'I look forward to watching their continued development': Northern Ireland startup wins £25,000 for pioneering fast, non-invasive detection

Dementia detection service, MemoryTell, has been crowned the overall winner of the 2025 INVENT awards, after winning the BioBreakthroughs category.

Organised by science and technology hub Catalyst in partnership with Bank of Ireland UK, the annual INVENT awards are a leading showcase of new entrepreneurial talent in Northern Ireland.

At an award ceremony held in the ICC Belfast last week, 12 finalists competed for the main prize, with MemoryTell taking home £25,000 from the total prize fund of £56,500. Each category winner took home £5,000, with a further £3,000 for one Inclusive Innovation Winner and £2,000 shared between three Student Invent Winners.

MemoryTell combines compassion with forward-looking technology providing early dementia detection through use of advanced AI. This service differs from traditional dementia assessments in its use of real-time data output, providing fast and accurate detection. MemoryTell’s detection services are non-invasive, offering patients a dignified method of early diagnosis.

Fiona Bennington, director of Entrepreneurship and Scaling at Catalyst said: “We are amazed every year by the talent of the INVENT’s finalists. I want to congratulate everybody involved and especially MemoryTell, our 2025 winners.

“Each year, we are presented with incredibly creative and innovative ideas from across industries. It’s been fantastic to watch INVENT grow as Catalyst continues to build an inclusive environment for innovation and entrepreneurship across Northern Ireland.”

Niall Devlin, head of Business Banking, Northern Ireland at Bank of Ireland UK added: “Fostering entrepreneurship and celebrating innovation are critical pillars of our long-standing partnership with Catalyst, and vital in developing a strong and resilient local economy. Each year the INVENT Awards showcase what can be achieved when the right conditions are provided to help entrepreneurs grow, scale and thrive.

“Congratulations to all the finalists, particularly MemoryTell, whose use of developing technology has shown the potential of innovation in healthcare. I look forward to watching their continued development and wish them every success.”

The INVENT Awards category winners on the night were:

INVENT 2025 Overall – MemoryTell

BioBreakthroughs – MemoryTell

Creative Leisure – Benchmark Sports

Future Business – Vibrotect (Student Invent 2024 Winners)

Green Horizons – Percy & Pop

Living Well – Equilyze

Uncharted Ideas – Trueshot

Inclusive Innovation – Mude

Student Invent – The Influencer Hub

INVENT’s categories span a wide range of sectors, reflecting the diversity of entrepreneurial talent across the region. This year’s categories included: Living Well, BioBreakthroughs, Creative Leisure, Future Business, Green Horizons and Uncharted Ideas. INVENT also selected a winner for both best student and inclusive innovation.

On the night, the 12 finalists each took centre stage to give a one-minute elevator pitch for the chance to win £1,000 as voted for by the audience. Vibrotect received the highest number of votes and was awarded the additional £1,000 on the night.