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Over 1,000 students presenting 550 projects will gather at Dublin’s RDS from today for the 2026 Stripe Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition.
The event will be officially opened this afternoon and will run until Saturday.
The exhibition showcases projects from secondary school students in the areas of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).
Last year, financial technology company Stripe was announced as the title sponsor of the event, taking over from BT.
President Catherine Connolly will officially open the exhibition at a ceremony later today alongside Stripe co-founder Patrick Collison.
Mr Collison is a former winner of the Young Scientist competition.
The 550 projects on display were selected from 1,974 entries and span five categories: Technology, Biological and Ecological Sciences; Social and Behavioural Sciences; Chemical, Physical and Mathematical Sciences; and Health and Wellbeing.
A judging panel of experts from science, technology, and business will select over 200 prize winners, including the overall winner, who will take home €7,500 in prize money and represent Ireland in the EU Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS).
Nearly a quarter of projects use or examine AI, covering areas such as the future of education and work, predicting crop health and the properties of dark matter.
Environment and climate-related projects make up 22% of those on display, covering climate action, biodiversity, and renewable energy.
Health also remains a key focus, with projects exploring disease detection and modelling, new treatments for cancer and diabetes, as well as mental well-being.
“The students are putting the final touches on an incredible array of projects, from AI-powered medical diagnosis to new types of energy,” said Eileen O’Mara, Chief Revenue Officer at Stripe.
“It’s been 21 years since our co-founders Patrick and John Collison took part, and we couldn’t be more excited to help shape this national treasure for the next generation,” Ms O’Mara said.
Dr Tony Scott, co-founder of the competition said that since the beginning their mission has been to help inquisitive young people to reach their potential.
“Having a globally successful company, founded by one of our alumni, now holding the title sponsorship is the ultimate testament to the exhibition’s enduring impact,” Dr Scott said.
