Livestock app takes top student entrepreneurship award

A smartphone app that allows farmers to better select livestock at auctions has won the top prize in the University of Adelaide’s Australian eChallenge.

The ingenious idea allows farmers to filter through large numbers of animals available at auction using multiple prioritised breeding preferences and identify which animals are best suited to their enterprise. It will give them access to an Australia-wide genetic pool of livestock.

The team which devised the idea called Trait Select are third year agricultural science students Tom Gameau, Hector Mackenzie and Liam Vanschaik, who hail from farms across South Australia.

The annual Australian eChallenge is run by the University’s Business School.

“This year’s eChallenge teams have developed an exciting and surprising breadth of innovations,” said the University of Adelaide’s Professor Noel Lindsay, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Entrepreneurship), and Dean of Business, Adelaide Business School.

“Each team has carefully considered some of the problems we all face, individually and as a society, and successfully developed interesting and novel solutions that have real potential for commercial success.

“The aim of the Australian eChallenge is to help students build entrepreneurial capability, develop new ways of thinking about problems and solutions, and increase their capacity to think creatively and act decisively.

“In whichever direction these students head next, we know that we have helped prepare them to be agile and resourceful, adaptable and resilient, and to harness failures and build on them for success.”

As overall winners of the eChallenge the talented trio take home $10,000 in cash, $1000 worth of consultancy services from Madderns Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys, and a package worth $4000 which includes permanent residency for 12 months and Accelerator business workshops at the University’s ThincLab business incubator.

Teams competing in the eChallenge pitch business proposals for their new, previously unfunded business concepts, to potential investors from the local business community. They compete for a share of the total prize pool of more than $62,200 in cash and prizes, and the prestige of being awarded the most outstanding Australian eChallenge entrepreneurial venture of the year.

Other entrepreneurial ideas from the teams of undergraduate and postgraduate students focussed on solutions to solve ambulance ramping, assist with rehab after serious injuries, help people manage money better and help domestic violence victims contact the support agencies discreetly.

“The aim of the Australian eChallenge is to help students build entrepreneurial capability, develop new ways of thinking about problems and solutions, and increase their capacity to think creatively and act decisively."The University of Adelaide’s Professor Noel Lindsay, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Entrepreneurship), and Dean of Business, Adelaide Business School.

The complete list of the 2022 Australian eChallenge winners are

eChallenge 1st Prize: Trait Select. Tom Gameau, Hector Mackenzie and Liam Vanschaik $10,000 cash, $4000 worth of space and incubation at ThincLab and $1000 worth of consultancy from Madderns Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys.
A smartphone app that allows farmers to better select animals listed in an auction.

Postgraduate category:

2nd Prize. Standle. Ashwin Kirubanandan, Humaid Cader and Monei Seduku. $2500 cash, $2400 ThincLab incubation package and $500 worth of consultancy from Madderns Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys.
A hands-free handle solution which eliminates the transmission of bacteria to people from public restroom doors.

3rd Prize. Bespoke Hospitality. Aidan Adler, Ryan Huang, Giordano Raimondo, and Wesley Deng. $1000 cash and $2400 ThincLab package, $500 of consulting from Madderns Patent & Trademark Attorneys.
Innovative waiter cloths that protect staff from abrasions and burns, using the latest fabric materials and technology.

Undergraduate category:

2nd Prize. MyMarsupium. Germin Chan. $2500 cash and $2400 ThincLab incubation package. $500 of consulting from Madderns Patent and Trademark Attorneys.
A mobile application that utilises gaming psychology to encourage good financial habits.

3rd Prize. Swift. Eryn Swann and Erin Merrit. $1000 cash and $2400 ThincLab incubation package, $500 of consulting from Madderns Patent and Trademark Attorneys.
Helping domestic violence survivors contact law enforcement agencies silently and discreetly.

Sponsor prizes:

Precise Electrical and Plumbing Rising Star Award. Rehapp. Daniel Belperio, Jack Branford, Nathan Reade, Aidyn Loveday and Hunter Sutherland $1000 cash.
An app-based solution that aims to re-frame physical rehabilitation.

Stone & Chalk Innovation Award. Swift. Eryn Swann and Erin Merrit. $2500 cash.
Helping domestic violence survivors contact law enforcement agencies silently and discreetly.

William Buck Award. MyMarsupium. Germin Chan. $2000 cash and $3000 of tailored, one-on-one mentoring and strategic advice.
A mobile application that utilises gaming psychology to encourage good financial habits.

Enabled Solutions prize. Dental Loop. Taseef Farook and Lameesa Ramees Digital Product Consulting valued at $10,000 to lift the winner’s concept to the next level.
A digital platform that connects doctors, laboratories, and patients within an automated system, that mitigates miscommunication in health care settings.

Bold Web Design prize. FloHealth. Daniel Clift, Jack Fabian, Jamie Phillips and Michael Hackman. Web design and development, branding valued at $10,000.
A secure clinical informatics platform for public health systems to effectively manage the flow of patients through various stages of their care pathway.

MKF Lawyers Peoples Choice Award. Swift. Eryn Swann and Erin Merrit. $500 cash.
Helping domestic violence survivors contact law enforcement agencies silently and discreetly.

Winners of the 2022 Australian eChallenge were announced on Thursday 1 December.

About the eChallenge:

The Australian eChallenge is an annual competition-based learning experience that develops strategic business thinking for early-stage entrepreneurial ventures. Run since 2001 by the University of Adelaide’s Adelaide Business School, the pre-accelerator program is a proving ground for future entrepreneurs. It is Australia’s longest running program of its kind.

The Australian eChallenge awards are made possible through support from partners in business and industry especially Madderns, William Buck, Bold Web Design, Enabled., MKF Lawyers and Precise Electrical and Plumbing.