SciFest

What SciFest does

SciFest CLG (RCN 20081270) is an Irish not-for-profit company limited by guarantee that operates Ireland's largest nationwide STEM fair programme for second-level (post-primary) students aged 12-18. Founded in 2006 by Sheila Porter — a teacher seconded by Intel Ireland in 2007 to scale the programme nationally — SciFest runs a four-tier participation pathway: in-school SciFest@School fairs (145 registered schools in 2025/26), regional SciFest@College fairs hosted at 15 third-level institutions across Ireland, an annual National Final, and international representation at Regeneron ISEF, the Berlin Long Night of Science, Eskom Expo ISF, and Hong Kong GYSTB. The programme is completely free to enter for students.

The technology stack is modest and operationally focused: a web-based online registration and entry management system (hosted at members.businessexcellence.org) with a secure online teacher portal, save-for-later entry capability, and downloadable project lists. No public APIs, mobile applications, or AI/ML components are documented. Value delivery is event-driven rather than software-driven, with operational scale measured in fairs (160+ annually) and student engagement (16,000+ annually; 145,000+ cumulatively since 2006).

SciFest operates as a registered Irish charity with no share capital. Revenue is non-commercial in nature, derived from corporate sponsorships (Intel/Regeneron, Boston Scientific, EirGrid, Keenova Therapeutics), strategic partnerships with third-level institutions that contribute facilities and judges, and government grants from the Department of Education and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. A core team of approximately 10 employees (including a CFO, Project Manager, Programme Coordinator, dedicated School Liaison Officers, and a 20th Anniversary Programme Manager) runs the programme, supported by ~1,000 volunteer judges annually at international events. The organisation is governed by a six-member Board of Directors chaired by Prof. David FitzPatrick.

Name

SciFest

Legal name

SciFest CLG

Website

https://scifest.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SciFest is an Irish not-for-profit that runs the country's largest nationwide STEM fair programme for second-level students, delivering a four-tier pathway of in-school, regional college-hosted, national, and international competitions at no cost to participants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

STEM Education

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Research & Science Fair Competitions (Science Fairs, Research Symposiums) (EDAMAGAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

STEM Competitions & Olympiads (Science Bowls, STEM Challenges) (EDAMABAL), STEM Research & Inquiry Programs (Research Mentorship, Science Fair Prep) (EDAMABAC), Hands-on Science Exploration & Experiments (Lab Kits, Science Clubs) (EDAMABAA), Family, Kids & Education Fairs (MPAGAFAH), Education, Research & Academic Congresses (THAHAJAD)

Keywords

• STEM education programme
• Student science fairs
• School STEM competition
• Youth science outreach
• Secondary school STEM

Headquarters

HQ city

Dublin 16

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Sponsorship and Grant Funding: SciFest operates as a not-for-profit charitable organisation (SciFest CLG, RCN 20081270) that funds its activities through corporate sponsorships (Intel/Regeneron, Boston Scientific, EirGrid, Keenova), government grants (Department of Education, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade), and partnerships with third-level institutions. The programme is completely free to enter for all participants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SciFest runs Ireland's largest nationwide STEM fair programme for second-level (secondary school) students, delivered free of charge through a four-tier structure: in-school SciFest@School fairs, regional SciFest@College fairs hosted at 16 third-level institutions across Ireland, the annual SciFest National Final, and international competitions including Regeneron ISEF, Berlin Long Night of Science, and Eskom Expo ISF. The organisation also publishes supporting educational resources (teacher resource packs, student project guides, and Transition Year modules) and integrates with the national curriculum and Gaisce - The President's Award.

Product overview

SciFest is Ireland's largest second-level STEM fair programme operating a four-tier structure: local in-school SciFest@School fairs (145 schools in 2025/26), 16 regional SciFest@College fairs hosted at third-level institutions (ATU, TU Dublin, MTU, TUS, SETU, DkIT, DCU, St Mary's College Derry), the annual National Final, and international opportunities including Regeneron ISEF and the Berlin Long Night of Science. The programme is free to enter, open to all second-level students, and provides educational resources including project guides, teacher resources, and Transition Year modules. Core awards include the SciFest STEM Champion title, Boston Scientific Medical Devices Award, EirGrid Cleaner Climate Award, Intel Technology Award, and Keenova STEM Excellence Award.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SciFest@School A local in-house STEM fair programme where second-level schools host their own SciFest events. SciFest provides support materials (toolkit), judging criteria, certificates, awards, and the SciFest STEM School Award to participating schools. Free to enter. 145 schools registered in 2025/26.
• SciFest@College Regional STEM fairs hosted at 16 third-level college venues across Ireland (DkIT, TU Dublin x2, MTU x2, TUS x3, ATU x3, SETU x2, DCU, St Mary's College Derry) where second-level students present STEM projects to judges from academia and industry. Free to enter, open to all second-level students, with winners advancing to the National Final.
• SciFest National Final The flagship annual event of the SciFest programme, held over two days, where winning projects from the regional SciFest@College fairs are judged by a panel of experts from academia, industry, and Government. Students compete for major awards including the SciFest STEM Champion title, Boston Scientific Medical Devices Grand Award, EirGrid Cleaner Climate Grand Award, and Keenova STEM Excellence Award. Winners earn spots at international competitions.
• SciFest International (Regeneron ISEF) International competition pathway for top SciFest National Final winners to represent Ireland at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in the USA, with all-expenses-paid trips for winners and teachers.
• Berlin Long Night of Science Award An experiential award trip for National Final winners to attend the Berlin Long Night of Science event, visiting scientific institutions in Berlin and Potsdam, supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
• Eskom Expo International Science Fair (ISF) International competition pathway hosted in South Africa where SciFest winners participate, with Gold, Silver, and Category awards won by Irish students in 2024 and 2025.
• Transition Year Modules (STEM by Inquiry, Design and Discovery) Complete Transition Year (TY) programme modules including 'STEM by Inquiry' and 'Design and Discovery' (produced by Intel Ireland) delivered as structured modules for Transition Year students to integrate SciFest with the TY curriculum.

