McKenna will work alongside academics, students and potential entrepreneurs at Ulster University to transform ideas into business.
Mary McKenna has been named as the first-ever Royal Society entrepreneur-in-residence (EiR) appointed at Ulster University. She is the chair and co-founder of the all-Ireland women founder community AwakenHub.
Her appointment as an EiR fellow is also only the third-ever awarded in Northern Ireland by the Royal Society, a fellowship of some of the world’s most distinguished experts in the field of science, engineering and medicine.
The Royal Society’s EiR scheme was founded in 2017 to strengthen links between academia and industry by placing experienced entrepreneurs in UK research institutions. The programme helps researchers translate science into real-world innovation by providing mentorship, industry insights and commercial expertise.
As part of her new role, McKenna – who is also a visiting EiR at the University of Oxford – will join Ulster University Business School (UUBS) to work alongside academics, students and potential entrepreneurs and empower them to transform their ideas into commercial real-world solutions.
In 2020, she co-founded AwakenHub with Clare McGee, Sinead Crowley and Mary Carty, the first all-Ireland women founder community. AwakenHub has 3,000 members and in 2023, it launched the women-led angel syndicate, AwakenAngels.
To date, McKenna has angel invested in 35 early-stage tech start-ups.
As the chair of the women-founder and investor communities, McKenna and her partners work towards removing barriers to investment, scale and success for women founders.
Earlier this month, the co-founders of Lia Eyecare, a medtech start-up, moved to the final round of a global competition hosted by the University of Massachusetts.
They credited their success to an AwakenHub and AwakenAngels US trade mission which introduced them to the competition.
“To have been chosen as an entrepreneur-in-residence by the Royal Society and the first at Ulster University is an incredible honour,” McKenna said.
“Having been lucky enough to have spent many years as an advocate for entrepreneurship, women founders, angel investing and innovation, this is an exciting new opportunity to enable Ulster University’s talented researchers and students to bridge the gap between academia and industry.
“This kind of mentoring and work is so vital within the founder ecosystem, something that was reinforced for me on our recent AwakenHub and AwakenAngels US trade mission,” she added.
Sandra Moffett, a professor of business analytics at UUBS, said that McKenna’s experience will not only “amplify” student learning but will also provide them with the skills, knowledge and networks to transform ideas into tangible impact.
“Mary brings invaluable industry insights and perspectives that will undoubtedly inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs. We are committed to fostering an entrepreneurial mindset that enables talent to thrive, and her leadership will help drive new opportunities for collaboration, commercialisation, and growth across Northern Ireland’s business ecosystem.”
While AwakenHub co-founder and CEO McGee said that McKenna’s appointment is a “huge win for the entrepreneurial landscape across Northern Ireland and beyond”.
“At AwakenHub and AwakenAngels, we see the incredible impact her leadership and mentoring have on our women founders and early-stage businesses every week.
“This new role, made possible by the Royal Society and Ulster University, means she will now be able to bring her expertise and network to an even wider audience and that’s fantastic news for all the innovators and start-up founders who are going to be lucky enough to work alongside her, as well as for the people set to benefit from their innovations.”
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