An intensive business mentoring programme kicks off today to give secondary school students the commercialisation skills they will need to convert their ideas into commercial opportunities.
Devised by BT, and delivered by NovaUCD, the BT Business of Science & Technology Programme (www.btyoungscientist.com) will involve 33 students who were chosen from the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition which took place in January. The programme was established by BT to help bridge the gap between education and business, and give students an early insight into how to progress from the classroom to the boardroom.
At NovaUCD, the Innovation and Technology Transfer Centre in UCD, the students will learn from leading figures from a wide range of emerging and established organisations including: Aristo; Equinome; Bord Gais; Enterprise Ireland; IDA; HEA; Select Strategies; UCD and University of Ulster.
Over the course of four days the students will focus on developing a number of projects that stood out for their commercial potential at the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition in January, including: a flexible, waterproof, inflatable flood barrier for domestic and commercial use; the potential of waste materials from hedgerow cuttings as a feasible biomass fuel; and DIY Wind Power – portable community generators for the Third World.
Colm O’Neill, managing director, business, BT Ireland, said: “Companies and countries alike can fail without the right skills to innovate and compete. There is amazing talent on display each year at the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition, and we are well placed to work with leading business leaders to pass on our business know-how and skills to the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs. Working together, we can build a better future for Ireland.”
Dr Pat Frain, Director, NovaUCD, added: “The development of an entrepreneurial and innovation culture, and embedding an ethos of innovation and entrepreneurship among second level students, is critically important for Ireland’s future economic growth and development.”
Each student will receive a certificate of achievement on completing the programme. The Higher Education Authority (HEA) will award the best individual and best group with one week summer placements at University of Limerick (UL)/National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG).
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