A device which reduces the risk of illness in bagpipers, a safe cooking stove for campers and disaster survivors and AI anti-drone defence technology are the winners of this year’s national Fresh Ideas student enterprise competition.
Seven winners were selected from 15 finalists to pick up a cash prize and business support from leading advisors in the competition run by the Scottish Institute for Enterprise (SIE).
The five main winners, who each receive a £1200 cash prize, are:
Archilink – Alistair Lea and Shehan Heguragamage, Robert Gordon University Master of Architecture students came up with an online database to help architects connect with industry professionals in Scotland and generate business opportunities.
ALT-ECO – University of Strathclyde Business Enterprise graduate Adam Jack and student and Daniel Jack designed environmentally friendly accommodation using repurposed shipping containers and powered by solar panels and hydroelectricity with responsible waste solutions.
Joe Gibson – The fourth-year University of Strathclyde Electronic and Electrical Engineering student is behind a new AI driven anti-drone technology to protect airspaces.
FLUX Blowpipe – Robbie MacIssac, a first-year University of Strathclyde Product Design student, devised a bespoke technology for the bagpipe that reduces the risk of a fatal lung disease and prolongs the lifespan of the instrument by cooling and condensing moisture, and then collecting and absorbing it, as the player uses their instrument.
Bombina – Sean Fisher, a Product Design Engineering Masters student at Glasgow School of Art, created a portable wood burning stove that weighs only 1.3kg and with takes around five minutes to set up. It can also be used by disaster survivors to cook without the risk of smoke-related deaths.
Two winners were chosen in the special categories Food & Drink and Social Impact to receive a £500 prize and dedicated business support. These are:
Robin Sherriff – the Queen Margaret University Gastronomy graduate, with the idea of establishing Scotland’s first sake brewery after completing a period of study in Kyoto, Japan.
Siri Price – the Strathclyde University Product Design and Innovation graduate came up with a unique rucksack designed for people who are forced to sleep rough. It includes a fully breathable and waterproof rucksack that can be rolled inside the bag.
Fiona Godsman, chief executive of SIE, said: “Year on year, we see such a high calibre of ideas reach the final stage of our Fresh Ideas competition with this year being particularly strong.
“Scotland has one of the most ambitious entrepreneurial ecosystems and we’re proud to be able to give students and recent graduates a platform to develop their ideas and help recognise Scotland as a world leader in innovation.
“We’re really looking forward to continuing to support the Fresh Ideas 2020 winners as they develop their innovative ideas and, despite the immediate challenges that we are all facing, I’m confident that the next year holds great things for them all.”
Source: The Insider