Eight Westmeath students in 2025 BT Young Scientist Business Bootcamp

Eight students from three schools in County Westmeath are taking part in the BT Young Scientist Business Bootcamp, taking place from today until Thursday at Nova UCD.

The students are Donagh Carey and Noah Hill, fourth years at St Finian’s College; Aideen Derwin and Bláthín Moran, third years at Our Lady’s Bower, Sarah Higgins; and Ayvin Lijo, Eoin Gately and Toomas Donohoe, fourth years at Athlone Community College.

Now in its 16th year, the Bootcamp was set up by BT Ireland, under its custodianship of the Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition (YSTE) in 2010, to support BTYSTE finalists with developing their project ideas into commercial enterprises under the guidance of BTYSTE alumni, BT Ireland mentors and expert judges.

This year, BT Ireland celebrated 25 years as organiser of the YSTE and first introduced the bootcamp as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance and evolve the exhibition under its custodianship.

In the last 16 years, the Bootcamp has provided almost 500 students with skills to turn their project ideas into commercial enterprises.

This year, 30 students representing 12 counties are participating in the Bootcamp. They will take part in a four-day programme that will include workshops on business development, marketing and commercialisation, as well as meet BTYSTE alumni who have launched successful enterprises.

On the final day, the students will pitch their project to an expert panel of judges.

Judges this year include Shay Walsh, MD of BT Ireland, Dr Tony Scott, co-founder of the BTYSTE, Anne-Marie Turley, head of Fintech, Finance and Cybersecurity at Enterprise Ireland, and Brian O’Donovan, work and technology correspondent at RTÉ.

Mr Walsh said: “We are pleased to welcome the participating students to the 2025 BT Young Scientist Business Bootcamp at Nova UCD, our event partner. The Bootcamp which we developed in 2010, has been a highlight for BT Ireland for years, and it’s amazing to see thirty of the country’s brightest young minds develop their ideas with STEM experts.

“While this is an exciting event for us, it also marks the final Bootcamp we will deliver. It has been an honour to support 500 young people over the years in developing their business skills, with many making significant impacts in STEM and business. I’d like to thank my colleagues and the Nova UCD team for their support, and I hope all participants will have an unforgettable week.”

Dr Scott said that he is delighted to represent the Board of the Young Scientist at Nova UCD to welcome 30 of the BTYSTE finalists to the 16th BT Young Scientist Bootcamp this week.

“The level of talent that we see at Bootcamp every year is fantastic, and I have no doubt that the 2025 participants will go on to make a big impact on their futures.

“The Bootcamp, originally developed by BT Ireland, is just one initiative that was established under the organisation’s custodianship of the exhibition in the last 25 years. While BT Ireland’s journey with the YSTE will conclude this week, the organisation’s legacy with the exhibition will forever endure.”

Since the Bootcamp began, several participants have gone on to create successful enterprises, including Protex AI, betterexaminations.ie, and Evervault.

For more information on the BT Young Scientist Business Bootcamp, please visit www.btyoungscientist.com or follow @BTYSTE on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, or Snapchat (username BTYSTE).

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