Tag: dundalk

Dundalk Institute of Technology announces winners of its second ‘eHealth Embark’ programme to support Digital Health

Dundalk / Dublin, Ireland. Winners of this prestigious award were EpiCapture Ltd and MedWrite. Both start-ups were commended for their outstanding potential to further digital health innovation and provide unique digital solutions to address healthcare challenges across global markets. EpiCapture will receive up to $70,000 Amazon Web Services (AWS) credits, whilst Medwrite has access to $30,000 credits, with both companies receiving access to hotdesks and support at Dundalk Institute of Technology.

EpiCapture Ltd, develops liquid tests for accurate, non-invasive cancer detection and monitoring and MedWrite, reduces healthcare professionals’ administrative workload and enhances the quality of patient care using generative AI software, were selected as winners by an expert panel of judges, which included Amazon Web Services (AWS), Health Innovation Hub Ireland, EIT Health, and Atlantic Bridge Investments.

Ten companies participated in this specialised entrepreneur development programme. DkIT’s dConnect Digital Health Innovation Hub and the Connected Health & Wellbeing Cluster offered masterclasses and mentoring, ranging from customer discovery and validation, through to assessing market opportunity, mapping funding, product and technical roadmaps. AWS offered tailored and one-on-one mentoring to support participants leverage the latest cloud technologies such as data analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, procurement in the Public Sector, and an introduction to Amazon’s culture of innovation and mechanisms such as the company’s ‘Working Backwards’ methodology.

Edward Simons, co-founder of EpiCapture said, “We are delighted and honoured to have been declared overall winner of the eHealth Embark 2023 programme. The mentorship and expert AWS support provided during this excellent 10-week programme has allowed us to develop an initial architecture for our software solution and identify AWS services that meet our business needs.  The prize allows us to implement this solution supported by AWS and to benefit from their experience across healthcare and cybersecurity as we integrate the EpiCapture-prostate algorithm with commercial laboratories.”

Sean Kirwan, co-founder of the runner up company, MedWrite, said: “The eHealth embark program is a game-changer for health start-ups, offering a comprehensive and invaluable resource for navigating the complex landscape of the healthcare industry. With a tailored focus on crucial aspects like business idea validation, funding, presenting, and practical technical advice from industry-leading experts at Amazon, this program equips entrepreneurs with the tools they need to succeed. It addressed key sticking points such as data privacy, MDR compliance, and cloud architecture for healthcare companies and it provided insights from prominent venture capitalists and Enterprise Ireland, eHealth Embark went way beyond my expectations.”

Carl Power, Director of the dConnect Digital Health Innovation Hub, DkIT, commented: “It has been our pleasure to coach these wonderfully innovative companies who are absolutely determined to make healthcare more efficient, effective, accessible and accountable through the use of technology. I want to congratulate all ten companies who have all received Credits and advice from AWS to develop their technical solutions. I am especially thrilled for the overall winners, EpiCapture Ltd and MedWrite. We encourage digital health start-ups to visit our website to read more about the programme and apply for a place in the next cohort, www.ehealth-embark.ie.”

Breanndán Casey, Manager of the Connected Health Cluster at DkIT which encourages and facilitates increased collaboration between industry, academia, healthcare providers, and enterprise support agencies, said: “Innovation in Digital Health is often dependent on using a wide cross-section of skills, market knowledge, and expertise.  We are delighted to see Cluster members, such as AWS, Nova Leah, dConnect, and Enterprise Ireland, come together to create and deliver the eHealth Embark programme.  The ten participating companies also benefited from supporting each other, and I’m really looking forward to seeing them further develop their business over the coming years and participate in Connected Health Cluster activity to help them scale their idea.” 

Mark Finlay, Head of Public Sector at AWS Ireland said: “AWS is delighted to support these two innovative and worthwhile Irish start-ups. The impressive digital solutions that these companies have put forward embody creativity, collaboration and entrepreneurship. AWS is committed to supporting technological advancement and maintaining Ireland’s reputation as being at the forefront of innovation. I look forward to AWS continuing to support these organisations and seeing how they positively impact healthcare for administrators, medical staff, and most importantly, patients, in the years ahead”.

Participants offered enthusiastic feedback on the programme. Robert Kelly of Heart Rhythm Ireland said, “The eHealth Embark programme has been quite an experience. Working with other innovators in Digital Health was interesting – it’s a tough path, but overcoming the challenges is part of what makes it rewarding. Sharing knowledge was key, and seeing how each company has grown over the months leading up to the final pitch day has been very inspiring.”

Panasonic Avionics Grows European MRO Footprint with Expansion in Ireland

Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic Avionics) has today unveiled the significant expansion of its European MRO (maintenance, repair & overhaul) facility in Dundalk, Co. Louth, Ireland.

The MRO center, which first opened in October 2019, has been expanded in size by 500 percent, taking it from 6,000 sq. ft to 23,000 sq. ft. At the same time, Panasonic Avionics has tripled the workforce at the site.

