Winners Tilburg University Challenge 2024
The final of the Tilburg University Challenge has concluded, with three student teams emerging as winners. Alan Fiszerowicz, Sebastian Paniak, and Bartlomiej Babinski received the Business Ready Award on behalf of Meterd. The Ideation Award was granted to Mattia Sferrazza and Prakhar Tiwari for their project NextGenVisits. Jacobo Valencia, Harris Kristanto, and Ariana Montoya, who collectively developed Homu, were honored with the Audience Award.
About the Challenge
The Tilburg University Challenge is a competition for entrepreneurial students at Tilburg University and is organized by Tilburg University IQONIC offering students the possibility to submit their innovative, entrepreneurial ideas and develop these ideas, in co-creation and with guidance from coaches from the business world, into a feasible and viable business plan. The Tilburg University Challenge will challenge students to come up with innovative ideas, related to societal and entrepreneurial issues, and make real progress in realizing a viable business plan.
Countdown to the Grand Finale
In the past months, approximately 70 teams have devoted countless hours to refining their ideas or launching their startups in anticipation of the Grand Finale of the Tilburg University Challenge. From this diverse group of budding entrepreneurs and innovators, only the top 13 projects were given the opportunity to present during the Grand Finale, which took place on May 14th. Finalists pitched their ideas to an expert jury. Renze Klamer served as the host of the evening, and Princess Laurentien accompanied the finalists on stage as a speaker.
Business Ready Award: Meterd
Alan Fiszerowicz, Sebastian Paniak, and Bartlomiej Babinski received the Business Ready Award on behalf of Meterd for their innovative approach to optimizing utility costs, especially in a time when rising energy prices in Europe exacerbate the situation. Their solution, an IoT-based platform, offers the public sector and businesses the ability to monitor and manage key utility costs and sustainable performance indicators. With the assistance of a smart digital consultant in the app, Meterd helps efficiently manage energy, water, and other scarce resources, which are crucial for a sustainable future.
Alan Fiszerowicz, Sebastian Paniak, and Bartlomiej Babinski received the prize of €3000.
Ideation Award: NextGenVisits
Mattia Sferrazza and Prakhar Tiwari were awarded the Ideation Award for their innovative approach with NextGenVisits to eliminate the need for initial, routine medical appointments. Their solution targets both healthcare providers and patients by offering a reliable chatbot assistant that streamlines the consultation process. This chatbot replaces initial routine appointments, resulting in automatic medical reports for healthcare providers and helping to reduce their workload and the use of disposable items such as gloves and masks. For patients, the chatbot provides a 24/7 platform where they can communicate their symptoms and answer medical questions, eliminating the need for physical appointments and reducing emissions from commuting. This approach leads to a more efficient and sustainable healthcare system.
Mattia Sferrazza and Prakhar Tiwari received the prize of €2000.
Audience Award: Homu
Jacobo Valencia, Harris Kristanto, and Ariana Montoya, who collectively developed Homu, have won the Audience Award. Homu is an innovative house-sharing platform that focuses on alleviating the housing crisis by connecting tenants, especially international students, with homeowners who have available rooms.
Homu addresses issues for tenants such as long search times, rejections due to their international status, and high rental prices. For hosts, Homu provides solutions for loneliness, utilizing unused spaces, and safely and efficiently finding tenants. In doing so, Homu focuses on sustainable and inclusive housing solutions.
Jacobo Valencia, Harris Kristanto, and Ariana Montoya received the prize of €500.