Winners announced at National Innovation Challenge awards ceremony

A glittering awards ceremony held in central London in June celebrated the talent of aspiring young innovators.

Led by Harrow, Richmond and Uxbridge Colleges (HRUC) in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Industrial Liaison Program (MIT ILP), and sponsored by Amazon, the National Innovation Challenge received submissions from students across the UK on the theme of Sustainability and AI.

Held at the Institution of Engineering and Technology in London on June 25, among those attending the awards evening were BBC presenter and STEM ambassador Konnie Huq, Department for Education Senior Manager Girma Ejere, and MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip Danny Beales.

The shortlisted entrants represented the breadth of the UK, from London to Belfast, from Fife to Bridgend. With an exceptionally strong standard of entries, the judges faced a tough decision to choose the finalists.

This year’s panel of independent judges included Amazon Senior Chief Engineer Thiloshini Ellary-Bachu, BT Sustainability Director Sarwar Khan, MIT ILP Director Steve Whitaker, The Education Space chief executive Iqbal Vaza, Pearson plc Vice President Helen Walker, and Director of One Care IT Pally Randhawa.

Timothy, Ollie and Wojtek from St Bede’s Catholic High School in Ormskirk, Lancashire, were named the winners of the schools category. Their project, the DuoPod, aims to improve the quality of life for people with diabetes. The DuoPod automatically regulates blood sugar by predicting future highs or lows, helping to keep levels stable without the need for manual monitoring.

In the colleges category, it was Shlok, Xainaldo and Faithon from Uxbridge College, London, who came out on top. Their submission impressed the judges with their proposal for a smart road hump, named Road-IQ, which recycles the mechanical force created by vehicles into useable electricity.

The winning teams will embark on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States later this year, where they will have the opportunity to collaborate with world-leading researchers.

Keith Smith, CEO of HRUC, said: “We created these awards from a shared belief that young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow, but powerful innovators today. We were inspired by the creativity we saw in classrooms, workshops, and labs – ideas with real potential to drive meaningful change, if only given the platform to shine.

“I would like to say a huge well done to all our remarkable finalists and a big thank you for all those that entered and showcased their own personal vision of a more sustainable future.

“I would also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to our brilliant judges and our sponsors, whose support makes events like this possible.”

Clive Hodge, Principal of Uxbridge College, said: “I’m delighted to see the team from Uxbridge College win the colleges category of the Challenge. The independent judges recognised the brilliance of Shlok, Xainaldo and Faithon’s Road-IQ project and its potential to make a real difference to the safety and sustainability of our roads. Thank you to all the entrants and congratulations to Uxbridge College and St Bede’s on their success.”

Yaseen Akhtar, Managing Director of the West London Institute of Technology, HRUC, said: “The National Innovation Challenge is about identifying young people who can see problems differently and develop solutions with real world impact. On behalf of the organisers, I would like to congratulate the teams for their outstanding achievement.”

Photo credit Rob Addis Photography