Women’s Day Series: Shona D’Arcy

In our second interview, we feature Shona D’Arcy, Entrepreneurship Lead at EIT Health Ireland-UK. An engineer, founder, and digital health expert, she launched Kids Speech Labs in 2018 to tackle long waiting lists for children’s speech and language therapy.

Now at EIT Health Ireland-UK, she supports early-stage start-ups and helps UK & Irish innovators scale in Europe. Read on as she shares insights on female leadership, digital health, and start-up growth.

Q. Could you share a bit about your background and a key moment that shaped your journey with Kids Speech Labs?

I am an engineer by training, with a background in electronic engineering and speech recognition technology. My PhD focused on accents and children’s speech, which I absolutely loved. However, at the time, speech recognition applications weren’t widespread, so I transitioned into bioengineering at Trinity College, working on multidisciplinary projects.

After working in start-ups, I decided to combine my expertise in speech recognition and digital health to tackle a huge problem in the UK and Ireland—speech and language therapy waiting lists. Initially, I planned to build an AI-driven screening tool to help parents determine whether their child needed speech therapy or if they were developing on track.

However, I quickly realised two major challenges. AI solutions in this space weren’t attracting funding, and healthcare services were still reliant on paper-based records, making integration difficult.

This was a pivotal moment for me. I had to pivot from a speech scientist to a digital transformation specialist, learning new skills to drive healthcare innovation. That’s how I transitioned into the world of digital health entrepreneurship.

Q: What are some exciting female-led innovations in HealthTech that have caught your attention recently?

I have been incredibly impressed by some of the young female founders emerging in this space.

One entrepreneur in Dublin is working on AI-driven genomics for fertility clinics, helping to bridge workforce shortages. Another founder is developing neuromodulation technology for menopause treatment—a deep-tech solution with strong clinical backing.

There are also female-led start-ups focusing on pharma logistics, which may not be flashy but are critical to the industry. These businesses are well thought out and incredibly impactful.

Women-led start-ups are methodical, market-savvy, and deeply knowledgeable.

Q: What advice would you give to women stepping into leadership roles in healthtech and entrepreneurship?

A support network is everything. I have stayed in touch with the female founders I met in early-stage accelerator programmes, and they have been my greatest source of support.

Balancing entrepreneurship and family life is tough—many female founders juggle businesses and parenting. But having a strong network makes all the difference.

My advice is simple: Find your tribe. Connect with women who share your challenges and aspirations. Don’t be afraid to take the leap. The world is changing, there are more female role models in entrepreneurship than ever before.

Q: What are some key strengths of start-ups in the Ireland-UK region that make them stand out?

Both Ireland and the UK have unique advantages. In Ireland, there are strong links to the US market, a thriving MedTech and Life Sciences sector—particularly in Galway (Bio Innovate Programme) and excellent support from Enterprise Ireland for start-ups and spinouts.

In the UK, the NHS is a global leader in healthcare innovation. There are well-established support structures, including Health Innovation Networks and the Clinical Entrepreneurship Programme, as well as significant funding opportunities for healthtech start-ups.

Q: What impact do you hope to make in your role as Entrepreneurship Lead at EIT Health?

My focus is on supporting start-ups at all stages. Right now, funding is becoming harder to access, so I want to help start-ups find alternative value through mentorship, networking, and strategic partnerships.

Two key areas I am prioritising are supporting university spinouts in the UK and Ireland through EIT Health’s programmes and helping start-ups expand into European markets by strengthening connections across Europe’s healthcare ecosystem.

EIT Health is uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between early-stage innovation and market access, and I am excited to help more UK and Irish start-ups scale internationally.

Join Shona at LSX World Congress event in London on 29-30 April, where she will be speaking on the panel ‘Digital Health Partnerships: How to Find the Right Partner’. As a proud sponsor, EIT Health Ireland-UK looks forward to engaging with innovators shaping the future of healthcare. Register today!