About
Established in 2018, GlasPort Bio is an award-winning Irish biotechnology company developing world-class solutions to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improve productivity and profitability across the agricultural sector. Our innovative anti-methanogenic technology reduces GHG emissions directly and indirectly on-farm to allow for greater nutrient management and recycling. Our work is backed by science, with eight years' scientific development behind GasAbate, global patents, peer-reviewed publications and independent validation.
OUR PEOPLE
Meet the team

Dr Ruairí Friel
CRO & co-founder
Ruairí is a co-founder of GlasPort Bio with over 20 years' experience in the biotechnology industry. He received a first class honours Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology from the University of Galway, a PhD in Neurovirology from the University of Glasgow and an MBA from the University of Edinburgh. Ruairí has expertise in product development and brings a proven track record of bringing products to market.

Dr Dermot Hughes
Engineering lead
Dermot is the engineering lead for GlasPort Bio and is responsible for design development and rollout of GasAbate technology. Dermot received a first class honours degree in Environmental Science and PhD from the University of Galway. He brings 15 years' experience in environmental science with a proven track record in the scale-up and commercialisation of environmental technologies.

Joe Lenehan
CTO
Joe is the chief technology and data officer for GlasPort Bio and is responsible for the cloud-based systems used to monitor and report on GasAbate emissions data. He has a Bachelor of Science in Computational Linguistics from Dublin City University and a diploma in Artificial Intelligence for Business from University College Dublin. He has extensive experience in designing and integrating technology platforms.

Andy Leyland
COO
Andy has over 25 years of international experience in B2C and B2B environments in management, sales and business development. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Galway and has held a range of senior roles within the industry, bringing with him extensive experience in growing businesses, managing supply chains and overseeing distribution partners.

Dr Aoife McCarthy
Project manager
Aoife brings with her over 10 years' experience in project management roles. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and PhD from the University of Galway, and project management qualifications from Stanford Business School and University College Dublin. She brings to GlasPort Bio a strong background of advancing research through to product development and commercialisation.

Justin McCarthy
CEO
Justin is an experienced C-suite executive and adviser with expertise in business performance transformation, communications and global agriculture. With over 10 years of experience as the CEO of The Agricultural Trust, Justin led the growth and diversification of a portfolio of media and ag-tech businesses, including the Irish Farmers Journal, delivering record commercial and editorial performance.

Dr Stephen Nolan
Field trials lead
Stephen oversees our large-scale field studies for our slurry additive and ruminant feed additive. He has a Bachelor of Science from University College Dublin, an MSc in Renewable Energy Systems from Dundalk IT and a PhD from University of Galway in Environmental Microbiology. He has a wealth of experience from his time as an anaerobic digestion plant manager and as an agricultural adviser for Teagasc.

Prof Vincent O'Flaherty
CSO & co-founder
Vincent is the CSO & co-founder of GlasPort Bio. He has a first class honours undergraduate degree, Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and PhD from the University of Galway. He is a world-leading expert in microbial ecology with over 160 peer-reviewed research articles and is the lead inventor of GlasPort Bio's anti-methanogenic technology. GlasPort Bio is the third company founded from Vincent's pioneering research.

Dr Camilla Thorn
Scientific lead
Camilla is the scientific lead for GlasPort Bio, having led the technical development of the GasAbate slurry additive and ruminant feed additive programmes to date. She has a wealth of technical expertise in the microbial ecology space. She received her honours BSc in Microbiology from the University of Glasgow, MSc from Bangor University and PhD in Microbial Ecology from the University of Galway.
2018
- April: Company established
- June: Successful proof of concept (methane mitigation from stored slurry)
- October: Intellectual property - priority application filed
2019
- March: Development of dosage and verification system
- October: ERA Net – SEAI funding (€500k)
2020
- August: EIC Accelerator funding (€2.5m)
2021
- June: Technology scale-up (1m³)
- November: On-farm demonstration – dairy (Shinagh Farm, Co Cork)
2022
- February: SEAI RD&D funding (€635k)
- April: On-farm demonstration – swine (Ashleigh Farms, Co Waterford)
- November: Commercial validation of enhanced AD biogas yield
2023
- June: Chinese patent granted
- August: European patent granted
2024
- July: Japanese patent granted
- August: On-farm demonstration – swine (DLG – German Agricultural Society)
- October: Dairy and swine manure trials (Danish Technology Institute)
- October: On-farm demonstration (Dairygold Signpost Farms, Co Cork)
- December: On-farm demonstration – beef (ABP Demo Farm, Co Carlow)
2025
- January: SEAI RD&D funding (€1.24m)
- January: US patent granted
- February: Completed fundraise to support the commercialisation and international rollout of GasAbate
- May 2025: Irish Organic Certification