The Technology Transfer Office (TTO) is responsible for supporting and developing the university’s innovative activity. The TTO's primary mission is the commercialisation of the university's expertise for the benefit of UL and the wider community.
This is delivered through promoting and supporting the initiation, growth and development of campus companies, facilitating and strengthening research and partnering contacts with industry, developing the university's intellectual property, working with the development agencies to enhance the competitive position of existing industry in the mid-west, and to attract mobile investment to this region.
Services provided by UL's Technology Transfer Office include:
- Facilitating University-industry research collaborations
- Research Collaboration with access to talent (i.e. PhD and Post Docs)
- Supporting inward investment in the mid-west regions
- Enabling knowledge transfer to industry and society
- Commercialising University of Limerick Intellectual Property
- Facilitating new campus company formation and development
- Providing support for start-up businesses at the Nexus Innovation Centre
- Consultancy and Analytical Testing Services
University of Limerick has an established reputation for being Ireland's leading university in industry-led research. This has resulted in significant research commercialisation activities and collaboration between our leading researchers and industry. All of our key research indicators are showing strong growth, with increases in research applications, research income, postgraduate numbers and commercialisation activities complementing the strong gains in research outputs.
Knowledge Transfer Ireland
Knowledge Transfer Ireland (KTI) works with business, investors, higher education institutes, state research organisations, research funders and government agencies to facilitate the transfer of state-funded technology, ideas and expertise to businesses to drive innovation. The KTI website provides additional information on funding available and what to expect when engaging with a higher education institute such as University of Limerick.
Creating an Entrepreneurial Researcher
Supporting spinout company Class Medical
UL Innovation Awards 2023
Collaborating with UL's TTO - Carbery Group
Find out how UL TTO can help your company
Our Team
Paul Dillon - Director, Technology Transfer Office
Paul is responsible for knowledge transfer and enterprise support policy, services and processes within the Office of the Vice President Research.
These include facilitation of university-industry research collaboration, knowledge transfer, intellectual property management, technology transfer and licensing, enterprise development, campus company formation, research contract negotiations, and the development and administration of appropriate support services and quality assurance systems.
Paul is a Registered Technology Transfer Professional with a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering from Trinity College Dublin and a Masters in Technology from UL.
E-mail: Paul.dillon@ul.ie
Phone: +353 61 202611
Dr. Margaret Lawlor - Case Manager, Life Sciences
Margaret works with researchers in UL in the field of life sciences to help them maximise the impact of their research to the benefit of Ireland and the world.
She has more than 20 years’ experience in developing and commercialising technology in roles ranging from R&D Principal Investigator and Intellectual Property Officer in the Diagnostics industry to Business Development Manager in the University Sector both in the UK and Ireland. She has extensive experience in Collaborative Research, Contract Research, Consultancy and supporting university Spinouts to secure finance and investment the lifescience field.
Margaret is RTTP accredited in Technology Transfer, has an PhD in Biochemistry from UCD and a BSc in Biochemistry from UCC.
E-mail: margaret.lawlor@ul.ie
Phone: +353 61 202212
John Gleeson – Case Manager, Engineering
John works with UL’s researchers to maximise the impact the new technologies they create have domestically and internationally. This support ranges from assisting in securing development funding, patenting, research agreement negotiation, licensing etc.
He works with new company founders, both UL and non-UL who are commercialising UL research through the formation of new start-up companies. while assisting UL researchers to facilitate collaborations with industry.
John had over 30 years’ experience in technology development and commercialisation. He has 15 years’ experience in UL in Technology Transfer and Research Centre management. Prior to joining UL, John worked in a variety of engineering and business development roles. His 15 year career in industry spanned the electronics, automotive and medical device industries in Ireland and in the US.
He is RTTP accredited in Technology Transfer, holds a Mechanical Engineering Degree from UL, a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from UCD and a Diploma in Technology and Intellectual Property Law from The Law Society.
Email: John.Gleeson@ul.ie
Phone: +353 61 234683
Conor Morris - Case Manager, ICT
Conor’s role is to enable University of Limerick to achieve strategic goals knowledge transfer and business engagement in the field of information and communications technology (ICT) by delivering professional support services to University faculty, research staff and industry in the field of ICT.
Principal activity is managing and commercialising intellectual property arising from the university’s research activities in the information and communications technology (ICT) area.
Conor is a Registered Technology Transfer Professional, qualified to a Master’s degree level in computer engineering, complemented with a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA).
E-mail: conor.morris@ul.ie
Phone: +353 61 234842
Katrina Bradley - Business Engagement Manager
Katrina is a highly qualified Business Developer. Her global and domestic customer success extends across multiple technologies, and industries in areas of R&D, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
She spent 20 years working at senior levels in multinational companies in the medical devices, aerospace and inshore mining fields. She then established a successful business consultancy practice in 2011 commercialising research from almost every third-level institute in Ireland.
Katrina played many a key role in licencing technologies, including a Google buy-out. She also founded an endoscopy medical device company which won the SeedLab award for the most innovative technology.
E-mail: katrina.bradley@ul.ie
Gert O'Rourke - New Ventures Manager
Gert’s role is to support researchers in UL to spin out their research, creating new business ventures. With over 30 years of professional business experience supporting the startup spinout and SME sector, Gert performed a variety of roles in business engagement, enterprise development, venture capital, programme design and management, mentoring and management of incubation centres.
With a proven contribution at senior management and the ability to influence, drive and engage others to achieve investment and operational objectives, Gert is strong at building and leading high-performing teams. Awarded the Presidents Staff Excellence Award for Leadership in UL, Gert has a Masters in Business Studies (MBS) from UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School and a Bachelor of Commerce degree from University of Galway.
Email: gert.orourke@ul.ie
Phone: +353 61 234 117
Dr. Joan O’Sullivan - Intellectual Property Manager
Joan is responsible for management of intellectual property management systems within the Technology Transfer Office. She manages the development of operational processes, provides support for post-deal licence management and is responsible for the tracking and reporting of knowledge transfer metrics.
Joan has over 10 years experience in technology transfer across a number of different roles and has also held research positions in academia and industry. She is a Registered Technology Transfer Professional (RTTP) and has a PhD from Trinity College Dublin, an MSc from University of Galway and a BSc from University of Limerick. She has also undertaken continuing professional development in the area of Medical Device Regulation.
E-mail: joan.b.osullivan@ul.ie
Phone: +353-61-202513
The UL TTO is supported by KT Boost, a programme co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the ERDF Southern, Eastern & Midland Regional Programme 2021-27
