UCC sudent entrepreneur eyes $100k prize in US
A UCC student will travel to Silicon Valley next month to compete for a prize of $100,000 in equity-free funding.
Student innovator Ruby Middleton from Wexford Town will represent Ireland at the Red Bull Basement Global Final. The global winner will receive $100,000, along with mentorship from Red Bull Ventures to help bring their business idea to life.
She is the creator of PICKALOOK, a platform to make sustainable shopping accessible to all.
Middleton presented at the Irish National Final of Red Bull Basement at EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum in Dublin last week. The event brought together some of the country’s most ambitious student innovators, who each showcased technology-driven ideas aimed at solving real-world challenges.
Finalists in attendance were selected from among 2,000 online applications before pitching live to a panel of judges at the National Final, including Bryan Madden, Global Head of AI Software and Embedded Marketing at AMD; Clodagh Henderson, Founder of Nua Digital; Rory McGinn, Business Reporter with the Irish Independent; and Seán Leddin, Founder of Fíor Jewellery. Throughout the evening, seven students presented their ideas through interactive showcases and live pitches, with judging focused on originality, potential impact, founder mindset and feasibility.
Middleton, who studied Commerce at UCC, impressed judges with PICKALOOK, an AI-powered platform making fashion faster from pin to purchase by helping users quickly discover where to purchase saved Pinterest looks through more accessible and sustainable shopping options.
Red Bull Basement is a global innovation platform supporting the next generation of student founders, creators and entrepreneurs as they develop forward-thinking ideas with real-world impact.
The programme connects students with mentors, industry experts and startup ecosystems to help bring concepts to life.
“I feel amazing and slightly overwhelmed,” said Middleton. “This is going to be my first time in America and to get the opportunity to go to the Red Bull Basement final in Silicon Valley is so exciting. I can’t wait for the mentorship that will hopefully bring PICKALOOK even further.”
Middleton will travel to Silicon Valley next month as one of more than 40 national teams taking part in the Red Bull Basement Global Final.
Ireland has already made its mark on the global stage through Red Bull Basement. In 2024, Irish winners Oisín Burke and Oisín McGrath secured a Top 10 finish at the Global Final in Tokyo, Japan, with their graduate mentoring platform Step Ahead.