LirOptic, a University College Dublin (UCD) spin-out company, has been named winner of the Audience Choice Award, winning a $10k cash prize, at the final of the 2025 Luminate NY accelerator programme in Rochester, New York.
Luminate NY, administered by NextCorps, is the world’s largest business accelerator for emerging companies that have technologies enabled by optics, photonics, and imaging (OPI).
The seven-month hybrid programme is designed to help founders improve their investor readiness and connect them with OPI resources throughout the Finger Lakes Region of New York and to help them speed the commercialisation of their technologies.
LirOptic was one of only 10 start-ups from around the world, and the only one from Ireland, selected to participate in this year’s programme, investment fund and competition, with each start-up receiving $100k investment at the start of the programme.
LirOptic’s adjustable solid-state lens offers optical innovators unparalleled precision, reliability, and compactness. It facilitates the miniaturisation of medical imaging devices and has the potential to improve cell phone imaging systems whilst also meeting the rigorous demands of XR, space, and automotive applications.
The LirOptic technology was originally developed by Professor Dominic Zerulla following ground-breaking research carried out by him and his team, over many years at the UCD School of Physics.
The spin-out company was subsequently co-founded by Professor Zerulla, with Simon Forsyth, an experienced director in high-tech engineering and medical device industries, and serial optical entrepreneur Joe O’Keeffe, to commercialise the technology, with the support of NovaUCD, where the company is now headquartered.
At the final event of this year’s Luminate NY programme LirOptic was voted winner of the Audience Choice Award, following pitches by each of the start-up finalists.
Simon Forsyth, CEO and co-founder, LirOptic, said, “We were delighted to be announced as the winner of the Audience Choice Award at the end of this year’s Luminate programme in New York.
Our participation in the programme has plugged LirOptic directly into the global optics ecosystem, in a way that would otherwise have been impossible. During the 7-month immersive programme we spent time with the other cohort members, were partnered with carefully selected mentors, introduced to multiple potential suppliers and investors. The time spent in Rochester, NY, has helped us develop a more robust path to growth and scalability, we are not there yet but certainly a lot further down the road.”
He added, “LirOptic is currently raising a €1.5 million seed funding round to grow and scale its operations, moving from a university-based lab into a dedicated company facility with a bigger team.”
Following the pitches, a panel of judges, from the OPI industry and venture capital community, named Pensievision as the winner of the Company of the Year Award and a $1 million investment. The California-based company has developed breakthrough 3D imaging for demanding environments, from medical diagnostics and factory floors to orbital missions.
Luminate NY Managing Director Dr Sujatha Ramanujan said, “Each year, the calibre of innovation in Luminate speaks to the strength of the program and the unique ecosystem New York offers. What stands out in this round is how many of the technologies are positioned to not only transform markets like healthcare and advanced manufacturing but also to accelerate growth in the semiconductor space, an industry where our region has critical advantages. Luminate ensures that these companies are not just developing breakthrough ideas but are equipped with the resources, networks, and capital to bring them to scale here in New York.”
Since its inception, Luminate NY has invested $21 million in 85 start-ups.
LirOptic an ESA BIC Ireland client has previously secured funding from Enterprise Ireland through the Pre-Seed Start Fund (PSSF).