The head of Irish biotech company Ourobotics has died unexpectedly
Jemma Redmond, 38, co-founded the company developing tech capable of printing human organs.
OUROBOTICS CHIEF EXECUTIVE Jemma Redmond has died unexpectedly at the age of 38.
The company posted on Facebook that it was “shocked and sad” about the “unexpected death” of Redmond, who co-founded the business with Stephen Gray of MIT.
The Cork-based startup was developing technology that would have the capacity to print human organs and other items for use in medicinal practices.
Earlier this year, it won the Silicon Valley Open Doors Europe startup competition and her project had backing from Sean O’Sullivan’s venture capital fund SOSV.
SOSV partner and CoderDojo co-founder Bill Liao posted a tribute to Redmond on Twitter.
He wrote: “Deeply saddened here at SOSV Jemma was a leading light in the Cork tech Scene. Her loss is truly a tragedy.”
Future of biotech
Earlier this year, Redmond told Fora that the company was on the verge of releasing a bioprinter capable of printing human tissue material.
She said she imagined a future where bioprinting technology will be commonplace in hospitals worldwide in the next 10 to 20 years and felt her company could lead a large part of that technological revolution.
Redmond was also a strong advocate for encouraging women into the technology sector and spoke about the difficulties female entrepreneurs have to overcome to get noticed.
Her funeral will take place tomorrow at 11am in St. Maelruains Parish Church of Ireland, Tallaght.
