Brilliant school and college students selected for the final of the first-ever National Innovation Challenge
A panel of senior industry figures has selected the finalists for the first-ever National Innovation Challenge, a bold new UK-wide competition spotlighting the brightest young minds tackling real-world challenges through innovation and sustainability.
Launched last year by former Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq - the challenge is a pioneering initiative from Harrow, Richmond and Uxbridge Colleges (HRUC) in collaboration with the renowned MIT Industrial Liaison Program (ILP) in the United States.
The competition, themed "Sustainable Impact", invited students from across the UK to develop tangible solutions to real-world issues—ranging from climate change to resource management—through prototypes, business models, and bold new ideas. More than 120 entries flooded in from regions including Exeter, Hull, Birmingham, Neath, in Wales, and Fife in Scotland. This week the competition judges carefully analysed and scored a number of shortlisted projects: from secondary schools, colleges and sixth forms, and HRUC itself.
Keith Smith, CEO, Harrow, Richmond and Uxbridge Colleges, said: “The quality and range of entries from across the UK—from Fife to Exeter—has been nothing short of inspiring. These young innovators are tackling real-world challenges with creativity, courage, and a deep commitment to sustainability. Our first-ever National Innovation Challenge has truly uncovered a new generation of problem-solvers ready to shape the future.”
Judge, Eszter Gulacsy, Technical Director for Sustainability and ESG, Mott MacDonald: “The quality of the entries has been very high, with entrants demonstrating great versatility not only in critical and scientific thinking but also being able to present practical solutions to current problems and communicate the value of their innovations very effectively. It’s been a truly rewarding experience for the judges to review the entries and a very difficult decision to select only a few winning entries. We wish a very bright future for all finalists and a memorable and fulfilling time to those heading to a visit to MIT later in the year.”
Winners will receive a life-changing trip to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where they will develop their skills, collaborate with global peers, and connect with leaders in science, tech, and innovation. The finalists’ ideas reflect a remarkable range of creativity and ambition, offering fresh hope for sustainable solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems.
Winners will be announced at a celebration event on 11 July hosted by Konnie Huq at the IET (Institution of Engineering and Technology) in London.
The Finalists
Institution and Project (listed in alphabetical order – winners to be announced)
Secondary Schools:
- St Bede's Catholic High School - Home-e-Stasis
- Torquay Academy - Robotic Algae Vacuum (RAV)
- Waid Academy - Brickteria
College and Sixth Form:
- Eton College, Windsor - Placebot
- Exeter College (Technology Centre) - Reused Grey Water
- The King John School - TideTidy
HRUC College Group:
- Uxbridge College – Cranial Cooler
- Uxbridge College - Recycled Filament Extruder (RFE)
- Uxbridge College - Stepping Energy Model
Published 30 June 2025.