Invent For Impact: Meet The Winners Of A Sustainability-Themed Competition Staged By Beeah Education And Ajman University The competition was the final element of a four-day-long event that saw freshmen and senior year students partake in a series of workshops centered around sustainability-driven innovations.

The winners of a sustainability-focused competition jointly hosted by BEEAH Education, the environmental education arm of UAE-based public private organization BEEAH Group, and Ajman University, a UAE-based higher education private institution, have been announced. Titled "Sustainability for Entrepreneurship and Innovation," the contest was curated with an aim to showcase sustainable innovations created by students and graduates of Ajman University's College of Business Administration.

In first place was Greensip, a beverage bottle made from Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), a plastic with biodegradable properties, by using a plantable seed. The prototype -created by students Maryam Yaser, Shahd Albuali, and Shirin Ibrahim- was found to have the potential to introduce an environmentally friendly packaging design, while also contributing to the planting of seeds with proper disposal.

In second place was Airquatic, a system with sensors that enable sustainable filtration while tackling pollutants and creating cleaner air and water. This prototype was built by university student Aya Babbili and her team.

And finally, in third place, was Biofab, created by Rouneida Yasmine and her team, a bio machine that uses cooking oil for biodiesel to create a plantable bio-fabric, thereby supporting sustainable fashion and circular product design.

The competition was the final element of a four-day-long event that saw freshmen and senior year students partake in a series of workshops centered around sustainability-driven innovations. The workshops were delivered by the Institute of Environmental Management and Sustainability Middle East (IEMS Academy), which is the professional certifications and conformity assessments arm of BEEAH Education.

Among the key takeaways of these classes included lessons on how to create sustainable niche sub-sectors within industries, the elements of a circular economy, as well as how to shape future-ready businesses and societies. During the sessions, the participating students were encouraged to brainstorm innovative ideas across a realm of sustainability-focused areas such as air quality, food security and agriculture, marine and aquatic life, tech products for businesses, and eco-friendly materials for plastic waste management and recycling. This was followed up with lessons on how to create business models out of these ideas.

"Through this competition held with IEMS and BEEAH Education, we hope to inspire our students in harnessing their intellectual and entrepreneurial potential in supporting the UAE's ambitions for sustainable development and setting an example for the student community in the region and across the world," Dr. Akinola Fadahunsi, Dean of the College of Business Administration at Ajman University, said. "Congratulations to the winners and all participants in the competition. We look forward to seeing them further develop their ideas, and turn them into reality."

"Our youth play an important role in translating the actions being made today into lasting positive change for the coming generations," said Hind Al Huwaidi, Chief Education Officer at BEEAH Group. "Through this competition in collaboration with Ajman University, we are spotlighting innovative ideas from these students, and encouraging them to further develop their concepts for implementation in the UAE and beyond."

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