Established in 2017, Innovation Onboard (IOB) is a student-led initiative that fosters entrepreneurship and interdisciplinary collaboration among science, engineering and business students. This 6-month program includes workshops, lectures, an innovation fair, and a pitch competition with cash prizes. Cash prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place were of $5000, $3000 and $2000 respectively.
Congratulations to the top three teams!
First place – Insporos
Insporos’ intelligent seed sorting technology revolutionizes modern greenhouse operations, which are increasingly reliant on sensors and robotics that demand uniform plant growth. By identifying and eliminating diseased and defective seeds, Insporos helps growers avoid overplanting—a common practice due to the unpredictability of seed success, leading to significant resource waste. Traditionally, a typical greenhouse facility discards plants amounting to $15M annually in resources. However, by ensuring that every planted seed counts, Insporos’ seed analysis platform significantly mitigates this waste, potentially saving facilities up to $10M per year in resource costs.
Second place – SaddleSense
SaddleSense is a data-driven bike saddle fitting tool. For cyclists, poorly fitting saddles are a major source of discomfort while riding—pressure between their body and their bike saddle can cause acute pain and numbness. Our ‘smart’ saddle measures the pressure profile of the cyclist while riding and advises the cyclist on which off-the-shelf saddle to purchase, to optimize comfort and performance. SaddleSense removes uncertainty from the saddle buying process—so that cyclists can go the distance.
Third Place – UBC Scheduler
Introducing UBC Scheduler, our groundbreaking course scheduling app designed to tackle the widespread issue faced by 17 million North American students: time-consuming and inefficient course planning. After three years of meticulous research, we present an app that eradicates the hassle of manual scheduling. Say goodbye to the chaos of dashing between classes or missing meals. UBC Scheduler empowers students, from internationals paying $35,000 a year to locals choosing from 6000 courses, to easily craft the perfect schedule. With a simple click, embrace a transformed scheduling experience that prioritizes your success and preferences. Achieve your ideal schedule effortlessly!