30 students are turning research ideas into viable businesses at the 2026 Stripe Young Scientist Business Bootcamp.
Ireland’s next generation of innovators are getting an early taste of entrepreneurship this week as 30 students arrive at Stripe’s Dublin office for the 2026 Stripe Young Scientist Business Bootcamp, delivered in partnership with NovaUCD.
Running since Monday (20 April) to tomorrow (23 April), the four-day programme brings together students from 19 secondary schools across 11 counties, all of whom previously took part in the Stripe Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition.
The bootcamp is designed to help participants explore how scientific and technological creativity can translate into commercial and societal impact.
Turning bold insights into reality
“We’re thrilled to welcome such an inspiring group of young innovators to our Dublin office for the Stripe Business Bootcamp,” said Eileen O’Mara, chief revenue officer at Stripe.
“This week is all about providing students with the practical, real-world insights they need to transform their boldest ideas into reality. With Stripe’s deep Irish roots, hosting this programme in partnership with NovaUCD is especially meaningful to us.”
Throughout the week, student teams will be assigned a project challenge built on the foundations of a peer’s Stripe YSTE project and corresponding areas of research at University College Dublin (UCD). Working together, they will define the core problem and pitch their potential solution to a panel of judges at the end of the programme. The winning team will be announced on Thursday, 23 April, and will be awarded the Stripe Business Bootcamp trophy.
Alongside their project challenges, students will take part in a range of workshops, seminars, and presentations held across Stripe’s Dublin office and at NovaUCD. New sessions for this year’s Bootcamp include frameworks for selling, storytelling for business pitches, and confidence‑building and presentation skills.
Students will also benefit from ‘Ask Me Anything’ sessions exploring a variety of career paths, and will hear from experienced speakers, mentors, founders, and industry leaders, including Aine Kerr and Marc Cummins.
Dr Tony Scott, Co-Founder of the Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition said: “The continuation of the Business Bootcamp is a tremendous extension of the Stripe Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition. It gives students the chance to take their ideas far beyond the classroom and explore what it truly takes to bring them into existence.
“The enthusiasm, creativity, and ambition they show is incredibly inspiring, and programmes like this are vital in nurturing the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs. We are delighted to continue our partnership with Stripe and NovaUCD in delivering these opportunities for students across Ireland.”
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