Peter Farrell Cup 2024 Finals Night 🏆
The atmosphere was electric as over 250 guests, including students, researchers, alumni, staff, and supporters, filled UNSW’s Roundhouse for the much-anticipated Peter Farrell Cup (PFC) 2024 finals night. Now in its 24th year, the PFC has grown to become UNSW’s flagship student pitch competition, designed to propel the next generation of entrepreneurs towards success. This year’s edition was the largest, with over 100 applications and 97 teams selected to participate in the rigorous 3-month program, culminating in a thrilling showcase of 10 impactful ideas on the stage.
"There is no innovation until someone writes a cheque."
- Peter Farrell
The judging panel featured a highly respected powerhouse trio, all distinguished UNSW alumni.
From left to right on the photo Dr. Diana Zhang, Founder & CEO of Preview Health and a previous PFC winner. Next Heba Khamis, the CEO and Co-founder of Contactile. And finally UNSW Vice-Chancellor & President Professor Attila Brungs. On the far right
David Burt, Director of Entrepreneurship at UNSW.
Their collective wisdom and experience set the stage for a night of innovation and inspiration.
This year’s competition was especially thrilling, with the prize pool growing from $32k to $50k, made possible by the continued support of the Farrell Family Foundation and the generous backing of UNSW’s Faculty Deans. This boost in funding underscores the university’s strong commitment to encouraging student innovation and entrepreneurship. As Mr. Farrell once said, "There is no innovation until someone writes a cheque." His words ring even truer this year, as the increased prize pool provides students with even more opportunities to bring their ideas to life.
We are deeply grateful to the UNSW faculties and their Deans for their unwavering support. A special thank you to Professor Claire Annesley, Professor Ewa Goldys, Professor Sven Rogge, Professor Phoebe Phillips, and Professor Frederik Anseel for their contributions. Your leadership continues to inspire and empower our students to push the boundaries of innovation.
10 teams pitched on stage presenting their innovations, each vying for a share of the coveted prize pool. And the Winners Are…🥁
1st Place The Next Big Thing - $10,000 – Dodie.ai
Founders: Jessica Wei, Alex Noh
Dodie.ai stole the spotlight by addressing one of the most pressing issues in the education sector. With 70% of teachers reporting unmanageable workloads and nearly half contemplating leaving the profession, Dodie.ai harnesses the power of AI to revolutionize essay marking. Their solution allows English teachers to regain valuable time and focus on high-impact activities while providing students with better feedback. This innovation that puts teachers in the pilot seat of AI was awarded by Vice-Chancellor Attila Brungs.
1st Place Trailblazer - $10,000 – Hakkere Medical
Founders: Shaun Kyle, Naveen Tharmalingam
Hakkere Medical’s groundbreaking technology aims to improve emergency medical services by cleaning low-quality ECG recordings, particularly in moving vehicles. Their innovation, which is set to help medical professionals detect acute cardiac conditions with greater precision, was lauded by Dr. Diana Zhang as a game-changer for emergency response teams.
2nd Place – General - $4,000 – Resdemou
Founders: Sam Brew, Kavika Palletenne
With the rising threat of healthcare cyberattacks, Resdemou offers a revolutionary solution. Their system places each medical record in an individual “micro-vault,” preventing mass data breaches. Starting with small Australian health clinics, Resdemou aims to expand into larger healthcare systems and beyond, providing a much-needed safeguard for sensitive information. Heba Khamis praised their innovative approach to healthcare security.
People’s Choice Award - $1,000 - Heimdall
Founders: Giles Robinson, Stephen Wilcox
Heimdall won over the audience, taking home the People’s Choice Award for its innovative AI-driven beach safety system. Their software detects swimmers in rip currents, providing real-time alerts to lifeguards and potentially saving countless lives. With 320,000 drowning deaths globally each year, Heimdall’s vision of zero drownings in Australia resonated deeply with the audience. David Burt, Director of Entrepreneurship at UNSW, proudly presented this award.
Celebrating Faculty Excellence
The night also recognised the contributions of various faculties, with each presenting awards to innovative student teams:
Dean of Arts, Design + Architecture Award - $4,000 – Heimdall
Presented by Professor Claire Annesley, this award recognised Heimdall’s innovative solution for boosting beach safety.
Dean of Engineering Award - $5,000 – Resdemou
Professor Ewa Goldys highlighted the importance of Resdemou’s pioneering approach to preventing mass cyberattacks in healthcare.
Dean of Science Award - $4,000 - Pikkl
Pikkl’s innovative algae-based biodiesel solution for farmers was presented by Professor Sven Rogge, underscoring the urgency of sustainable alternatives in agriculture.
Dean of Medicine Award - $5,000 - FunWattle
Professor Phoebe Phillips awarded FunWattle for its game-based platform that helps children improve speech skills.
Dean of Business Award - $4,000 - Psyber
Psyber, a cybersecurity app aimed at protecting children from online extortion, received the Dean of Business Award, presented by Professor Frederik Anseel.
UNSW Founders new award, Innovative Hardware Award – $3,000- Waveworks Founders: Sebastian Spencer, Callum Muir and Bhupha Sangngam.
Waveworks introduced a novel tidal energy system that harnesses the power of ocean tides with minimal environmental impact. Their solution features a floating platform anchored to the ocean floor which unwinds as the tide rises, driving a shaft connected to a gearbox and generator to produce power. This technology offers a cost-effective and sustainable alternative to traditional energy storage systems, addressing a gap in renewable energy.
A Heartfelt Thank You
We are immensely grateful to the UNSW faculties and their deans for their unwavering support and commitment to nurturing innovation. A special thank you to Vice-Chancellor Professor Attila Brungs, your passion in education continues to inspire our students and drive them to reach greater heights.
Our sincerest thanks also go to our esteemed judges Heba Khamis, and Dr. Diana Zhang. Your time, expertise, and dedication to supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs were invaluable in making this year’s PFC a resounding success. We look forward to continuing this journey of innovation and entrepreneurial excellence.
As we close the chapter on another incredible year of the Peter Farrell Cup, we are reminded of the power of creativity, resilience, community and collaboration.
Here’s to the next generation of changemakers! ✨
Check out our hype reel of the night here.
Have you got your own big idea? No matter where you’re at in your startup journey - from an initial spark of an idea to raising your Seed round, UNSW Founders has a program for you. Check out her website and take our quiz to see which program works best for you: https://unswfounders.com/