50% of students surveyed at BT Business Bootcamp feel that they do not need to leave Ireland to fulfill their full career potential. 78% of students surveyed at BT Business Bootcamp feel that there is a gap in the education system regarding innovation.
The winners ofthe 2013 BT Young Scientist Business Bootcamp, an intensive commercialisation skills programme held at NovaUCD, have been announced today. Devised by BT, and delivered with UCD Innovation, the course aims to bridge the gap between business and education.
Anna Fitzpatrick aged 18 from Scoil Chonglais in Wicklow, Sean Reilly aged 17 from Coláistena Coiribe in Galway, Sean Murphy aged 15 from Davitt College in Mayo, Émer Hickey aged 15 from Kinsale Community College in Cork and Aaron Hoffmann aged 16 from Luttrellstown Community College in Dublin won ‘best overall team’ for their project ‘I.C.E. Scan Me’ the development of a medical database which may be rapidly accessed in an emergency situation using a personalised QR code.
Evaluated by a judging panel from business and academia, the team was selected for its significant progress over the course of the innovative programme.
Eoin McMahon aged 16 from Gonzaga College in Dublin was recognised as the best individual student.
All the winners will enjoy summer placements at leading third level universities including NUI Galway, University of Limerick, University College Dublin, and the University of Ulster.
In addition, Rory Hughes aged 16 from Gonzaga College was the student selected to pitch his project idea, ‘Automatic Cloud Based Medical Alert Platform’, at the next Dublin Web Summit in October 2013.
Speaking at the BT Young Scientist Business Bootcamp award ceremony, Shay Walsh, Managing Director Business, BT Ireland said,
This year’s BT Bootcamp students have demonstrated real entrepreneurial talent. The programme serves to link work done in the classroom with potential industry and enterprise ventures and is a great example of how such platforms, however small, can embed an ethos of entrepreneurship and innovation in students at a younger age. We hope this week that we have given 30 young people the confidence and skills to set off on the path to starting their own enterprises.”
Congratulating the winners, and all who took part in this week’s BT Business Bootcamp at NovaUCD, Professor Peter Clinch, UCD Vice-President for Innovation said,
A key innovation output for Ireland is a new cohort of creative, innovative and skilled students, such as those who took part on this programme, formed in an environment of research, discovery and entrepreneurship who will go on to be the leaders of tomorrow. I trust that the past week has challenged the participants’ thinking and will assist them in understanding the key steps that they must implement in order transform their innovative ideas into commercially viable products & services.”