Student accelerator hits dozen of years of nurturing innovation

A flagship student entrepreneurship accelerator which began in Cork has now expanded to 9 higher education institutions across the country.

Student Inc. kicked off its annual summer programme on Monday 26 May, with 90 participants takin part in the MTU-developed initiative.

Now celebrating 12 years, the 2025 Student Inc. programme brings together a mix of 11 multidisciplinary teams and 65 solo entrepreneurs, drawn from 40 academic courses across universities and institutes of technology nationwide. This year’s cohort includes 40% female and 60% male participants, representing an even balance between business and humanities fields (50%) and science and engineering disciplines (50%).

Backed by a national network of nine Irish universities, one international partner, and the Higher Education Authority (HEA), Student Inc. offers a 13 week immersive experience designed to help students turn early-stage business ideas and inventions into viable startups.

Participants receive €4,000 in seed funding, access to expert mentoring, industry-led workshops, and tailored coaching from seasoned entrepreneurs and investors. A feature of Student Inc. is the inclusion of the on-campus incubators which will host these students for the duration of the programme. The students will have the opportunity to interact daily with the entrepreneurs based in the incubators.

Originally developed by MTU’s Rubicon Centre, the programme is now delivered across 13 locations including incubation centres in Athlone, Carlow, Cork, Dublin, Dundalk, Galway, Kerry, Letterkenny, Limerick, Sligo, and Waterford. Its hybrid delivery model enables students to stay connected to their home campuses while accessing world-class training and peer collaboration.

Carole O’Leary, Programme Manager of Student Inc., said: “We are delighted to see the continued growth of Student Inc. This year’s cohort is our most diverse yet, spanning sectors from medtech and AI to sustainable food and creative media. With over 40% of past participants having already launched businesses, and another 36% preparing to do so, the programme has become a launchpad for Ireland’s next generation of entrepreneurs. We’re proud to support these students as they gain entrepreneurial skills, develop innovative solutions, and build meaningful connections.”

Creative Student Inc., a dedicated strand of the programme supporting innovation in the creative industries, was a new addition this year and is led from the Media Cube in IADT. This initiative nurtures students in fields such as film, publishing, art, music, and digital storytelling.

Student Inc. prioritises inclusivity and accessibility, incorporating universal design (UD) principles to ensure that students consider inclusive design from the early stages of product development.

With over 30 successful student start-ups already supported, including Gasgon Medical founded by MTU alumnus Vincent Forde, Student Inc. is widely recognised for its impact.

The programme recently earned a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 85, placing it among the top student entrepreneurship accelerators globally.