TechTides Youth, a leading peer-to-peer technology youth conference, has today announced a new competition for young people to submit Tech for Good business ideas with first prize securing £1,500 and two runners-up receiving £500. Open to 16-21-year-olds, students from Derry/Londonderry, Strabane and Limavady are being asked to submit an idea based on a real problem around them and then use technology to develop a solution. Finalists will be announced at TechTides Youth on 26th October at North West Regional College, who are also sponsoring the competition.
TechTides Youth Event Director, Jennifer Neff explains:
“We want to show young people that they don’t have to wait until they’re older to start building something. If you’ve got an idea for how to make something better around you, or you’re always coming up with ideas and thinking ‘someone should do something about that’ – this is your chance to give it a go.
“We know that not everyone follows the same path, and not every young person who has an interest in technology, business or entrepreneurship will be sitting in a classroom thinking about their next steps, which is why we’ve made this open to young people whether they enter through their school or themselves.
“And for parents and guardians, if you’ve got a young person in your life who is always talking about an idea, has an entrepreneurial streak or is looking at the world and thinking they could do things differently, encourage them to put it forward. You never know where that first idea could take them. We want young people to see that they can create their own future, and that they can start right here, right now. All entrants have the opportunity to become part of Hightop Collective, a new, ongoing community for young builders and innovators. It means the connection doesn’t end when the competition does: members are first to hear about events, funding and opportunities happening across the region and the rest of the world.”
Speaking from last year’s winning team, Sparks DC, Rebecca Furey said:
“TechTides Youth 2025 was an eye opener for me, it was incredibly inspirational to see so many amazing people who have built their own success. The last 12 months since winning TechTides Youth 2025 has been so exciting – being given the opportunity to develop our idea, carry out research, build a solution and present the vision has pushed me to pursue our idea further, made me more ambitious and allowed me to see the opportunity in front of me.” Rebecca Furey, Sparks DC
The event forms part of the wider TechTides platform, which connects people across Northern Ireland’s tech ecosystem with the ideas, expertise and relationships that drive innovation. TechTides Youth is its dedicated strand for young people and takes place ahead of the main TechTides conference at the Millennium Forum in Derry/Londonderry on 27th October.
Young people, schools or parents interested in finding out more can register via https://techtides-youth-event.vercel.app/ by Thursday 8th October, or contact Jennifer Neff at hello@hightophub.com
