Team behind TactAI pick up lessons in commercialisation
Life
Pictured: Conor O’Neill from The Institute of Education; Orla Buttimer from Mercy Secondary School Mounthawk Tralee County Kerry; Dana Carney from Mount St. Michael, Co.Mayo; and Toomas Donohoe Athlone Community College
Conor O’Neill (17), Orla Buttimer (16), Dana Carney (15) and Toomas Donohoe (17) with their project TactAI have been announced as the winning group of the 2025 and 16th BT Young Scientist Business Bootcamp, in collaboration with Nova UCD.
The BT Young Scientist Business Bootcamp was created by BT Ireland to give BTYSTE finalists an opportunity after the exhibition to further develop their project ideas under the guidance of alumni, BT Ireland mentors and UCD content experts.
The winning group project, TactAI is a humanoid robot aimed at replacing human dependency and incorporating machine learning in specific situations. This hardwire sensored robot can significantly reduce the number of injuries and fatalities in place of underwater divers who can work in challenging and dangerous environments.
In addition to TactAI’s win, Ashlee Keogh, sixth year student at Tallaght Community School, Dublin, has been named best individual at the BT Young Scientist Business Bootcamp 2025.
The BT Young Scientist Business Bootcamp has been an extremely successful initiative since it was first introduced by BT Ireland under its custodianship of the Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition (YSTE).
Thirty students from 17 schools in 12 counties across the island of Ireland were selected to participate at this year’s four-day bootcamp in Nova UCD. At the Bootcamp, students attended workshops on business development, marketing and commercialisation, and had the opportunity to hear and learn from BTYSTE alumni who have launched successful enterprises. On the final day, the students pitched their project to expert panel of judges.
Pat Guiry, UCD professor of Organic Chemistry and Chair of the Young Scientist Charitable Trust, said: “We are thrilled to host the 16th BT Young Scientist Business Bootcamp at Nova UCD. Bootcamp which was developed by BT Ireland is just one of the initiatives that was developed during their custodianship of the Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition (YSTE). While today is a joyful occasion, it is also bittersweet as we conclude YSTE’s journey with BT but the organisation’s legacy will endure.”
Since the BT Young Scientist Business Bootcamp began, several participants have gone on to become successful entrepreneurs, including Protex AI, betterexaminations.ie, and Evervault.
Following BT Ireland’s recent announcement that it is stepping down as organiser and sponsor of the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition (BTYSTE), this year’s Bootcamp is the last being delivered by the organisation.
TechCentral Reporters
