HultPrize UI: The journey so far

[HultPrize – University of Ibadan]

The University of Ibadan plays host to another edition of Hult Prize this year. Hult Prize 2020 comes hot on the heels of the four previous editions spanning from 2016 through 2019. A quick debrief of the events at each edition and subsequent winners are presented below for your kind perusal.

The maiden edition took place on September 2016 and engaged over 100 students in social entrepreneurship birthing several innovative business start-ups from competing teams from which Facts Count emerged campus winners. Facts Count deployed the forces of the digital media to share the refugee story around the world, providing specialized data services and creating a social media platform to connect refugees, their stories and relevance to the world (www.factscount.org). Facts Count went on to compete for a million US dollars at the Regional Finals in Boston Massachusetts, United States.

Fig 1: Team Factscount

The next edition held between September and December 2017 with over 150 students actively participating in training programs to develop active start-ups with potential for social impact.  Team Greendrive came out top beating more than 20 other innovative energy startup ideas at the final pitch. Greendrive is a social business model which harnesses the wind energy through portable wind turbines deployed on moving vehicles and other objects thus providing clean energy. 

Fig 2: Team Green drive

In November 2018, Team Vinsighte emerged winners amongst 43 teams at the final pitch after creating awesome tools to aid the visually impaired. A smart reading glass which takes converts text to audio input for the visually impaired to listen to was pitched. Also, a guiding aid to help the visually impaired navigate the environment independently was also pitched by the team. (http://www.vinsighte.com.ng/).

Fig 3: Team Vinsighte

Hult Prize 2020; what teams will champion the next big game-changing startup?                             

HULT PRIZE ONCAMPUS PROGRAM.

Described as the “Nobel Prize for students”, the Hult Prize Foundation is the world`s biggest engine for the launch of for-good, for-profit startups emerging from university campuses across the globe.  Each year, a bold challenge is issued to inspire and enable the world`s brightest minds to solve its greatest problems. However, becoming the next game-changer requires steady steps up the golden ladder. The first step in this process is the participation in the On-campus Program[ hence Hult Prize in the University of Ibadan (UI).

Fig 4: Red carpet at Hult prize UI 2018/2019 edition.

The Hult Prize UI On-campus Program brings to students the opportunity to deliver social change by bringing Hult Prize Programs to campuses. The campus program comes with training, education and inspiration of students by building an impact community around On Campus events. Winning teams have a guaranteed spot at one of 25+ Regional summits happening across the globe.

HULT PRIZE UI 2020

The University of Ibadan is reputable for firebrand and revolutionary student entrepreneurs. But a lot of students lack the platform to showcase the ideas they have. Hult Prize this year is that platform such amazing young minds will need.

Hult Prize this year aims to provide a veritable platform for brilliant ideas as we support University of Ibadan students on their quest to greatness through impact. Hult Prize 2019 will actively engage the students with game-changing and mind-boggling innovations through teams registered for the event. This year Hult Prize will be enrolling over a total of 150 teams with these groundbreaking revolutions cutting across Sciences, Technology, Arts and the Humanities.

In pursuance of this course, the Organizing Team met with Prof. Abel Idowu Olayinka, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan; Dr Demola Lewis, the Deputy Dean of Student Affairs; Emeka Ossai, Chief Community Builder at Campus Labs Ng; and Ifeoluwa Olatayo, Winner, National MSME Awards for Nigerian Entrepreneurs to discuss pertinent issues concerning Hult Prize 2020. The Organizing Team was promised full support from the University.O

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