Tyrone-born tech entrepreneur Mary McKenna named as first Royal Society Entrepreneur in Residence at Ulster University

The prestigious EiR Fellowship is also only the third ever awarded in Northern Ireland by the Royal Society.

The well-known tech entrepreneur and angel investor is one of only 15 new EiRs joining the Royal Society this year, underscoring her exceptional contributions to innovation, investment, and female entrepreneurship.

Originally from Dungannon in Co. Tyrone, Mary is also a visiting Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of Oxford. She was named European Female Business Angel of the Year and UK Business Angels Association UK Angel of the Year in 2023/24. In her role as Chair of AwakenHub and AwakenAngels, she focuses on removing barriers to investment, scale and success for women founders, introducing them to vital new connections, and creating equity in the founder ecosystem for all.

The Entrepreneur in Residence scheme by the Royal Society was founded in 2017 to strengthen links between academia and industry by placing experienced entrepreneurs in UK research institutions. The programme helps researchers translate cutting-edge science into real-world innovation by providing mentorship, industry insights, and commercial expertise.

As part of her new EiR role, Mary will join the team at Ulster University Business School (UUBS) and work alongside academics, students, and potential company builders to empower them in transforming their hard-earned intellectual property into useful and commercial real-world solutions, creating value for the University and wider society.