–Theophilus Femi Alawonde

IoTeam, Team Food Paragon and Team Secure Foods have emerged as winners of the 2021 edition of the prestigious Hult Prize UI. The three teams beat the other seven finalists to the top spots after the Final Pitch which was held on Saturday, 5 December, 2020 at 10 a.m.

The Final Pitch saw IoTeam emerge as grand prize winners with an innovative idea that focuses on irrigation using temperature to calculate the rate at which farmers should water their crops.

Team Food Paragon, which was beaten to second place by a difference of 0.5, targets fitness enthusiasts, dieticians, and individuals interested in eating healthy. Food Paragon’s AI application takes a user’s information — food preference, budget — to create a user-tailored healthy diet.

Team SecureFoods came third with a novel idea that uses biogas technology to increase food production, reduce cost and health risks, and reduce environmental risks.

Members of the grand-prize-winning team are Ogunjuyigbe Ayomikun, Raji Olaoluwa, and Adebimpe Joyce, 300-level students of electrical and electronic engineering, Adebayo Promise, a 400-level student of agronomy, Adedigba Oluwasegun a 300-level student of mechanical engineering and Adebayo Iyanu, a 300-level student of civil engineering.

The team went home with the grand-prize sum of 150, 000 naira, free space at LPI Hub, mentorship under Wennovation Hub, free sessions with Growth Hackers Africa, free business modelling and planning from DMC, and free branding package from Maqpreneur. IoTeam also won the Viewers’ Choice Award of 20, 000 naira and Hult-Prize-branded souvenirs. The grand prize winners will also be representing Hult Prize UI at the Regionals.

Members of Team Food Paragon are Daniel Akobundu, a 400-level student of mechanical engineering, Feziechi Anele, a 300-level student of medicine and surgery, Boluwatife Omolade, a 300-level student of economics, and Emmanuel Oziegbe, a 400-level student of crop protection and environmental biology.

Team Food Paragon went home with 100, 000 naira, mentorship under Wennovation Hub, free sessions with Growth Hackers Africa, free business modelling and planning session from DMC, internship opportunity at Learn IT with access to Learn IT’s online learning platform.

Members of Team SecureFoods are Isola Precious, a 400-level student of mechanical engineering, Bayode Olanrewaju, a 300-level student of food technology and Alabi Iyabo Gift, a 200-level student of chemistry.

The team went home with 50, 000 naira, mentorship under Wennovation Hub, a free session with Growth Hackers Africa, free business modelling and planning session from DMC, and free access to Learn IT Academy’s online learning platform.