January 2016 NUI Galway Appoints Blackstone LaunchPad Director

New Entrepreneurship programme for NUI Galway Community

NUI Galway has this week announced the appointment of Mary Carty as Executive Director of Blackstone LaunchPad at the University to coincide with the opening of the program to students and staff on campus. 

Blackstone LaunchPad is a campus-based experiential entrepreneurship program open to students, alumni, staff and faculty; offering coaching, ideation and venture creation support. It is modelled on a successful program originated at the University of Miami and further expanded by the Blackstone Charitable Foundation. Blackstone LaunchPad is co-funded by the Galway University Foundation and Blackstone Charitable Foundation.

Speaking of the appointment, President of NUI Galway, Dr Jim Browne said: “We are delighted to announce the appointment of Mary Carty as Executive Director of Blackstone LaunchPad at NUI Galway. Helping students to become innovators and entrepreneurs is a vital part of the student experience and important for the Irish economy. With the arrival of Blackstone LaunchPad all students will now be encouraged to develop their creative ideas.  This initiative, under Mary’s leadership will play a critical role in the delivery of NUI Galway’s Vision 2020 strategy. In addition, the programme will build mutually beneficial relationships with other Blackstone LaunchPad sites at University College Cork and Trinity College Dublin; along with the Blackstone LaunchPad network in the USA.” 

Prior to joining Blackstone LaunchPad at NUI Galway, Mary cofounded of Outbox Incubator; the first ever Incubator for girls in STEM aged 11-22, launched by HRH Princess Anne in March 2015. In its first year, Outbox worked with 115 girls from 6 countries, with 35 companies established.

Mary brings a decade of experience working in the technology and startup space, founding two multi-award winning technology startups and was a BAFTA Interactive finalist. She has worked extensively across the public, private and non-profit sectors as an advisor, program developer, keynote speaker and lecturer in Ireland, the UK and Scandinavia. 

In 2015, she was listed on Ireland's 'Talented 38', Ireland's Sci-Tech Top 100 and Image Magazine Business Woman of the Year Award finalist for Social Entrepreneurship. Mary has served on the board of the Irish Internet Association, is an adviser to STEMettes, a UK social enterprise, encouraging more young women into STEM careers.

A graduate of Ulster University, with an MA in Material Culture and an Advanced Diploma in Management; Mary also holds a BA in Fine Art from Limerick School of Art and Design. 

“We could not be more thrilled to welcome Mary to the Blackstone LaunchPad team,” said Amy Stursberg, Executive Director of the Blackstone Charitable Foundation. “Her vast experience as an entrepreneur and in the start-up community uniquely qualifies her to lead Blackstone LaunchPad at NUI Galway as we build the program and work towards its official opening in February.”

ENDS

Stiúrthóir ceaptha ag OÉ Gaillimh ar Blackstone Launchpad

 Clár nua fiontraíochta do phobal OÉ Gaillimh

 D'fhógair OÉ Gaillimh an tseachtain seo gur ceapadh Mary Carty mar Stiúrthóir Feidhmiúcháin ar Blackstone Launchpad san Ollscoil agus ag an am céanna go bhfuiltear ag cur tús le clár nua do mhic léinn agus don fhoireann ar an gcampas. 

 Clár taithí fiontraíochta ar an gcampas é Blackstone Launchpad (BLP) atá oscailte do mhic léinn, alumni, comhaltaí foirne agus na dámha; cuirtear oiliúint, idéú agus tacaíocht do chruthú fiontar ar fáil ar an gclár. Tá sé bunaithe ar chlár a thosaigh in Ollscoil Miami agus a d'fhorbair an Blackstone Charitable Foundation ina dhiaidh sin. Tá Blackstone Launchpad cómhaoinithe ag Fondúireacht Ollscoil na Gaillimhe agus ag an Blackstone Charitable Foundation.

 Tá Blackstone Launchpad dírithe ar gach mac léinn san Ollscoil agus beidh ról lárnach aige i straitéis d'Fhís 2020 OÉ Gaillimh a bhaint amach. Chomh maith leis sin, tógfaidh an clár ar an gcaidreamh maith le hionaid eile BLP in Ollscoil Chorcaí, agus i gColáiste na Tríonóide; agus leis an líonra BLP i Meiriceá. 

 Ag labhairt dó faoin gceapachán, dúirt an Dr Jim Browne, Uachtarán OÉ Gaillimh: “Cúis áthais dúinn a fhógairt gur ceapadh Mary Carty mar Stiúrthóir Feidhmiúcháin ar Blackstone Launchpad in OÉ Gaillimh. Tá Blackstone Launchpad dírithe ar gach mac léinn san Ollscoil agus beidh ról lárnach aige i straitéis d'Fhís 2020 OÉ Gaillimh a seoladh in 2015 a bhaint amach. Chomh maith leis sin, tógfaidh an clár ar an gcaidreamh maith le hionaid eile BLP in Ollscoil Chorcaí, agus i gColáiste na Tríonóide; mar aon leis an líonra BLP i Stáit Aontaithe Mheiriceá.” 

 Sular ceapadh Mary in Blackstone Launchpad in OÉ Gaillimh, bhí sí ar dhuine de bhunaitheoirí Outbox Incubator; an chéad Ghorlann do chailíní in STEM idir 11-22 bliain d'aois, a sheol an Banphrionsa Anne i mí an Mhárta 2015. Sa chéad bhliain, d'oibrigh Outbox le 115 cailín as 6 thír, agus bunaíodh 35 cuideachta.

 Chaith Mary deich mbliana ag obair le gnólachtaí nua-thionscanta agus teicneolaíochta, bhunaigh sí dhá ghnólacht teicneolaíochta a bhfuil gradaim go leor bainte amach acu and bhí sí féin san iomaíocht do ghradam BAFTA Interactive. Tá obair fhorleathan déanta aici san earnáil phoiblí, phríobháideach agus san earnáil neamhbhrabúis mar chomhairleoir, forbróir clár, príomhchainteoir agus léachtóir in Éirinn, sa Ríocht Aontaithe agus i gCríoch Lochlann. 

 In 2015, áiríodh í ar Talented 38 (liosta de na 38 Bean is fearr i saol na Teicneolaíochta in Éirinn), Ireland's Sci-Tech Top 100 agus bhí sí san iomaíocht don ghradam Bean Ghnó na Bliana Image Magazine don Fhiontraíocht Shóisialta. Bhí Mary ar bhord Chumann Idirlín na hÉireann, tá sí ina comhairleoir do STEMettes, fiontar sóisialta sa Ríocht Aontaithe a spreagann níos mó ban óg le dul le gairm STEM.

Céimí de chuid Ollscoil Uladh í a bhfuil MA aici i gCultúr Ábhartha agus Ard-Dioplóma sa Bhainistíocht; tá BA ag Mary sa Mhínealaíon as Scoil Ealaíne agus Dearaidh Luimnigh. 

 “Tá ríméad an tsaoil orainn fáilte a chur roimh Mary chuig foireann an Blackstone LaunchPad,” a dúirt Amy Stursberg, Stiúrthóir Feidhmiúcháin ar an Blackstone Charitable Foundation. “Tá an-taithí aici mar fhiontraí agus leis an eolas atá aici ar ghnólachtaí a thosú níl aon duine eile chomh cáilithe léi le tabhairt faoin Blackstone LaunchPad in OÉ Gaillimh agus tús á chur leis an gclár ag súil go mbeidh an oscailt oifigiúil againn i mí Feabhra.”

 CRÍOCH