The Dundalk facility is operated by Panasonic Technical Services (PTS), a division of Panasonic Avionics. It provides repairs, line maintenance, spares parts supply, and technical services and training to customers in the EMEA region and is Part 145, TCAA, FAA and UK CAA approved.

PTS expects to induct 1,500 – 2,000 units per month at its Dundalk facility. It will repair the X series and Next IFE systems, and Boeing CSS equipment, as well as being its European distribution center.

Tom Eskola, Vice President and General Manager of Panasonic Technical Services, says: “The expansion of our Dundalk facility will enable our customers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa to benefit from the tailored maintenance solutions which we provide at the high level they have come to expect from Panasonic Technical Services.” 

“Our primary objective is to offer customised maintenance solutions, delivering greater peace of mind to our customers by ensuring guaranteed performance and cost.”

Eskola confirms the demand for maintenance services within the industry adding, “As the aviation industry returns towards pre-pandemic levels, MRO slots are, once again, at a premium.”

Panasonic Avionics’ investment in the Dundalk facility has been supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland.

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise Trade & Employment Leo Varadkar TD said: “In a significant move for Dundalk and Louth, Panasonic Avionics has tripled its workforce following a major expansion. A pioneer in aircraft communication systems, Panasonic Avionics IFE and satellite Wi-Fi systems are used on thousands of aircraft across the world. The Dundalk facility will provide repair, maintenance and spare parts to Panasonic’s customers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Ireland’s status at the heart of Europe, along with our strong talent base, continues to attract global manufacturing and engineering companies to our shores. I wish all the team the best with this expansion.”

Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs Thomas Byrne said “I strongly welcome the decision by Panasonic to double its workforce in Dundalk. This decision represents a significant vote of confidence in the North-East region as a hub for commercial activity and will provide a welcome boost to the local economy. Today, there are over 400,000 more jobs in our economy than there were on the day the Government took up office and that significant increase is thanks to the presence of companies like Panasonic within our economy.”

CEO of IDA Ireland Martin Shanahan said: “The decision by Panasonic Avionics to expand its facility and triple its workforce in Dundalk is terrific news for the North East region.  This MRO facility will strengthen and compliment Panasonic’s existing global and European presence.  IDA Ireland remains committed to winning jobs and investment in regional locations. I wish Panasonic every success with this expansion.”

The expanded Dundalk facility is one of ten PTS locations within Europe. In addition to the Ireland-based repair shop, there are also airport line maintenance stations at Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Lisbon, London Gatwick, London Heathrow, Madrid, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Paris Orly, and Rome Fiumicino.

Panasonic Avionics will be showcasing its European offering at MRO Europe in London from 19th – 20th of October.

250 New Jobs to be Created as Kaseya Chooses Dundalk for its New Centre of Excellence

Kaseya, the leading global provider of unified IT management and security software for managed service providers (MSPs) and mid-market enterprises (MMEs), today announced plans to establish a new Centre of Excellence in Dundalk, creating 250 jobs over the next three years.

The project is supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland.

Tánaiste & Minister for Enterprise Trade & Employment Leo Varadkar TD said: “This is excellent news. It really demonstrates Kaseya’s commitment to Ireland and the attractiveness of Dundalk as a place to invest. It’s also a real vote of confidence in Kaseya’s existing team here – I’m sure it was their hard work that gave the company the confidence to expand further. Kaseya has witnessed remarkable growth over recent years, and I wish the team every continued success with the new Dundalk office.”

The highly skilled roles include 250 jobs for engineers, technical support and sales, specifically new customer acquisition, as well as positions across corporate services. Kaseya will work closely with university partners in the area to help train students for the positions and foster the next generation of technology professionals in the region.

“We saw tremendous opportunity to expand the tech ecosystem in Ireland – we’re already in Dublin – and decided to open a second office in Dundalk,” said Kaseya CEO Fred Voccola. We are planning to attract top tech talent and generate a robust workforce pipeline in the local community. We are excited about this partnership that will expand Kaseya’s footprint in Ireland, where Kaseya has its roots. The company first established its EMEA headquarters in Dublin in 2016.”

Kaseya saw the potential in Ireland and decided to expand its operations with this second site in Dundalk to operate as a Centre of Excellence with a focus on research and development. The Dundalk office will support a high-growth engineering team and contribute to economic development in the region.

CEO of IDA Ireland Martin Shanahan said: “Thanks to Kaseya’s positive experience with establishing a facility in Dublin, the company has selected Dundalk as the location of its second Irish site.  This is very good news for the entire region and the skilled and talented workforce located there. I wish Kaseya every success with this expansion.”

Kaseya successfully executed a similar program in the U.S., in Miami, Florida where the company is headquartered.  In two short years, Kaseya has grown its Miami operation from 150 people to more than 600 and now occupies over 150,000-sq-ft to support its growth plan of having over 1,200 “Kaseyans” in Miami by 2023. Modelling after this hugely successful program, with support from IDA Ireland, Kaseya’s leadership is confident this initiative will be another success that brings economic growth to the region.

To view a list of the open roles in Ireland, click here.