Hult Prize grand finale hosted at Daffodil Int’l University

Daffodil International University (DIU) hosted the grand finale of Hult Prize on December 14.

The event was inaugurated by the Head of Department of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Mohammad Shibli Shahriar, according to a press release issued to media.

Fahim Shahriar, the official Hult Prize Community Builder of Bangladesh, delivered the welcome speech and explained the judging criteria before the teams started the pitching session.

The event was organized and hosted by the Campus Director Shakhawat Ullah Badhon, and supported by the Department of Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

The judges were Mohammad Shibli Shahriar, Associate Professor and Head of Department of Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Shofiul Alam, CEO & Founder of Belancer and Nazmul Karim, Senior Investment Manager at Aavashkaar Frontier Fund.

The program was sponsored by the Department of Innovation & Entrepreneurship and Let's Furnish. Art Express provided the photography and videography support, while Colours FM 101.6 were the radio partner and The Daily Star & Prothom Alo were the media partners.

The event took place at 71 Milanoyoton, Daffodil International University Dhanmondi Campus, sharp at 10am and ran till 1pm.

The 6 teams pitching their ideas were 'Voltix', 'Pronoyini', 'Green Industry', 'Bishuddho', 'Dhumketu' and 'Dream Diggers'.

The Champions from the competition were 'Voltix' while 'Dhumketu' and 'Pronoyini secured 1st runners up and 2nd runners up respectively.

The winners from the On Campus Grand Finale will get a direct entry to the international round of competition, taking place at over 20 cities all around the world.

The global finale will be held at the United Nation's headquarters in September, 2020. The winning team is awarded $1,000,000 prize money.

Hult Prize On Campus at DIU was organized by the Campus Director Shakhawat Ullah Badhon, alongside core members Safiul Bashar Sabbir, Nahidul Islam, and Saad Uddin Sony.

Around 210 teams participated in the preliminary competition, and 15 teams were selected for semifinals. Out of those, the top 6 teams were selected to pitch their ideas in front of the judges.

Hult Prize is the world's biggest social entrepreneurship competition, taking place at over 1800+ universities this year. It's said to be the 'Nobel Prize for Students'. With a partnership with the UN, it gives a challenge every year and encourages students from universities to compete and solve the challenge for a million dollars.

This year's challenge was to create 'Bold Businesses for A Better Planet'.

Daffodil International University secured 'most number of participants' in Bangladesh with 210 teams participating.