Dana Carney, third year student at Mount Saint Michael, Mayo, was named as part of the ‘Best Group’ at the 2025 BT Young Scientist Business Bootcamp for their project, ‘TactAI’.
The project was originally developed as an entry into the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition (BTYSTE) 2025, and aims to replace human dependency and incorporate machine learning in specific situations using humanoid AI.
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.
Members of the winning group also included: Conor O’Neill, fifth year student at The Institute of Education, Dublin, Orla Buttimer, fourth year student at Mercy Secondary School Mounthawk, Kerry, and Toomas Donohoe, fourth year student at Athlone Community College, Westmeath.
Ashlee Keogh, sixth year student at Tallaght Community School, Dublin, was named the overall winner at the 2025 BT Young Scientist Business Bootcamp for her project, ‘MagClean’, which examines the development of an eco-friendly solution to managing and cleaning oil spills, using magnetic nanoparticles with biodegradable materials to prevent harm to the environment.
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 seventeen schools in twelve 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 o ng Scientist Business Bootcamp began, several participants have gone on to become successful f judges.
Since the BT You entrepreneurs, including Protex AI, betterexaminations.ie, and Evervault.
For more information on the BT Young Scientist Business Bootcamp, please visit www.btyoungscientist.com or follow @BTYSTE on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, or Snapchat (username BTYSTE).
