Manufacturing & Supply Chain

A talented group of teenagers from Galway, Cork, Kilkenny, Offaly and Dublin claimed the winning spot at the 2017 BT Young Scientist Business Bootcamp with their project entitled Mi Contact on Thursday.

The winners were selected by a judging panel of accomplished business professionals following an intensive four day workshop at NovaUCD. The winning project is an app based on applied behaviour analysis to enhance early intervention programs, and to encourage children with autism make eye contact.

Ciara-Beth Ni Ghríofa, Ella Brennan, George Hennessy, Lucy Leonard, and Steven Harris won best overall team at the 8^th annual BT Young Scientist Business Bootcamp.

The team impressed the judges with their well-planned and thought out business pitch for Mi Contact, created by Ciara-Beth as her entry to the 2017 BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition in January.

The group was selected for their significant progress over the four-day workshop, which is designed to equip students with practical skills and knowledge to transform a creative idea into a viable business proposition.

The students, selected because they displayed particular business ambition, are shown how to set up a company, write a business plan, create a marketing campaign, draft a budget and present their ideas competently to senior academics and business people.

Jack O’Connor from Limerick was recognised as the best individual student for demonstrating his in-depth understanding of the process of bringing an idea he had on paper all the way through to project commercialisation.

Congratulating all the participants at the BT Young Scientist Business Bootcamp award ceremony, BT Ireland Managing Director Shay Wlash said: “We’ve had a fantastic week here at the 2017 BT Young Scientist Business Bootcamp, as we’ve watched the transformation of this talented group of people from creative young students into aspiring entrepreneurs.

“As judges and mentors, we’ve been inspired by their growing confidence and ability; and feel a sense of pride as a company to be able to support the next generation of business leaders, academics and professionals. I’d like to congratulate our winning team and indeed everyone who took part in the workshop this week and look forward to following your careers in the years to come.”

Throughout the week the groups were coached by a dedicated BT business mentor and learned the fundamentals of critical business applications such as patenting, business development, sales, marketing and presentation skills.