Trinity College Dublin

Problem

Intel Ireland needs large amounts of natural gas and wants to cut fossil-fuel dependency. Ireland lacks the renewable infrastructure and biowaste to meet that demand.

What they built

Participating farms receive anaerobic digesters. BioNet collects the biogas, upgrades it to biomethane on the Intel campus and coordinates logistics, regulatory compliance and technical support for farmers.

Impact

Farmers gain a new revenue stream with technical and regulatory help. Intel reduces reliance on fossil fuels and lowers carbon emissions.

Problem

How can institutions such as KIT or TCD digitally support incoming international students in English-language master's programmes with their academic goals and personal development?

What they built

STEP streamlines application management, helps students build a social network and guides them through module selection in one tool.

Impact

International students overlook nothing in the administrative process, find connections faster and align module choices with career goals.

Problem

SEW needs to integrate a remote service option into its maintenance offering. Customers expect convenient support, and the choice affects profitability and competitiveness.

What they built

DriveAuto bundles Live Assistance, Serial Lookup, Automatic Documentation, Call Invitation and a Knowledge Base so technicians spend less time on manual tasks and more on customers.

Impact

Customers get prompt help without on-site visits; response times and downtime fall. Technicians work more efficiently.

Problem

Companies face stricter mandates on scope 3 emissions but struggle to record them. Individuals feel powerless and need motivation for lasting change.

What they built

Employees opt into STEP's reward and verification system, earn points for sustainable commutes and exchange them in a marketplace. Employers receive analytics that quantify scope 3 emissions.

Impact

Employees cut their footprint and gain a sense of impact. Employers reduce and report scope 3 emissions and learn what drives behaviour change.

Problem

How might future urban mobility balance sustainability and convenience? 1.5 billion people still choose private cars for privacy, comfort and reliability.

What they built

The SPOD is a hybrid: the comfort and convenience of a car with the eco-friendliness and efficiency of a public transport system.

Impact

Zero exhaust emissions and 90% less CO2 than a private diesel car. Six SPODs fit in the space of one car, easing congestion.

Problem

Migrant students in Finland score 25% lower than native peers, largely because of language. Remote learning during COVID-19 widened the digital divide.

What they built

Schools grant access to Nosta, where an algorithm forms dynamic peer groups supported by facilitators. Learning happens through game-based activities that build friendship alongside language.

Impact

Students expand vocabulary and gain confidence in Finnish, which improves school performance and later job prospects.

Problem

Transporting produce has a high carbon cost and much of it goes uneaten. Urban life disconnects people from where food grows.

What they built

Fazenda Cubo handles germination and data. Hydroponic units in condominium buildings grow and hold produce ordered through an app; motivated users finish growing at home.

Impact

The freshest produce at the doorstep with less energy, water and no pesticides. Fazenda Cubo gains loyal customers and needs smaller premises.

Problem

Students expect a modern university, while staff with high student ratios and administrative loads are wary of new tools and processes.

What they built

ModuleM gathers expected completion times, overall workload and feedback from students and lecturers and turns them into a visual course overview that reveals imbalances.

Impact

Less admin for lecturers, clearer expectations for students and fewer complaints, with over-assessment made visible.

Problem

Catheter users cannot tell how full their bag is during the day. The resulting anxiety and dependence on others lower quality of life.

What they built

Volyymi attaches to existing catheter bags, measures urine volume and hydration, and sends real-time data to an app with personalised fullness and hydration alerts.

Impact

Users regain independence and drink enough without fear of overflow, which supports the immune system and reduces urinary tract infections.

Problem

A third of all food is wasted, a quarter of it in hospitality and food service. FoodCloud asked for a step change in that sector by 2020.

What they built

FloWaste tracks what comes back on plates using computer vision and customer feedback, records waste per diner and feeds gamified awareness campaigns and better ordering decisions.

Impact

Lower disposal costs, up to €200,000 a year for some businesses, and more awareness. FoodCloud can offer the system to companies and redistribute surplus food.

Problem

Companies outsource team building, and Orangeworks saw a gap for a new approach. How might the corporate team-building experience be redefined for 2020?

What they built

HIVE is an office focal point that invites colleagues into creative thinking, problem-solving and ideation in a safe space, bringing the best of team-building events into daily work.

Impact

Full-day activities shrink to 10 to 20-minute sessions, cutting cost and improving productivity and office culture.

Problem

What will the learning environment for technology students look like in 2025? The brief sought new educational paradigms, not just an upgrade.

What they built

Students from computer science, engineering and natural sciences share smart rooms managed by student ambassadors. An E3 app books rooms, maker spaces and equipment and lets students share skills.

Impact

A single collaborative student community across three schools, graduates used to industry-like teamwork, and data that can improve how students learn.

Problem

People with intellectual disabilities cannot navigate alone and need supervision for every trip. Existing navigation tools are too complex.

What they built

An intuitive graphical language gives turn-by-turn directions on a smartwatch. A carer sets destinations, monitors progress, heart rate and battery, and both sides have a panic button.

Impact

Users reach new places on their own. Teaching a route used to take carers months; waytoB shortens this while keeping carers informed.