BT Young Scientist Business Bootcamp returns

Life

Pictured: David Hamilton, ArdScoil Ris limerick; Daniel Carroll Colaiste Choilm Tullamore; Alanna Slater, Gaelcholaiste Ui Chonba Limerick; Khadija Gull, Loreto College Balbriggan; Dublin; and Maee Shaw, Colaiste Pobail Kilkenny

Some of the best young business minds in the country will be put through their paces this week at the eighth BT Young Scientist Business Bootcamp.

Hosted by NovaUCD, the four-day bootcamp will see 30 students from across the island of Ireland will learn the fundamentals of critical business applications such as patenting, business development, sales, marketing and presentation skills.

This year’s participants were hand-picked from last January’s BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition representing counties Cork, Dublin, Galway, Kilkenny, Limerick, Derry~Londonderry, Louth, Offaly, Tipperary and Westmeath.

The students will be divided into six teams to work on an award-winning project from this year’s, for which they will develop a business pitch for a panel of judges.

The projects for this year’s Bootcamp include a sensor to detect early illness in foals; a Web-app/IoT network that aims to augment people’s lives using statistics and provide cost-effective contextual-advertising; an app based on applied behaviour analysis to enhance early intervention programmes and encourage children with autism make eye contact; a device to improve crop planting in developing countries; and a device to prevent unlicensed drivers from endangering others on our roads by not being able to even start a car without a valid license.

BT Ireland managing director Shay Walsh said: “Each year the brightest young minds in the country walk through the doors of the RDS for the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition, many of whom are aspiring entrepreneurs with excellent business ideas, but who are simply lacking the knowledge and skills to take their project ideas to the next stage.

“The Bootcamp equips these students with the tools and more importantly, the confidence, to hopefully make the leap into business and we are so proud to be able to play a part in helping these young people to realise their potential.”

The Bootcamp will culminate on 2 March, when the teams will present their business plans to a judging panel comprised of academics and senior business professionals.

TechCentral Reporters

Read More: BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition BTYSTE