JLizard a new software development company has won NovaUCD’s 2010 Start-Up Award. JLizard has developed a cloud-based product to enable organisations to reduce the time required to analyse the log data of their IT systems from days to minutes. By detecting system problems faster organisations can make significant cost savings. The product also allows organisations to considerably increase the detection of bugs in their IT systems.
JLizard, overall winner of the 15th NovaUCD Campus Company Development Programme (CCDP), was established earlier this year by Dr Trevor Parsons and Dr Viliam Holub. JLizard is a spin-out company from the Performance Engineering Laboratory in UCD’s School of Computer Science and Informatics.
Dr Trevor Parsons and Dr Viliam Holub, JLizard
Log data, analogous to CCTV for IT systems, is currently the fastest growing data source in large organisations, and is a particular problem for those using cloud-based systems. Many large organisations may produce up to 10,000 log events per second across their IT infrastructures, ranging from mobile phones to large enterprise applications.
Log data contains information on the state of IT systems and is often reviewed in real-time to assist in the understanding of what is happening as a system runs. Such data is also often reviewed afterwards to understand what was happening at some point in the past, in the case of security threats, performance issues or system crashes.
However log data analysis can be difficult, time consuming and costly, especially when a critical issue occurs and a system requires a quick resolution. Complicating factors include that in typical enterprise systems log data is produced by multiple sources, is stored in numerous locations, typically in different formats, and the volume of data is enormous.
To solve this problem JLizard has developed a software-as-a-service log management tool which is focused on the system reliability of IT applications, especially those running on cloud-based infrastructures. The tool, which is scheduled to go live later this year, will be the first to market logging-as-a-service tool focusing on cloud-based systems.
Using logentries.com, organisations can automatically collect, analysis and visualise live log data and automatically detect system problems in real-time. The product also enables organisations to avoid the need for complex log management set-ups in the cloud environment which can be difficult for them to manage and maintain.
In addition to the NovaUCD 2010 Start-Up Award, JLizard was also presented with a cheque for €5,000, €5,000 worth of legal services from Arthur Cox and six-months free desk space at NovaUCD. JLizard will also receive a year’s free subscription to AccountsIQ software which allows SMEs to manage their entire accounting requirements via the internet.
170 new ventures and 260 individuals have now completed NovaUCD Campus Company Development Programme (CCDP), which is supported by Enterprise Ireland, and which has run annually since 1996. Its aim is to assist academic and research entrepreneurs in the establishment and development of new high-tech ventures to commercialise the output of their research activities.
The Programme assists participants in defining, developing and transforming their innovative ideas into commercially feasible ventures and in preparing detailed business plans. Previous participants include BiancaMed, Celtic Catalysts, ChangingWorlds, Equinome and RendezVu.
Speaking at the Awards ceremony, an Innovation Dublin 2010 festival event, Dr Pat Frain, Director, NovaUCD, said, “The participation of UCD researchers in the establishment, growth and development of high-tech and knowledge intensive ventures, such as those who participated on this year’s CCDP programme, is of critical importance for the development of a sustainable smart economy in Ireland.” He added, “The development of such new high-tech ventures will also generate opportunities for the creation of highly-skilled employment which is so critical in the current economic climate.”
Two other ventures, Restored Hearing and Belfield Technologies participating on this year’s Programme, received runner-up awards, cheques for €3,000 and €2,000 along with €3,000 and €2,000 worth of legal services from Arthur Cox respectively in addition to six-months free desk space at NovaUCD.
Restored Hearing has developed and is marketing SomtusTM. SomtusTM is an online sound therapy for the sufferers of temporary tinnitus which alleviates the effects of this form of tinnitus after only one minute. Temporary tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, occurs when an individual experiences loud noise or music and can last from a couple of hours to a few days.
Rhona Togher, Restored Hearing
Exposure to loud noise bends the cochlear hairs (i.e. the sound receptor cells) in the ear so that they touch off each other. This sends signals to the brain that are interpreted as sound, even in the complete absence of sound. Restored Hearing’s SomtusTM sound therapy stimulates the inner ear to allow the cochlear hairs to re-straighten so that they no longer touch each other and thus stops the ringing in the ears.
The company, co-founded by Anthony Carolan, Eimear O’Carroll and Rhona Togher, is based at NovaUCD.
Belfield Technologies, a new energy management venture, has developed a technology to assist public and private organisations to reduce their energy costs and associated carbon footprints. The HID LightSaverTM, a High Intensity Discharge (HID) lighting control system, is programmable and compatible with Building Management Systems and is easily retrofitted into existing lighting control systems.
Dr Kevin McDonnell, Dr Ger Devlin and Brian McDonnell, Belfield Technologies
The HID LightSaverTM utilises an innovative ‘intelligent’ voltage system which limits voltage fluctuations to maintain lamp efficacy and colour characteristics. This system enables Belfield Technologies’ clients to significantly reduce their lighting operational and maintenance costs by prolonging the life of the lamps being used. It also reduces the levels of greenhouse gases being emitted into the atmosphere.
Belfield Technologies has evolved from research undertaken by Dr Ger Devlin, Dr Kevin McDonnell, David Megan, Barry Bowen and Brian McDonnell in the Bioresources Research Centre, UCD School of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine.
Congratulating all the participants on this year's programme, Michael Moriarty, Manager, Enterprise Ireland’s High Potential Start-Up’s Financial & Enterprise Software Department, said, "Enterprise Ireland is delighted to recognise the high level of entrepreneurial activity being undertaken in NovaUCD and to partner with NovaUCD in supporting the establishment of new market-led businesses. The enterprises which have completed this year’s CCDP have demonstrated great ingenuity in commercialising innovative technologies. They represent an essential element in realising the full commercial potential of the significant investment in research and development being made by the Irish Government.” He added, “Enterprise Ireland looks forward to supporting the success of this year's participants and assisting them to realise their full commercial potential.”
ENDS
17 November 2010
For further information contact Micéal Whelan, NovaUCD, e: miceal.whelan@ucd.ie, t: +353 (0)1 716 3712.
Editor’s Notes
The NovaUCD Campus Company Development Programme (CCDP) is a nine-month, part-time programme designed to suit the busy timetable of researchers and academics. It offers a mix of monthly workshops, mentoring and one-to-one consultancy and is delivered by NovaUCD staff, with support from the NovaUCD sponsors, Enterprise Ireland, as well as other outside experts. It is designed to assist academic entrepreneurs in the establishment and development of knowledge-intensive enterprises by providing the skills necessary to transform innovative ideas into commercially feasible ventures via the development of a business plan. Participants on the programme have the opportunity to access NovaUCD’s desk space and incubation facilities and associated services.
NovaUCD, the Innovation and Technology Transfer Centre, is the hub of knowledge transfer activities at University College Dublin. NovaUCD is responsible for the commercialisation of intellectual property arising from UCD research and for the development of co-operation with industry and business. NovaUCD has been funded through a unique public-private partnership that includes AIB Bank, Arthur Cox, Deloitte, Enterprise Ireland, Ericsson, Goodbody Stockbrokers, UCD and Xilinx.
The NovaUCD Campus Company Development Programme Award Trophy has been designed by Colm Brennan, Sculptor. The award consists of a black Kilkenny limestone arrow-head form pierced by three metal bars, which radiate upwards from an imagined core. The bars carry the colour register analogous to 'gold’, 'silver and 'bronze'. The upward direction of the stone arrow-head is analogous with the drive or direction of a company while the three bars can be interpreted as flashes or streams brought to bear on a developing company.