AFTER 25 YEARS, BT has announced it will step down as organiser and sponsor of the Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition.

This year’s event attracted some 550 exhibits from 225 schools competing for a range of prizes at the RDS in Dublin.

In a statement today, BT said the decision is due to the “re-alignment of the company’s strategy and structure in Ireland”.

This follows on from BT’s announcement last week that it had reached an agreement for the sale of its Irish wholesale and enterprise business unit to Speed Fibre Group

This is subject to competition clearance and is expected to be completed this year.

The sale includes BT’s domestic network infrastructure, over 400 customers, and associated teams supporting wholesale and business enterprises.

BT said that post-transaction, it will continue to have a strong presence in Ireland, with over 400 employees, with offices in Dublin and regionally, and connections to BT’s global network infrastructure and propositions.

It’s understood that BT Ireland believes that this divestment of a business unit could impact on its ability to deliver the exhibition in the way it normally does.

Professor Pat Guiry, Chair of the Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition (YSTE) Board, thanked BT Ireland for their commitment to YSTE over the past 25 years.

“Their custodianship, organisation and sponsorship have elevated the exhibition to the position of national prominence that it enjoys today,” said Guiry.

“Thank you for your unwavering support, stewardship, integrity, and for being the heartbeat of the exhibition we all care so much about.

“Your commitment has enabled hundreds of thousands of young people to engage with STEM in such a meaningful way.”

The YSTE Board has opened the role of title sponsor to the market.

Shay Walsh, Managing Director, BT Ireland remarked that it was a “difficult decision for BT” and that it was “taken due to strategy and organisational changes in Ireland”.

Walsh said it “has been a privilege and honour to organise the Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition” and he thanked the YSTE board “who worked alongside us to inspire a passion for science, technology, engineering and maths in a generation of students across the island of Ireland”.

He added that BT Ireland will work closely with the YSTE Board on a transition to a new sponsor once the selection process is complete.

Meanwhile, students have been encouraged to get their thinking caps on for entries into the 2026 exhibition which will be held on 7-10, January 2026.

All information on how to enter is available at btyoungscientist.com.