More than 840 Year 5 and 6 pupils from across the Isle of Man attended STEMFest 2026, marking the first time all 33 of the island’s primary schools have taken part in the annual event.

Held over two days at the Villa Marina in March, STEMFest aims to introduce young people to science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) through hands-on, interactive experiences. The event is designed to help pupils understand how these subjects connect to real-world careers and industries.

This year’s festival featured activities delivered by 27 local businesses and organisations.

Students took part in a wide range of practical sessions, including building and surveying bridges, programming robots, exploring artificial intelligence, designing textile products and investigating wildlife and river habitats.

Activities also highlighted applications of renewable energy and marine science, offering insight into how STEM skills are used across industries in the Isle of Man.

Enterprise Minister Tim Johnston MHK said: ‘STEMFest plays an important role in helping young people understand the opportunities that STEM subjects can offer, both now and in the future.

‘Seeing every primary school on the Isle of Man represented this year is a fantastic achievement and reflects the continued commitment to inspiring the next generation.

‘The involvement of local businesses is central to the success of the event, helping students make meaningful connections between what they learn in the classroom and the world of work.’

STEMFest 2026 was sponsored by Danucore as headline sponsor, with additional support from MMD GPHC Ltd as tote bag sponsor.

Rob Halliday-Stein, founder and CEO at Danucore, said: ‘Danucore was extremely proud to be the headline sponsor this year.

‘Watching how quickly the children engaged was remarkable, and what surprised us most was how much our own team learned simply by working with them.’

Businesses interested in getting involved in future STEMFest events can contact [email protected] for further information.