Limerick entrepreneur Stephen McKeon has developed CourseCompass, a platform designed to help students choose the right college courses and reduce drop-out rates. McKeon, a student at the University of Limerick, created the platform after noticing a significant number of students were dropping out of college due to a lack of clear direction.
According to McKeon, CourseCompass combines psychometric testing with resources for students and guidance counsellors. The platform offers a range of tools, including college course recommendations, apprenticeship options, and post-Leaving Certificate courses. It also features accommodation guides for universities across Ireland and a series of career investigations covering over 60 careers.
Addressing the College Drop-out Crisis
The core offering of CourseCompass is a suite of psychometric tests, which provide students with personalized recommendations for college courses and careers. The platform also allows guidance counsellors to allocate tests, resources, and tools to students, track their progress, and step in when a student is struggling.
The pricing model for CourseCompass separates individual students from institutions. Students can access resources and eligibility guides for free, while paying for psychometric testing and premium features. Schools, on the other hand, can access the full suite of tools through a package that falls under the book grant scheme.
Stephen McKeon‘s journey into entrepreneurship began at a young age. He started selling slime in primary school and later created his own training videos for McDonald’s, where he worked at 15. His experience working in a large corporate structure shaped his decision to build his own business, and he has focused on grant funding to support CourseCompass.
McKeon has won several awards, including the Digital Guru Employee of the Year award for McDonald’s Ireland and the University of Limerick Student Entrepreneur of the Year title in 2026, which came with a €5,000 award.
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Building a Successful Start-up
McKeon has learned to push through challenges and not wait for opportunities to come to him. He advises other founders to start building their business as soon as they have an idea and to focus on creating a public presence through social media. By explaining their product clearly and consistently, founders can increase their chances of being understood and ultimately succeeding.
When it comes to keeping pace with the needs of schools and students, McKeon emphasizes the importance of listening and being adaptable. CourseCompass has a simple process of asking for feedback and staying diligent when issues arise, which allows the company to quickly develop solutions to problems. This approach has proven valuable in addressing issues such as accommodation problems in colleges across Ireland.
Adapting to Real-World Challenges
CourseCompass addresses issues as they arise. The company added guides to help students find accommodation at university campuses. This response came after listening to users who faced housing problems. The platform also covers anonymous guides for the SUSI, HEAR, and DARE schemes. These resources help students find financial support without revealing personal details.
Building a Foundation
McKeon’s path to entrepreneurship started early. He sold slime in primary school and made protein ice popsicles in secondary school. Corporate head office liked the videos and commissioned more. These videos have been watched by around 190,000 employees across the UK and Ireland since January 2023.
At 17, he won the Digital Guru Employee of the Year award for McDonald’s Ireland. A year later, he delivered a keynote speech at the company’s 50th anniversary conference in Glasgow. This event had more than 3,500 employees in attendance. He found the experience a breath of fresh air.
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