Carla McDonnell

What they built

Carla McDonnell founded Vax Chill at age 16 — a compact, portable cooling system designed to keep livestock vaccines at the correct temperature on rural farms, directly preventing costly spoilage. Inspired by growing up on a family farm in County Louth, the product solves a real infrastructure gap for farmers who rely on expensive temperature-sensitive veterinary doses. It won the 2025 NFTE World Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge in New York, competing against 34 entrepreneurs from 13 countries.

Verified track record

• 2025 NFTE World Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge World Champion
• $5,000 grand prize
• First Irish winner in competition history
• Represented Ireland at UN Delegates Dining Room, New York City
• Foróige NFTE Youth Entrepreneurship Awards — Best Innovation category winner
• Competed against 34 student entrepreneurs from 13 countries
• NFTE.com press release (Nov 22, 2025): "Carla McDonnell, 16, from Ireland, wins NFTE's 2025 World Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge" — RTE News (Dec 4, 2025): "Louth teen wins global entrepreneurship award" — https://www.rte.ie/news/regional/2025/1204/1547104-louth-teen-entrepreneur/ Silicon Republic (2025): "16-year-old Irish student wins NFTE's global youth entrepreneurship contest" — https://www.siliconrepublic.com/innovation/clara-mcdonnell-irish-student-wins-nftes-global-youth-entrepreneurship-contest-2025 Independent.ie (Nov 2025): "How life on the family farm prompted Louth student to come up with award-winning veterinary invention" — https://www.independent.ie/county/louth/dundalk-news/how-life-on-the-family-farm-prompted-louth-student-to-come-up-with-award-winning-veterinary-invention/a/132644633.html Agriland.ie: "Louth teen innovates with livestock vaccine cooling system" — https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/louth-teen-innovates-with-livestock-vaccine-cooling-system/ (source)