Start-Ups Soar to Success on South Dublin New Frontiers Programme

- Winners announced of the 2025 IADT Media Cube/NovaUCD New Frontiers Programme

The winners of the 2025 New Frontiers Programme (Phase 2) delivered by IADT Media Cube in partnership with NovaUCD were announced today.

Twelve (12) early-stage start-ups focused on sectors including, AI, medtech, automation, gaming, and the circular economy, and based in the greater South Dublin region, took part in this year’s Enterprise Ireland funded programme over the last 6-months.

Following pitches to a judging panel at a showcase event held at the Carnegie Hub @ IADT four (4) of the participating start-ups, were selected as Award winners.

Biscuit Factory Games, founded by Daniel Bergin Holly, which makes small snackable game experiences for PCs, was named winner of the Best Pitch Award sponsored by IADT.

Data Buckets, founded by Phuong Vu, a big data platform-AI Agent for mobile first companies, was named winner of the One to Watch Award sponsored by NovaUCD.

Liam Cronin, Director of Innovation, UCD and Phuong Vu, Data Buckets, winner of the One to Watch Award

Datamnis, founded by Ming Zhao, which combines data science and process engineering solutions for AI-driven sustainable manufacturing, was named winner of the Most Likely to Scale Award, sponsored by Flynn O’Driscoll.

Earth Visio, founded by Jo Cheng, which is building Google maps for underground utilities, was named winner of the Most Likely to Succeed Award, sponsored by DLR Local Enterprise Office.

Speaking during the showcase event, Ciara Concannon, New Frontiers National Programme Manager, Enterprise Ireland, said, “New Frontiers is incredibly important to Enterprise Ireland, it supports individuals to become entrepreneurs, to take a fledging business idea, and get a really supportive environment around them to help them stand it up as a start-up business concept and grow from there.”

Michelle Doyle, Senior Manager, Strategic Innovation Partnerships, NovaUCD, said, “Congratulations to the four Awardees, and indeed all the participants, who have just completed NovaUCD’s fourth Enterprise Ireland funded New Frontiers Programme delivered in partnership with IADT Media Cube. This year’s cohort have the potential to replicate the achievements to date of previous programme alumni in securing investment, creating jobs along with growing and scaling at home and abroad, and I wish them every success on the next stages of their start-up journeys.” 

Pictured (l-r) are the participants on the 2025 New Frontiers Programme delivered by IADT Media Cube and NovaUCD, Sadhbh Wood, Bean Around; Irial O’Farrell, RODiHR; Darragh O’Regan, Lifepath; Anthony Fildes, Nixerly; Daniel Smyth, Tendr; Daniel Bergin Holly, Biscuit Factory Games; Kevin Collins, Echofold; Alwin Stephen, Neuramodal; Vaibhav Gupta, Appfend;
Front row - Ming Zhao, Datamnis; Phuong Vu, Data Buckets; and Jo Cheng, Earthvisio. (Credit – Alec Moore Photography).

The showcase event was the culmination of a six-month programme that saw participating founders each receive financial support of a €15,000 scholarship as they focused on moving their business from concept to market. 

Outlining the significance of the impact of the New Frontiers programme, Daniel Bergin Holly, Biscuit Factory Games said, “The New Frontiers programme has given me the head space to stop and think about the structure of the business, to think about the future and it’s also great to be in contact with other founders during the emotional rollercoaster that running a business can be.”

With €1.6 million in Enterprise Ireland funding this is the fourth year of a five-year programme during which IADT in partnership with NovaUCD will support a total of 265 entrepreneurs in the South Dublin region, incorporating South Dublin, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown and North Wicklow.

“New Frontiers provides entrepreneurs with the time, structure and support they need to refine their vision. At the start of the programme, participants often arrive with early-stage ideas in need of validation. By the end, they leave equipped with a clear plan, a defined direction, and the confidence to move their business forward,” said the New Frontiers Programme Manager at IADT Media Cube, Susanne L’Estrange. 

The members of the judging panel were; Rachel Gallagher, Enterprise and Innovation Manager, IADT Media Cube; Liam Cronin, Director of Innovation, UCD; Ciara Concannon, New Frontiers National Programme Manager, Enterprise Ireland, and Lisa Brown, Head of Enterprise, DLR Local Enterprise Office.

The eight other start-ups which completed the 2025 New Frontiers Programme (Phase 2) delivered by IADT Media Cube in partnership with NovaUCD were; Appfend, Bean Around, Echofold, Lifepath, Neuramodal, Nixerly, RODiHR and Tendr.

Applications are now open for the next hybrid Phase 1 programme which commences this month. The next full-time Phase 2 programme starts in April 2026.

Further information on these programmes is available via (opens in a new window)https://mediacube.ie/services/new-frontiers-programme/

ENDS

2 October 2025

For further information contact Micéal Whelan, Communications and Media Relations Manager, UCD Research and Innovation, NovaUCD, e: (opens in a new window)miceal.whelan@ucd.ie or Susanne L’Estrange, New Frontiers Programme Manager, IADT Media Cube,  e: (opens in a new window)susanne.lestrange@iadt.ie.

Editors Notes

For further information about the Enterprise Ireland’s New Frontiers Programme visit (opens in a new window)https://www.newfrontiers.ie/

For further information about IADT Media Cube visit (opens in a new window)https://iadt.ie/research-enterprise/enterprise-innovation/media-cube-enterprise/

For further information about NovaUCD visit (opens in a new window)www.novaucd.ie