Bangladeshi team “Not a boring team”, consisting five school students, made it to the top-5 finalists under the Energy and Environment category in the power pitch stage of the Conrad Challenge 2023-24.
The challenge took place on 23 April 2024 to 26 April 2024 at NASA’s Johnson Space Centre in Houston, Texas, US, which featured a number of teams including that of Md Twa-Shin Ilahi from Harimohan Govt High School; Mahdi Bin Ferdaus from Natore Govt Boys’ High School; Md Nadim Shahriar Apurbo from Nazipur Govt Model High School; Md Nur Ahmad from Rajshahi Collegiate School, and Md Sunjim Hossain from Loreeto School.
The project that won the team the spot was, “EXO MAX: Smart Road Safety Beast”.
The “Smart Road Safety Beast” represents a new step toward zero road accidents. This unique technology excels typical safety measures by combining real-time hazard identification, proactive accident prevention, and thorough monitoring with a smooth emergency response. More than just improving safety, the SRSB promotes responsible environmental behaviour by significantly reducing fuel and energy waste that is typically connected with traffic accidents.
As the team’s success came to light and they earned the title of “Conrad of Innovators”, the members managed to secure numerous scholarships for higher education, paving the way for their future endeavours, namely: $25,000 per year scholarship to Menlo College, $22,000 per year merit-based scholarship to Lewis & Clark College, $15,000 per year scholarship to Clarkson University, $10,000 per year scholarship/partial abatement award to College of Charleston, $2,500 per year grant to Florida Institute of Technology and a scholarship of up to $1,000 USD to attend Leangap.
The Conrad Challenge is a purpose-driven innovation competition creating the next generation of entrepreneurs who will change the world. It aims to inspire young minds between the ages of 13-18 from around the globe to have the chance to engage with the wonders of entrepreneurship and innovation through Aerospace & Aviation, Cyber-Technology & Security, Energy & Environment and Health & Nutrition.
The 2023-24 Conrad Challenge had record participation totalling over 4,000 students from over 50 different countries.