and scaling companies, which have collectively secured more than €250m, launching 70 new products and services, and creating more than 430 jobs.

“UCD has developed a strong track record of success in innovation and entrepreneurship, especially over the last 20 years since the establishment of NovaUCD and it is a great honour for me to have been appointed to the new role of director of innovation at the university,” said Cronin.

As the new leader of the University’s innovation efforts, Cronin will collaborate with the Government, state agencies such as Enterprise Ireland, as well as industry, commercial and societal partners.

“My focus will be to ensure that UCD contributes to its full potential to Ireland’s national innovation ecosystem and to further enhance UCD’s leadership position and reputation in innovation,” he added.

Cronin has extensive experience working in the public and private sector. Prior to joining the RDI Hub, Cronin was the associate director of commercialisation at Adapt, the Research Ireland Centre for AI-Driven Digital Content Technology at Trinity College Dublin, where he was responsible for the centre’s enterprise engagement and commercialisation activities.

He has also spent a few years working with Enterprise Ireland, mentoring start-ups with high potential.

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