Team Benoit from the University of Indonesia has been crowned the winner of the 2022 Ericsson Innovation Awards for a solution that reuses plastic waste to produce photovoltaic (PV) solar energy power.
Team Benoit, University of Indonesia, winners of the Ericsson Innovation Awards 2022.
The team of three scooped EUR 25,000 for their efforts and an additional EUR 2,000 as winners of a public social media poll.
Under the theme Impact Our Sustainable Future, Ericsson Innovation Awards (EIA) entrants were asked to propose solutions and create technological products and solutions to tackle challenges such as food waste, water purity and renewable energy sources.
More than 1,300 students from universities around the world rose to the challenge, which reached its conclusion at Ericsson headquarters in Kista, Sweden, in December after more than six months of proposal development, mentorship from Ericsson solution and business professionals, and analysis. More than EUR 50,000 in prizes were distributed.
A diverse global judging panel said Team Benoit’s proposal perfectly addressed the objectives set out in the 2022 EIA challenge, by developing a unique idea re-utilizing plastic and solving the lack of energy affecting many communities.
The citation read: “The judges felt Benoit’s idea of a unique way of producing more accessible solar panels can and will impact positively many rural communities around the world. The team did an amazing job clearly explaining the technological process, the production chain but also identifying how they can re-use plastic waste to produce their different elements. Huge congratulations team Benoit.”
Runner Up
Team Saptkrishi Scientific from the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur was awarded second place for Preservator – a cost-effective and portable solution that stores food and helps to reduce waste and inequality. The team received EUR 15,000 for its efforts.
The judging panel citation read: “The idea of a portable device that could protect and preserve vegetables and extend their life would really impact the lives of the agriculture communities. The concept can easily be scaled and developed based on the different needs of the target audience. The team’s energy and passion can be seen from the extensive research into the market and reach towards potential customers. Congratulations team Saptkrishi Scientific.”
Third place
Third place was awarded to Team Schrodinger Energy from Batero University in Kano, Nigeria, for REINLIGHT – a portable water disinfection system that reduces numerous health risks and works in areas lacking electricity. The team received EUR 5,000 for its efforts.
The judging panel citation read: “The judges felt the identified problem has great development potential and could have a significant impact in the market. The team identified a crucial problem that affects many communities and brought up a simple yet creative solution for it. By combining different features into an easy to implement device, their idea could really make a change. Congratulations team Schrodinger Energy.”
The judging panel comprised: Niels König, Head of Department Production Metrology at Fraunhofer IPT Coordinator 5G-Industry Campus Europe; Julie Devonshire, Director, Entrepreneurship Institute, King’s College London; Ann Molin, Founder and Secretary General, Hack for Earth Foundation; Marina Madale, General Manager: Sustainability and Shared Value, MTN; Rosie Kropp, Head of Global Brand Marketing, Ericsson.
Kropp says: “Innovation has always been an important part of Ericsson’s heritage and culture. The Ericsson Innovation Awards is a fantastic platform to nurture the ideas of young talent globally. Seeing the impact these ideas can have on the community is really inspiring.”
Find out more at the Ericsson Innovation Awards homepage.
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