Stripe to sponsor Irish Maths Trust
Ottoline Spearman
Stripe will be the new principal sponsor of the Irish Maths Trust (IMT), the financial services company announced on Thursday.
The support comes shortly after Ireland's best performance in the International Maths Olympiad this year. The team broke the previous record by more than 50 per cent, jumping 25 places up the international rankings. They took home two silver medals and a bronze medal, marking the first time Ireland has won three medals at the competition.
The new partnership will enable the IMT to expand the reach of its national programme, deliver mathematics training to more students, and help them pursue careers in science and technology.
“Students who excel at maths often go on to have very successful careers in science and technology,” said Eileen O’Mara, Chief Revenue Officer of Stripe.
“The Irish Maths Trust has quietly nurtured extraordinary talent for years, and Ireland's recent success in global competition demonstrates what's possible with proper support."
Seven new Junior Maths Enrichment (JME) Centres will be established across Ireland in Waterford, Kerry, Tipperary, Galway, Kildare, Sligo, and Donegal.
The IMT is the organisation behind the Irish Maths Olympiad (IrMO), Ireland’s most challenging national mathematics competition for secondary school students. Stripe’s three-year funding commitment will secure the future of the competition, which is also the gateway for a team of maths students to represent the country in the International Maths Olympiad.
Stripe was founded by Irish brothers Patrick and John Collison in 2010. The Irish Times reported that the company was valued at €90.8 billion in September this year.
Stripe's sponsorship will also help fund squad training camps scheduled for February, March, April, July and August, providing preparation for senior mathematical talents competing internationally.
“We're thrilled that, with Stripe's support, we'll be able to share the joy of challenging mathematics with the next generation all across the country,” said Dr Neil Dobbs, Lecturer in Mathematics at University College Dublin.
“The new JME centres will change Ireland's mathematical landscape for years to come. Together with the training camps, we'll see improved performance at international Maths Olympiads and more students achieving great things in STEM.”
Stripe’s sponsorship of IMT comes alongside other programmes to accelerate scientific and technological progress in Ireland, including the Stripe Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition, the youth accelerator Patch, and the University of Limerick's Immersive Software Engineering course.
With Stripe’s backing, the IMT will be able to deliver mathematics training to more students, helping them to develop the skills needed to excel in these other programmes, and pursue careers in science and technology.
For more information on the Irish Mathematical Olympiad and to register interest in Maths Enrichment classes, see www.irmo.ie
