National College of Ireland (NCI) is proud to celebrate the success of our students at this year’s Citi upStart Dragons Den, where innovation, creativity, and collaboration took centre stage.
Congratulations to our winning team, Erika Rocha Berthely and Emilio Yoltic Martinez Gutierrez, whose venture Go2Grow.ai captivated the judges with its smart, scalable solution. Their platform turns visa restrictions into opportunity—connecting startups with corporate-trained international students who can implement enterprise tools through risk-free, three-month trials. With 20+ successful placements and an impressive 85% trial-to-hire conversion rate, Go2Grow.ai demonstrates the power of data-driven innovation and global collaboration.
The Citi upStart programme, relaunched in partnership between Citi and NCI in 2024, continues its mission to bridge academia and industry by pairing postgraduate students with Citi mentors. Since its inception in 2011, upStart has nurtured the entrepreneurial spirit of computing students across Ireland and Northern Ireland, providing a platform for them to transform bold ideas into viable business ventures.
This year’s Dragons Den event, held at Citi on 24 September 2025, featured finalist teams pitching to an expert panel of industry leaders, including representatives from Citi, Enterprise Ireland, and Wolfpack Digital. The judges praised the creativity, technical expertise, and market insight shown by all participating teams.
“NCI greatly values our long-standing relationship with Citi, which continues to open doors for our students and staff. Together we’re advancing innovation in education and industry, with a shared commitment to sustainability. These awards highlight how collaboration can spark new ideas that shape the future of technology in ways that benefit both society and the environment.”
— Professor Paul Stynes, Dean of NCI’s School of Computing
Congratulations again to Erika and Emilio on their well-deserved win—and to all participating teams for their outstanding achievements. Events like Citi upStart remind us that when education and industry come together, innovation truly thrives.
Read more here: Citi upStart Dragons Den