Two innovation teams from Syracuse University are advancing to the regionals for the Hult Prize, a competition that challenges students to create startups that work for social good.

First place winners Farm to Flame Energy, a micro-grid solutions company, will head to Boston and runner-up Drop Top, a water conservation company, is going to Toronto, both in hopes of making it to the final global competition.   

The challenge for this year’s competition is, “harnessing the power of energy to transform the lives of 10 million people.”  

“Our aim … involves providing clean electricity to a vast population in Africa,” said Kwaku Jyamfi, a member of Farm to Flame Energy and senior in the College of Engineering and Computer Science. “While others harvest fossil fuels to provide energy to the grid, we manipulate refined biomass through a combustion process, capable of powering small villages and schools in conjunction with a solar energy generator.”

For Farm to Flame Energy, an important part of this project is improving access to technology for children, Jyamfi said.

Jyamfi said they can help level the playing field for international children who exhibit skills in STEM fields, but do not have computer-aided resources to pursue what they want.

Drop Top’s project relates to conserving water using their own method of drip irrigation, a water-saving form of irrigation that drips water slowly on plant roots.

“Our goal is to help empower farmers in small-scale nations through drip irrigation and sustainable farming methods,” said Drop Top member Jason Kuperberg, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences. “We took this technology that isn’t a new system, but we put an innovative twist on it with new technology to make it accessible to these farmers.”

There are 15 regional Hult Prize competitions held around the world to decide which projects move on to the next stage of the competition, an eight week summer residency in the Hult Castle, in the United Kingdom. The teams will also get a chance to pitch their ideas to representatives of the United Nations, which will ultimately pick the prize winner.

“The difference maker is usually hard work, attention to detail and faith in the process. We have these three traits,” Jyamfi said.

Kuperberg said the group recognizes each other’s strengths. He’s a biotechnology major, while his teammate Serena DeSeta is a dual major in entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises and advertising. His other teammate, Matthew Goodman, is a senior studying industrial design.

“If it was just me and Matt, we wouldn’t be able to pitch as well, or if Matt wasn’t on the team our product wouldn’t exist. And I have the knowledge about farming and that stuff works,” Kuperberg said.

Although there’s the prize of $1 million for whatever team wins the entire Hult Prize competition, Kuperberg said the team has already benefited from just being able to participate.

“You become connected with some nonprofits in the community,” Kuperberg said. “Making those relationships is important for us as a group for whatever we decide to do with it in the future.”

Published on January 23, 2018 at 9:37 pm