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ATU students’ innovative beekeeping project shortlisted for the National Student Entrepreneur Awards
A team of ATU Computing and Digital Media students have been shortlisted for the Enterprise Ireland National Student Entrepreneur Awards for their innovative digital media project, ‘HIVE’ which is designed to support novice beekeepers in their journey of learning apiculture and to enhance productivity for large-scale apiaries. The student team members include Shane Costello, Matthew Creaven and Yana Greer.
A team of Atlantic Technological University (ATU) Computing and Digital Media students have been shortlisted for the Enterprise Ireland National Student Entrepreneur Awards for their innovative digital media project, ‘HIVE’ which is designed to support novice beekeepers in their journey of learning apiculture and to enhance productivity for large-scale apiaries. The student team members include Shane Costello, Matthew Creaven and Yana Greer.
The Student Entrepreneur Awards is a national-level competition involving students from across the country. The awards offer €35,000 in cash prizes, with the overall winner receiving €10,000, and the opportunity to avail of specialist advice and assistance to potentially help an enterprise idea into a business reality.
Beekeeping is a delicate mix of science, nature, and care. It’s more than just a hobby or a farming activity, it’s an important way to help protect one of the most vital parts of our environment. By integrating advanced technology with user-friendly features, HIVE bridges the gap between traditional beekeeping practices and modern, data-driven management techniques, making beekeeping more accessible and efficient for all users.
Bees are essential pollinators that help grow the food we eat, support a healthy planet, and keep nature in balance. To support this activity HIVE offers tech-driven tools for beginner and professional beekeepers through real-time data, AI simulations, and educational content to help the Bee Community. HIVE aims to become a key platform in the apiculture community.
The team initially won the EU Green Award at the ATU Student Entrepreneur Awards for project HIVE and from there progressed to being shortlisted for the National Student Entrepreneur Awards.
The three students (Shane Costello, Matthew Creaven and Yana Greer) are delighted with their success and are excited about the potential of HIVE to transform beekeeping for professionals and hobbyists alike.
Shane Costello says: “HIVE started as our final year project, with the mission of designing a digital solution to a real-world problem…That’s how the idea for HIVE was born – an AI and IoT-based platform that helps beekeepers monitor hive health in real-time and prevent colony losses.”
Shane adds: “What excites me most is how HIVE could transform beekeeping for professionals and hobbyists alike. By making hive management simpler and more proactive, we’re not only helping beekeepers protect their colonies, but also supporting the food systems and biodiversity that depend on pollinators. And at the heart of it, we’re not trying to fully automate or replace beekeeping—we’re helping protect what keepers love most about it. The quiet, reflective, hands-on nature of beekeeping is something worth preserving, and HIVE is about making that experience more rewarding and sustainable.”
Reflecting on their experience working together on the project, Matthew Creaven says: “The journey has been incredibly rewarding. Working alongside Shane and Yana has taught me so much about teamwork, innovation, and the power of technology to address pressing environmental challenges. The recognition we’ve received, from winning the EU Green Award at the ATU Student Entrepreneur Awards to making the top 50 at the Enterprise Ireland Student Entrepreneur Awards, validates our hard work and highlights the genuine impact our project can have.”
The third member of the team, Yana Greer emphasises the importance of the HIVE project in terms of making a real impact. She says: “It [HIVE] wasn’t just about visuals—it was about creating solutions for beekeepers and supporting sustainability. We each got to combine technology and nature in a way that felt purposeful, from prototyping virtual modular hives to designing digital tools and a game. It was an incredibly collaborative process, and I learned so much by working across different areas of design and development.”
Gerald Kennedy, ATU lecturer and supervisor of the student team says: “I’m immensely proud to have served as the supervisor of this group. From the outset, they approached the project with remarkable energy, creativity, and a clear sense of purpose. The journey has not always been straightforward; the team encountered both personal and professional challenges, yet their resilience, compassion, and unwavering commitment to the work never wavered.
“Equally impressive as their technical proficiency was their attitude. They remained open to feedback, receptive to guidance, and genuinely committed to continuous improvement throughout each stage of the process. It was this willingness to listen, adapt, and grow, which made them such a cohesive and effective team, and an absolute pleasure to supervise.
“Witnessing their development, not only as designers and developers, but also as reflective problem-solvers and collaborative thinkers, has been one of the most rewarding experiences of this academic year. They have tackled a complex issue and produced a solution with genuine potential to benefit both people and the environment.
“HIVE exemplifies what we hope to see in student-led innovation: a considered response to a real-world issue, underpinned by strong teamwork, technical ability, and a deep sense of purpose. The recognition they have received is thoroughly deserved, and I am confident that this marks only the beginning of what this outstanding group of students will go on to accomplish.”
Dr Orla Flynn, ATU President says: “As an amateur beekeeper myself, this is a project that is of huge interest to me! It is clear that the HIVE team have reflected very carefully on a range of beekeeping challenges, and their project encapsulates what is best about technology solutions, in that it complements and supports existing activities. I am constantly reassured about the future of the world when witnessing the work of students like Shane, Matthew and Yana. Sending best wishes to all the ATU teams in the national finals.”
About the Student Entrepreneur Awards
The Student Entrepreneur Awards is at the forefront of developing entrepreneurship, giving young entrepreneurs a viable pathway to transform their smart ideas into commercial businesses. It aims to stimulate entrepreneurship and to encourage students to start their own business. The competition is a great opportunity for ambitious and enterprising third level students to build a real-world business venture.
Sponsored by Cruickshank, Grant Thornton, Local Enterprise Office and Enterprise Ireland, the Student Entrepreneur Awards offers third level students from all academic disciplines and courses of study the opportunity to realise their entrepreneurial ambitions.
For more information on the Student Entrepreneur Awards please click here.
Photo Caption: (L-R) Annette Cosgrove (lecturer and project supervisor), Matthew Creavan (4th year Honours Computing and Digital Media student), Shane Costello (4th year Honours Computing and Digital Media student), Yana Greer (4th year Honours Computing and Digital Media student), ATU President Dr Orla Flynn and Gerald Kennedy (lecturer and project supervisor).
