Re-Paper Lift SERC Enterprise Challenge 2024

 A team of adult returners have scooped the SERC Enterprise Challenge for 2024.

The group of five first year students from the Level 3 University Access Diploma in Foundation Studies at SERC’s Ballynahinch Campus beat off competition from 470 projects from across SERC Campuses, including nine (9) other finalists, to take the coveted title.

The winning team’s project Re-Paper (main picture above) focussed on repurposing office paper waste to make unique handmade products, while reducing environmental impact of paper production. As well as the title,  the team won a bundle of prizes which included a Kindle each, gift vouchers and SERC Enterprise branded hoodies.  

The Runners Up were team Medibeet, two students from the Level 3 Advance Tech in Applied Science at Bangor Campus, whose project featured a revolutionary way to diagnose infection using beetroot; and team EcoAI, three students on the Foundation Degree in Cyber Security and Digital Forensics at Bangor Campus, whose project used the power of AI to help reduce waste and enhance recycling.  

Gary Ritchie, Deputy Principal Curriculum at SERC said, “The annual Enterprise Challenge harnesses project-based learning (PBL), in which students are challenged to find solutions for real world problems under the theme of innovation for a sustainable future.

“We were delighted with the high standard of Challenge projects and congratulate the winners, runners up and finalists.   Not only did they come up with an innovative idea for sustainability, but they presented their vision to an expert panel of judges in a dragon’s den-style final which was live streamed.  They are a credit to themselves and the College.”     

The judges were Katie Matthews, founder of Mind Tribe UK, Robert Ashe, managing director of Ireland's Home Interiors and Living magazine; and Carly Anderson, property developer who runs social media account Flippin' Belfast.

Find out more about Enterprise and Entrepreneurship at SERC.