Ciara Reynolds
Founder of iASO Solutions
1st Runner Up, WE Innovate
A Journey at the Intersection of Healing, Technology and Human Transformation
For Ciara, iASO Solutions emerged from a rare combination of experiences. She spent over fifteen years leading large-scale digital transformation programmes in global SaaS and technology environments - work that taught her how to build systems, manage complexity and deliver tools that genuinely improve people’s lives. Running in parallel to this career was her deepening interest in human wellbeing. She trained as a wellbeing and leadership coach and studied alternative therapeutic modalities including sound therapy, Reiki and the endocannabinoid system. Most recently, she completed postgraduate work in Psychedelics, Altered States and Transpersonal Psychology, exploring how psychedelics and music can support healing after conflict, particularly in Northern Ireland, and how Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy can treat trauma, depression and anxiety.
These strands came together naturally in iASO Solutions, where Ciara is building a precision-based digital mental health platform to support psychedelic-assisted therapy and medical cannabis treatments. For her, it is a space where science, compassion and innovation coexist, each strengthening the other.
Ciara applied to WE Innovate because she wanted to grow alongside other women founders, strengthen her confidence as a leader and refine the foundations needed to bring an ambitious therapeutic technology into the world. The opportunity to do that within Queen’s University Belfast, and in partnership with Imperial College London - a global leader in psychedelic research, felt like an ideal home for her venture.
Finding Belonging in an Entrepreneurial Community
Nearly two decades of work across technology, transformation and wellbeing positioned Ciara uniquely, but she knew her field could be misunderstood. She hoped WE Innovate would offer a space where her innovation could be recognised for its scientific grounding rather than its stigma. She wanted community, connection and a bridge between her interdisciplinary expertise and the entrepreneurial confidence required to scale a platform like iASO. She also hoped to meet inspiring women doing meaningful work, and she quickly found that the cohort offered exactly that.
From the moment the programme began, the structure felt clear and the environment supportive. The bond across the cohort built quickly, fuelled by shared curiosity and mutual respect. Being in Belfast also opened Ciara’s eyes to the scale and normalisation of trauma in local communities, reinforcing just how urgently new approaches to mental health care are needed.
Stepping Into a New Kind of Leadership
WE Innovate differed from Ciara’s previous professional and coaching experiences because it focused as much on developing the founder as it did on developing the venture. The programme created a psychologically safe environment where women from very different backgrounds could be ambitious, vulnerable, curious and bold at the same time. It was hands-on and practical, with every session feeding directly into the evolution of each venture - refining value propositions, sharpening narratives and building pitches that felt authentic rather than rehearsed.
The community became one of the most meaningful aspects of the experience. Ciara describes it as a sisterhood marked by encouragement, honesty, creative energy and plenty of craic, a combination that kept her motivated throughout. WE Innovate offered her tools and frameworks, but more importantly, it offered her a village.
Mentoring and pitch support played a vital role in shaping iASO’s direction. With guidance from the programme’s entrepreneurs and coaches, Ciara clarified the core of the venture and learned how to communicate a complex, science-led concept in a way that feels human, grounded and accessible. The mentors encouraged her to trust her expertise and step fully into the leadership required to build something at this scale.
Being part of a diverse cohort also left a lasting impression. Each woman brought a different lens, discipline and way of thinking, reminding Ciara that there is no one version of what a founder should be. Leadership, she realised, can be intuitive or analytical, quiet or outspoken, and every expression of it has value. Karishma and Tim’s storytelling masterclass became a turning point, teaching her to communicate with narrative, emotion and clarity rather than through executive summaries and bullet points.
Refining a Vision and Delivering a Winning Pitch
Ciara’s first runner-up pitch at the WE Innovate Grand Final was the result of distilling iASO Solutions to its clearest truth: that mental health care must evolve, and that precision, compassion and evidence must guide that evolution. The pitch centred on the real challenges clinicians and patients face, the gaps in current systems and how iASO creates personalised therapeutic pathways to bridge those gaps. Rather than overwhelming the audience with features, Ciara focused on why the work matters and why it matters now.
Preparing for the final strengthened her belief in the direction of the venture. Pitching at that level required her to define the problem, the opportunity and the impact with precision. It clarified not only the story of iASO, but the story of her own identity as a founder. She left the Grand Final with a stronger voice, a clearer message and a renewed sense of purpose.
Momentum, Integration and a New Stage of Growth
Since completing WE Innovate, Ciara has stepped fully into founder mode. The clarity she gained helped her refine iASO’s value proposition, strengthen her storytelling and communicate the science behind the platform with greater confidence. This foundation supported her acceptance into the Founder Institute Accelerator in Lisbon, where she is now developing iASO’s business model, investor materials and go-to-market strategy.
The programme also helped her articulate the brand more fully. With support from Tim McCullough at JourneyFor, Ciara commissioned new artwork, logos and customised pitch materials, assets that now shape how she communicates with clinics, partners and investors. iASO Solutions now has a visual identity that reflects its scientific grounding, therapeutic purpose and commitment to safety.
Ciara continues to integrate her research into public talks, community work and the PsychedeliCare EU initiative. For her, WE Innovate didn’t mark the end of development - it became a catalyst for her next stage of impact.
A People-Centred Approach to Innovation
The programme reinforced something fundamental for Ciara: that people grow best in environments of safety, support and clear communication. This belief now shapes how she designs and leads initiatives in mental health recovery, leadership and integrative wellbeing. It also influences her approach to technology. Curiosity keeps her open to ideas from different disciplines. Staying grounded helps her return to the “why” behind the work. And a people-centred lens ensures that human needs and lived experiences always remain at the forefront of design.
Why WE Innovate Matters
For Ciara, what makes WE Innovate distinctive is its ability to support women founders as whole people. The programme blends practical skill-building with emotional intelligence, community and purpose. She describes it as one of the most transformative milestones in her entrepreneurial journey - a place where mentors and peers believed in her innovation even when other programmes hesitated because of subject-matter stigma.
If speaking to funders or university partners, Ciara would highlight that WE Innovate creates an environment where women can take risks, develop their voice and lead boldly. The programme accelerates venture creation, strengthens innovation ecosystems and showcases the power of connecting research, entrepreneurship and societal impact.
Looking Ahead
Ciara describes her WE Innovate experience as exciting, fun and life-changing - words that reflect the learning curves, friendships and personal transformation she experienced along the way. The programme marked the moment she fully transitioned from her previous career into building Iaso Solutions, which will officially launch in 2026.
Her journey is only beginning, and she invites the world to watch this space.