RCSI is a Partner Institution in the newly launched ARC Hub for HealthTech, a €34.3 million Government and European Union investment to drive regional development by accelerating the commercialisation of cutting-edge, patient-focused research.

The initiative was officially launched today at the University of Galway, and forms part of Research Ireland’s flagship Accelerating Research to Commercialisation (ARC) programme.

Focused on developing solutions to improve chronic disease management, the aim of the ARC Hub for HealthTech is to fast-track high-potential health technologies in areas such as smart implants, advanced wearable medical devices, novel sensors and AI and machine learning-driven modelling.

Hosted by University of Galway, in partnership with RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences and Atlantic Technological University (ATU), the initiative brings together researchers, clinicians and industry to accelerate the translation of research into real-world healthcare solutions.

Twenty-three projects are currently underway in the ARC Hub for HealthTech after being selected for their strong potential to improve patient outcomes.

The launch of the ARC Hub for HealthTech, under the theme ‘Regional Roots. Global Presence’, included a showcase of some of the current projects being fast-tracked to commercialisation, including advanced sensory detection devices to prevent falls in elderly people and intelligent devices to help control blood pressure.

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless, TD, said: “The ARC Hub for HealthTech has the potential to deliver game-changing acceleration of research commercialisation that will directly benefit individuals and communities in the West and North-West and further afield. As it continues to ramp up its operations and establish partnerships, the ARC Hub’s ambitions are clear and far-reaching. I look forward to seeing the Hub progress in its endeavours, outputs and impact over the coming years.”

Professor Garry Duffy, Professor of Health Technology Innovation at the host institution, Professor of Anatomy at RCSI and Director of the ARC Hub for HealthTech, said: “The ARC Hub bridges the gap between exceptional medical research and real-world impact. With regional roots and a global presence, we're empowering researchers to become entrepreneurs and ensuring that healthtech innovations developed in Ireland reach patients and markets worldwide.”

The ARC Hub for HealthTech was established in 2025 with a landmark funding investment of €34.3million by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the ERDF Northern and Western Regional Programme 2021-2027. It aims to position the Northern and Western Region as a national and international leader in the commercialisation of health technologies.

The initiative is designed to support the development of entrepreneurial scientists and engineers with the skills to realise opportunities to create startup companies from research. It will equip researchers with early clinical validation pathways, entrepreneurial skills and commercialisation supports, to transform novel ideas into patient-focused healthcare solutions with global market potential.

Professor Cathal Kelly, Vice Chancellor of RCSI, commented on the launch: “Improving patient outcomes must always be at the heart of health technology innovation. At RCSI, we are proud to be part of this ambitious collaboration, enabling researchers and innovators to work at pace, ensuring new technologies are clinically relevant, patient-focused, commercially translatable and capable of improving outcomes both nationally and internationally.”

The ARC Hub for HealthTech is one of a family of three ARC Hubs announced in 2025 as part of a multi-annual investment programme. The primary objective of the ARC Hub programme is to drive regional development by accelerating the commercialisation of novel, cutting-edge research, while also supporting the development of scientists and engineers with entrepreneurial skills to realise their commercial ambitions.