Tighernán Shaffrey
Class of 2023-2024
Technological University Dublin
Mechanical Engineering
Why did you choose ESTEEM?
I chose ESTEEM is because I would like to have freedom of purpose, and I believe entrepreneurship is the perfect path to nurture this. The aim is to leverage technology as a platform, and to do well while doing good.
What is your Capstone Project and why are you excited about it?
This capstone project is with Drone Response, a pre-seed software company emerging from the Idea Center at the University of Notre Dame. Supported by the pioneering AI research of Dr. Jane Cleland Huang and the proven commercial success of CEO sponsor Bill Reh, Drone Response offers an AI-driven drone swarm management software with semi-autonomous decision-making capabilities. The software acts as a conductor, orchestrating a symphony of drones, optimizing their performance to achieve mission objectives. They aim to deploy Drone Response in Public Safety and Defense applications, with a focus on critical use cases such as search and rescue missions as well as other practical use cases where drones can be used as an asset for ground crews. By enabling effective communication and collaboration between drone fleets and ground control teams, they maximize mission success. This project specifically targets the defense industry, exploring opportunities for Drone Response in surveillance, intelligence, and reconnaissance. Through thorough market research and possible investment opportunities, this project aims to identify the optimal launch strategy for their planned entry into the defense market in 2025.
What do you hope to do after ESTEEM?
After ESTEEM, I hope to be working with interesting people on cutting edge solutions that have a big impact on everyday lives. Whether this is with a big scale company or a company I build myself from the ground up, I am passionate about people and using business as a platform to build relationships and experiences; preferably in the UAS/AAM space.
What do you like to do in your free time?
In my free time I love scheming business ideas, videography, working with my hands (building drones or woodwork), listening to Coldplay, playing hurling and slicing golf balls with my driver.
Please feel free to get in touch with me if you have any questions or would like to know more about ESTEEM.