Research & Innovation

Now in its fifth year, the BT Young Scientist Business Bootcamp will host 29 second-level students from across Ireland who can take their innovative ideas and turn them into a feasible business in the future.

Following on from last January’s BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition in the RDS, Dublin, the students taking part in the boot camp were selected from more than 1,200 secondary school students who competed at this year’s exhibition.

The boot camp, delivered in partnership with University College Dublin (UCD), is taking place at NovaUCD and aims to bridge the gap between education and business for students who demonstrate entrepreneurial flair and business acumen.

All the students taking part in four-day camp will be tasked with developing an outline business approach to commercialise a specific group project which include issues like the renewable production of ethanol biofuel, water leak-detection systems and a Gumshield communication device for sports people, among others.

Each team will work with their dedicated BT business mentor who will coach them to develop their business plans and presentation skills.

Speaking about the camp, Prof Orla Feely, UCD vice-president for Research, Innovation and Impact and also a recent panellist (video) at this February’s Future Jobs Forum, said: “This bootcamp is helping to embed a culture of entrepreneurship amongst second-level students who are inspired by science and technology and who wish to learn how to translate their innovative ideas into products and services which can have an impact on the economy and society.”

The week will culminate on Thursday, 6 March, when the teams will present their business plans to a judging panel including academics and senior business people.

The winners will receive summer placements at third-level universities NUI Galway and University of Limerick.