The Center of Innovation and Incubation (IUB360) of Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) yesterday (31 October) launched the second phase of the Innovation to Impact Award, with 24 faculty and student teams advancing to the incubation stage with their projects and prototypes.

Titled “Innovation to Impact Award – Phase II: The Start of Incubation Journey”, the event held on 31 October, 2026 introduced the 24 selected teams and their 12 industry mentors, with each mentor assigned two teams, according to a press release.

Didar A Husain, chairman of the IUB Board of Trustees; Trustee Ivy Huq Russell; Vice-Chancellor Professor M Tamim; and Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Daniel W Lund spoke at the event, which was also attended by deans, faculty members, and administrative officials.

Over the next eight months, the teams will work closely with their mentors to make their projects and prototypes market-ready. During the incubation phase, the participants will receive mentorship, strategic guidance, industry connections, and institutional support to turn their innovations into practical solutions.

Initiated by the IUB Board of Trustees, the programme is being implemented by IUB360 under the leadership of its director, Saadia Binte Alam. Selected teams will eventually compete for a Tk10 lakh prize pool at the Shark Tank stage next year.

The Innovation to Impact Award is supported by Strategic Adviser João Fialho, Award Recognition Lead Atif M Safi, and Industry Mentor Lead Nashid Ali, who contribute to the programme’s strategic direction, recognition framework, and industry mentorship activities.

A total of 58 teams, comprising 120 participants, took part in the first phase in August – September 2026, followed by an evaluation process conducted by a nine-member selection committee of representatives from academia and industry. Of the 24 advancing teams, seven are led by faculty members and 17 by students.

The 12 industry mentors are Samiul Hassan, head of IT strategy and business partnering at ACI PLC; Adnan Dewan, assistant vice-president at Startup Bangladesh; Md Ali Armanur Rahman, chief operating officer for fintech at Pathao; Kishower Amin, programme manager of the public finance management development cooperation unit at the European Union; Noor Mahmud Khan, founder, chief executive officer, and managing director of PUL Group and Right Brain Solution Ltd; Mushfique Manzoor, co-founder and managing director of OpenRefactory Inc; Saydujjaman, founder and chief executive officer of Shonod; Mohammad Rashidul Hasan, head of governance for information technology at Grameenphone; Rezwan Ali, director of Omega Exim PLC; ATM Matiur Rahman, managing director of Jajira Group; Tasnuva Chowdhury, deputy general manager for business development at Beximco LPG; and Zakia Azizee, owner and founder of Freyja.

Of the 24 teams, six focus on health and accessibility: EEG-Assisted Mental Health Screening Platform; EEG-Controlled Wheelchair Prototype; CogniLink: Wearable IoT AAC Communicator; Wayfinder: AI-Powered Indoor Navigation System for Blind Person; Diabetes Self-Management Platform: Transforming Evidence into Action; and BloodBridge.

Another six focus on climate, green energy, and the environment: BD RiverWatch; RefinAir: Indoor and Outdoor Air Quality Monitoring and Management System; Punoshristi; Plastic Life Jacket and Boat; HeliosChargeX; and Affordable 60V Electric Powertrain for Sustainable Mobility and Renewable Agricultural Machinery.

Three teams focus on agriculture and livelihoods: Integration of Bangla Voice-Controlled Farming Robot with Convolutional Neural Networks for Smart Agricultural Applications; Establishment of a Market-Linked Mushroom F1 Seed and Production Ecosystem in Bangladesh; and Hamba: Turning Cattle into Verifiable, Financeable Assets.

Four projects fall under commerce and the digital economy: R Slash; PQCommerze; Bengal Mart; and Habito.

The remaining five focus on technology, security, and learning: CryptoCube: Interactive Encryption Puzzle; Vera: Network Intrusion Defence System; Kriterion: IUB’s AI-Powered Learning Platform; An AI-Based Legal Information System for Bangladesh; and AndroFlight.

Through initiatives such as the Innovation to Impact Award, IUB360 supports students, faculty members, and researchers in turning innovative ideas into practical solutions by providing mentorship, institutional backing, and industry collaboration opportunities.