Quantifiable outcome

• Student participation in agricultural science has grown by over 110% since 2010
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Atlantic Technological University (ATU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerATU hosts three SciFest@College regional venues: ATU Donegal (Letterkenny), ATU Galway, and ATU Sligo. Each venue coordinates its own SciFest fair with dedicated contacts, providing facilities, academic expertise, and industry judge connections.
• Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTU Dublin hosts two SciFest@College regional venues: Grangegorman and Tallaght campuses. Coordinates judging panels from academia and industry, provides laboratory facilities for demonstrations, and showcases STEM courses to prospective students.
• Technological University of the Shannon (TUS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTUS hosts three SciFest@College regional venues: Athlone, Moylish (Limerick), and Thurles campuses. Each venue organises its own fair with dedicated coordinators, providing facilities and academic support.
• South East Technological University (SETU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSETU hosts two SciFest@College regional venues: Carlow and Waterford campuses. Provides facilities and coordinates with academic staff to organise regional STEM fairs for second-level students.
• Munster Technological University (MTU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMTU hosts two SciFest@College regional venues: Cork and Kerry (Tralee) campuses. Provides facilities and coordinates with academic staff including designated contacts for each venue.
• Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDkIT hosts one SciFest@College regional venue, coordinating with academic staff to organise the fair and provide facilities, judges, and exposure to STEM courses available at the institute.
• Dublin City University (DCU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDCU hosts one SciFest@College regional venue, providing facilities and coordinating with academic staff and industry judges to evaluate student projects and promote STEM education.
• St Mary's College, DerrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSt Mary's College in Derry hosts the SciFest@NorthWest (Northern Ireland) regional venue, providing a cross-border aspect to the SciFest programme and extending reach to students in Northern Ireland.
• Gaisce - The President's AwardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSciFest is an official Gaisce Challenge Partner. Students can use SciFest participation as their Personal Skill element for Gaisce awards, while those organising events can use activities toward the Community Involvement element. This partnership integrates SciFest with Ireland's national youth awards programme.
• Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities (TCPID)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTCPID hosts a dedicated SciFest fair for students with intellectual disabilities, demonstrating SciFest's commitment to inclusion and providing equal access to STEM opportunities.
• Digital Hub - Teen-TurnminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Digital Hub hosts a SciFest fair specifically for Teen-Turn students, supporting greater participation of girls in STEM education through dedicated programmes for teen girls in technology.
• Society for Science (USA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSociety for Science organises the Regeneron ISEF and affiliates SciFest as an official ISEF fair, enabling Irish students to compete at the world's largest international science fair. In 14 years, Irish students have won 24 major awards at ISEF.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF): The world's largest international pre-college STEM competition run by the Society for Science, which SciFest feeds into via its National Final winners. Same core format (project-based science fairs with industry/academic judging), but operating at international scale with 1,000+ affiliated fairs globally.
• Regeneron Science Talent Search: The premier US pre-college science competition run by Society for Science for high school students. Same organiser as ISEF, similar project-based research model, with longer history and stronger alumni network in the US market.
• Broadcom MASTERS International: Society for Science-run international middle-school STEM competition that SciFest already feeds delegates into. Comparable in targeting middle-years STEM research project competition with international finalists.

Emerging players

• FIRST Robotics Competition: Global pre-college STEM competition focused specifically on robotics and engineering challenges. Less directly comparable on category (robotics only vs. SciFest's broader STEM remit) but competes for the same second-level student time, teacher bandwidth, and corporate STEM sponsorship budgets.

Others

• Teen-Turn: Irish not-for-profit that runs hands-on STEM and tech placements for teenage girls, with which SciFest already partners to host dedicated fairs. Adjacent in mission (second-level STEM inclusion in Ireland) rather than directly competitive, but a relevant ecosystem peer.

Direct peers

• CREST Awards (British Science Association): UK national STEM enrichment and project-based awards programme for school students run by the British Science Association. Closely comparable in mission (free or low-cost STEM project engagement for school-age students), tiered award structure, and teacher-facing delivery model.
• BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition: Ireland's other major nationwide STEM competition for second-level students, run by a joint RTÉ/Department of Education partnership. It is SciFest's most direct domestic competitor for school STEM projects, teacher engagement, and student mindshare.
• The Big Bang Fair: UK's largest celebration of STEM for young people, organised by EngineeringUK. Comparable to SciFest as a nationwide STEM engagement and competition event targeting UK second-level students, with regional feeder events and a flagship national fair.

Regional players

• Hong Kong Global Youth Science and Technology Bowl (GYSTB): Hong Kong-based international STEM competition for secondary school students. SciFest has been an active participant since the late 2010s, winning multiple major awards. Comparable competition format and tiered project structure but operating primarily in the APAC region.
• Eskom Expo for Young Scientists: South Africa's largest national science fair for school students, operating a near-identical regional-to-national-fair model that SciFest's best students participate in directly. Same STEM project competition format and tiered structure, but serving a different national footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/@SciFest4STEM
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCW1geyoqSsi58Zi5qj6WzcQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/scifest.ie
• Instagraminstagram.com/scifest4stem
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/scifest

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SciFest