Gabelli School Graduate Students Consult on a US Product Rollout for Selio Medical, a Dublin-based Medtech Startup

Graduate | Jun 15, 2026 | Gabelli School of Business

Hands-on learning is a hallmark of a Gabelli School education. During the spring 2026 semester, as part of the incredibly popular Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) course, 30 students from the MS in Strategic Marketing Communications, Full-time MBA, Professional MBA, and MS in Marketing Intelligence programs gained invaluable real-world experience by taking on a consulting project. The project supported the U.S. introduction of a new product from Selio Medical, a biomaterial medical device company based at the Guinness Enterprise Centre (GEC) in Dublin, Ireland.

Guinness Enterprise Centre (GEC) in Dublin, Ireland where Selio has its offices.

The GEC, the largest business incubator in a country that has become a hotbed for entrepreneurship, helped to facilitate the connection between Selio and the Gabelli School. It has supported Ireland’s growing leadership in the medical technology sector through its Health Innovation Cluster, which provides founders with space, mentoring, networking, and partnership opportunities. “We are tapping into the momentum of a country that is exploding with innovation,” said Éabha Harper McKeever, client engagement manager at the GEC. “And we are delighted we could help Selio to access the marketing expertise of the Gabelli School.”

Timothy Malefyt, PhD, a clinical professor and the director of the MS in Strategic Marketing Communications, who teaches the IMC class, noted, “Organizations that foster innovation and drive impact are natural partners for us. This project is very much in sync with the Gabelli School’s focus on providing experiential learning opportunities that align with our mission of ‘business with purpose’ and expand our students’ entrepreneurial skills and mindset.”

Through the project, students gained resume-enhancing experience, devising go-to-market strategies and solving real-world business problems, while working with a startup.

In March, students met with Selio’s CEO, Colm McGarvey, to learn about the company’s goals and objectives as it prepares to launch its patented Pre. B Seal Lung Biopsy System in the United States. Cleared by the FDA for use in lung biopsies to reduce the incidence of pneumothorax, a dangerous complication that affects 1 in 3 patients who undergo the procedure, the new product aims to improve patient outcomes and reduce costs.

The class was divided into five teams. Each was tasked with developing a business plan for Selio, upgrading the company’s mission statement, identifying marketing channels, and creating a communications plan and messaging targeted to specialized audiences in the health care space.

Jacques Onanga, a student in the MS in Strategic Marketing Communications program, was eager to work on a med tech project. “I’ve always tried to be in organizations that had an element of social impact,” he said. “Even though med tech is a market, the value isn’t just growth or revenue. It’s whether patients actually experience less harm and whether hospitals can deliver safer care without adding chaos or delays. This project sat exactly in that space between mission and business.”

Rebecca Richmond, an MS in Strategic Marketing Communications student, appreciated the opportunity to work directly with McGarvey. “It was exciting to have face time with the CEO, to have him take time from across the world to answer our questions and give direct feedback,” she said.

Richmond believes that projects like this offer a unique value-add for Gabelli School students. “It’s something tangible that I can add to my resume,” she noted. “One of the things I love about the Gabelli School is that it’s very application based, not just theoretical. This project brought that experiential learning to life.” 

On April 28, the teams presented their work to McGarvey, who will be meeting with major NYC hospitals this summer. “I was really impressed and inspired by the students’ presentations. Each of the teams demonstrated a great understanding of the Selio technology and value proposition, and presented a really professional marketing approach,” he said. “Everyone here at Selio is very grateful for the opportunity and all the excellent proposals.”