Jes teenager takes top award at BT Business Bootcamp

A Galway teenager took the top individual prize at last week’s 2015 BT Young Scientist Business Bootcamp – for her work on a visionary ‘wrap’ to keep sleepers warm in the open air.

Kate Duggan aged 15 from Coláiste Iognaid in Galway was recognised as the best individual student. at the end of a four-day workshop for enterprising students from all over Ireland at NovaUCD.

Kate worked with a team of four other students on a project called ‘Homeless Wrap’.

This is a lightweight, waterproof, heat retaining, portable cover suitable for homeless, camping and disaster relief situations.

The project was originally submitted by a student from Desmond College in Limerick to the 2015 BT Young Scientist & technology Exhibition in January.

A talented team of four teenagers from Dublin, Longford, Offaly and Tipperary claimed the winning spot in the team category with their project entitled An Tionchar – the impact hurling boot.

The group presented, to a judging panel of accomplished business professionals, a mock pitch to compel the Leinster Council of the GAA to support a sponsored trial of the boot.

They are Renuka Chintapalli (15) from Loreto Secondary School Balbriggan in Dublin, Mark Lyons (16) from Lanesboro Community College in Longford, Shiofra Ryan (16) from St. Brendan’s Community School in Offaly and Jack O’Meara (16) from St. Joseph’s College Borrisoleigh in Tipperary.

The four-day workshop is designed to equip students with practical skills and knowledge that will show them how a creative idea can be transformed into a viable business proposition.

“We wanted to help students bridge the gap between education and business,” explained Shay Walsh, managing director of Business at BT Ireland.

This year, for the first time, the BT Young Scientist Business Bootcamp will be replicated in two additional territories, bringing the programme as far as the United Arab Emirates.

BT, who created the hugely successful programme six years ago, will partner with the Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research in Abu Dhabi to host the first international BT Business Bootcamp in April.

Closer to home, Queens University Belfast will host the first Northern Ireland BT Business Bootcamp later this year.