Entrepreneurs A New Generation
RHONA TOGHER Rhona Togher was just 20 when she set up Restored Hearing with co-founder Eimear O’Carroll in 2009 to market a tinnitus therapy. Their company has just been awarded €2.3m in EU Horizon 2020 funding to commercialise its sound-absorbing technology globally, where it can be applied in industries ranging from automotive to aerospace. “Loud noise is a significant challenge in the construction, automotive, power generation and aerospace industries,” Togher explains. “These industries are facing increasingly stringent regulations from the EU and beyond as a result of increased noise pollution and consumer demand for quieter products. We are bringing a different perspective by creating new solutions to this problem.” Traditional sound insulation products are thick and heavy, taking up valuable space while failing to meet new regulatory standards. Restored Hearing’s SoundBounce noise-reducing material was created to present a solution to those new regulatory challenges. By way of example, Togher points out that new ‘pass-by noise regulations’ are introducing big changes to European vehicle laws: “By 2027, only 30% of today’s cars will meet the new standards. Everything on EU roads will have to become quieter in response – this is a major challenge for the industry.”
“Quiet compact solutions are essential in modern industrial design,” states Togher. The time is ripe for SoundBounce to make an impact, as she points out, “The acoustic material industry hasn’t innovated in decades. Developments have focused on incremental improvements to existing materials. Yet low frequency noise is still the main technical bottleneck. Technical advancements across a range of industries can’t be deployed because of a lack of attention to the noise pollution and damage caused. SoundBounce has the potential to become the next ubiquitous acoustic material.” At the moment the company has a core team of nine, but the EU funding will support 18 new jobs. “Funding has been a big challenge over the years. You can never have enough money when you are trying to grow your business,” says Togher. “Working in the advanced material space can be challenging for fundraising, as there is a lot of R&D involved before you get to market. Having a good network of mentors and peers has really helped us get through any challenges we have had.” Reflecting on starting a business at a young age, Togher says it has worked both for and against them at times. “Being young women in STEM wasn’t always the easiest. On the flip side, our youth also allowed us to start the business without overthinking what could go wrong. Similar to how learning to drive is more intimidating the older you get!”
“WE ARE BRINGING A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE BY CREATING NEW SOLUTIONS TO THIS PROBLEM.” RHONA TOGHER, CO-FOUNDER AND CEO, RESTORED HEARING
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