Patch

Really excited to announce that Patch is coming to the North West for the very first time later this month. On 28th March we're hosting Build Something Great: North West Edition at The AMP Growth Incubator in Derry, alongside the brilliant Jennifer from Hightop, Claire from Young Social Innovators, and Aoife from The AMP. Three organisations who are all deeply invested in making sure young people in this region have access to the same opportunities as anywhere else in Ireland. ☘️ The day is for all abilities. No experience needed and laptops provided if you need one. You'll learn how to use AI tools and online resources to go from idea to working prototype in a single day, whether that's a game, an app, a tool that solves something that annoys you, or just something that you think should exist. If you already know how to code, come along, meet people just like you, and get real feedback on what you're building. There'll be lots of mentors, volunteers, and some fun prizes on the day too. Open to anyone aged 16-21 in Derry, Donegal, Tyrone, or anywhere nearby. Register via the link below. (And if this kind of day sounds like your thing, you should probably also apply to Patch. Link below too.)

🚀 One more week. We’ve received the most applications in Patch history (which is pretty crazy). So we’re re-opening applications for one final week to see just how far across Ireland we can reach. If you’ve been thinking about applying, this is your sign. You don’t need to have everything figured out. You don’t need a finished idea. You just need to be curious. Patch is a 7-week, fully funded summer programme for 16–21 year olds. We cover accommodation, meals, and provide a means-based stipend so you can focus on building something that you care about. Join 35 young builders this summer. Build something great and make friends for life. Applications close Sunday 8th March at 11:59 pm 👉 Apply now. Link in comments. Stripe | OpenAI | Dogpatch Labs | NDRC | Rethink Ireland | Abbey Capital Limited | Lucy Daly | Sanat Thukral | Tom McCarthy | Patrick Walsh

Do you want the experience of a lifetime? If you're based in Ireland (and are aged 16-21ish) and have 7 weeks over the summer (July-August) to spend doing something you love - Patch is for you! Patch is a fully funded youth accelerator programme based in Dublin, where you get accommodation, food, a place to work and access to some of Ireland's brightest talent. As an avid redditor who gets his news, knowledge and investing advice (/s!!) from Reddit, I built a CLI for Reddit over Patch and that was not a business idea, but something I did for the love of the game. Beyond that, I got to meet some of my closest friends over this programme and access to an all-island network of builders, founders and creators. And applications for the 2026 cohort are open (they close soon!) so if this sounds appealing go apply (link in comments) Good luck!

We have another packed week of events on the schedule Come along to chat, pitch or build something. Open to students + just those interested in finding out more about Patch 5 days left to get your application in !! Sign up for one of these events belwo 👇 Stripe | OpenAI | Rethink Ireland | Abbey Capital Limited | Dogpatch Labs Sanat Thukral | Lucy Daly | Keith Salhani | Toby Tangney | Nathan Manley | Joe Biju | Yicheng Chen

Patch Demo Night is well underway and the room says it all. Young innovators from across the West are stepping up, building boldly, and showing exactly what they can do. The standard is high. The ambition is higher. The talent here is not emerging. It is already here. Huge shoutout to John and Donal for pulling this together and setting the direction tone. If tonight is a signal of what’s ahead, it’s safe to say “watch this space”

Hackathon 2026 💡 All Students Welcome - Bring a Friend! Join us for an exciting day of innovation, teamwork, and creativity. Whether you're a beginner or experienced, this hackathon is for you! 👩💻 What to Expect: - Collaborative Team Challenges - Creative Problem Solving - Networking Opportunities - Fun & Innovation 📆 Thursday 19th February 2026 | 11am – 5pm (Drop in anytime!) 📍 QBS Student Hub, Entrepreneurial Hub 01.028 (First Floor) Don’t miss out - bring a friend and be part of the action!🔥 #QBSConnect #QBS #QUB #Hackathon