Applications are now open for the 2027 Stripe Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition (Stripe YSTE). Secondary school students from Derry and across the island of Ireland are invited to turn their curiosity and ideas into reality and showcase them at the RDS in Dublin from 6-9 January 2027.
Whether inspired by artificial intelligence, the physics of the world around them, advances in medicine, or what data reveals about human behaviour, students are encouraged to bring forward their most innovative ideas that could help shape the future.
The total prize fund will increase by 25% for 2027, with more than 200 prizes to be awarded. The overall winners will receive the Stripe Young Scientist(s) & Technologist(s) of the Year Award and a top prize of £9,000. They will also go on to represent Ireland at the European Union Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS).
Stripe is expanding its YSTE Travel Bursary to support every school exhibiting at the RDS, increasing total amounts by 25%. By helping fund transport and accommodation for students and teachers traveling to Dublin for the four-day event, the bursary ensures more schools across the island can participate.
Stripe is also introducing Stripe YSTE Catalyst, a programme for the students behind the exhibition's top four awarded projects. Catalyst participants will be paired with mentors from academia, industry and Stripe's own engineering and science teams, travel to San Francisco to visit some of the world's leading technology companies, and present their projects at Stripe Sessions, Stripe's flagship annual conference.
Teachers and parents can find guidance on scoping and submitting a project on the Stripe YSTE website or in the Stripe YSTE handbook, which is issued to schools each August. The deadline for entries is 25 September 2026.
The inaugural Stripe YSTE in January 2026 drew 3,670 entries, with 550 projects featuring over 1,000 students selected to exhibit.
Eileen O'Mara, Vice Chair at Stripe, said:
"Many of the world's most impactful ideas started as simple school experiments. The Stripe Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition gives young people the platform to explore big questions, build something new, and share it with the world.
This year, we’re investing more than ever: alongside increased prizes and travel support, our new 'Stripe YSTE Catalyst' programme will connect exceptional students with the mentors who can help them imagine what’s possible next. We encourage every student across the island to apply, follow their curiosity, and take on the problems they think matter most."
Dr Tony Scott, Co-Founder of the Stripe Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition, said:
“For more than sixty years, the Stripe Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition has demonstrated what can happen when young people are encouraged to explore the questions that matter to them. Each year, students bring forward work of remarkable creativity and rigour, testing ideas, gathering evidence and applying method to problems that matter.
The introduction of Stripe YSTE Catalyst is a very welcome development, extending that journey beyond the exhibition and giving students the opportunity to deepen their research, learn from experts and discover what serious scientific thinking can achieve."
The 2027 Stripe Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition will award prizes across five categories:
To enter, students must complete an online application and submit a one-page project proposal by 25 September 2026. Finalists will be announced on 23 October 2026, with selected projects showcased at the RDS from 6-9 January 2027.
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