Stripe has partnered with Croom Medical to manufacture the trophies for the 2026 Stripe Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition (YSTE), one of Ireland’s leading platforms for student innovation, scientific enquiry and engineering excellence.
Designed by Stripe’s team and manufactured by Croom Medical at its facility in Croom, Co. Limerick, the trophies feature a distinctive molecular-inspired structure at their core. The design was realised using laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) additive manufacturing in Titanium Grade 23, a material more commonly associated with high-performance medical implants.
Patrick Byrnes, CEO of Croom Medical, said the sponsorship reflects a natural alignment between advanced manufacturing and science education. “The technologies we used to manufacture the Stripe YSTE trophies are the same we rely on every day to produce orthopaedic implants,” he said. “Supporting the Young Scientist Exhibition allows us to apply that capability in a way that recognises curiosity, experimentation and engineering thinking at an early stage.”
The complex geometry of the trophy would be extremely difficult to achieve using conventional CNC machining. L-PBF enables fine layers of titanium powder to be selectively fused with high precision, allowing intricate internal and external features to be produced while maintaining strength and durability.
The material selected, Ti-6Al-4V ELI (Grade 23), is widely used in medical applications including knee and spinal implants due to its strength, fatigue resistance and biocompatibility. Its use in the trophies highlights the direct connection between advanced engineering and real-world medical outcomes.
By supporting the Stripe YSTE Competition, Croom Medical is pleased to support to the development of Ireland’s next generation of engineers, scientists and problem solvers. Many of the skills demonstrated by students at the exhibition, from design for manufacture to precision engineering, closely reflect those applied within the company.
All trophies were manufactured in Limerick by Croom Medical’s additive manufacturing team using a 3D Systems DMP Flex 350 Dual system. Croom Medical wishes all participants every success. The 2026 Stripe Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition takes place from 7–10 January 2026 at the Royal Dublin Society (RDS) in Dublin.
Watch the behind the scenes video of the 3D-printing process:
About Stripe YSTE: The Stripe Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition is Ireland’s national showcase of original research by secondary students from across the country. Founded in 1965, the event brings together hundreds of projects spanning science, technology, engineering and mathematics, presented to panels of judges and the public over four days. Prizes are awarded in multiple categories, with finalists competing for honours including the overall Stripe Young Scientist & Technologist of the Year.
About Croom Medical: Croom Medical, based in Limerick, Ireland, is a contract manufacturer with 40 years of experience producing high-quality joint replacement implants for leading OEMs. Leveraging advanced manufacturing technologies and deep industry expertise, Croom Medical helps medical device OEMs accelerate time-to-market, boost production and secure their supply chain. Their FDA-registered and ISO 13485 certified-facility is supported by 150+ professionals, including an award-winning Research, Development & Innovation team.
