Professor Stephen Joseph - President (Ag), UTT

The University of Trinidad and Tobago's (UTT) Incubator Projects Unit, operating under the Office of Research, Impact, and Postgraduate Studies, successfully hosted its newly revamped Ideas Competition on April 2, 2025. Designed exclusively for current students, this event aimed to recognise and celebrate their creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurial potential beyond academic excellence.

The primary goal of the Ideas Competition 2025 was to foster a culture of entrepreneurship within the University community, by providing students with a platform to develop and showcase their business, or innovative concepts. This initiative not only acknowledged outstanding ideas but also inspired others to pursue entrepreneurial ventures, positioning UTT as a leading institution for innovation and business development. Through this competition, students gained valuable experience in pitching their concepts, refining their business strategies and exploring opportunities to launch or expand their own enterprises.

Professor Rean Maharaj - Vice President - Research, Academic and Student Affairs (Ag) [fifth from left], Professor Adel Elgammal - Assistant Vice President - Research, Impact and Postgraduate Studies [third from left], and Ms Judy Lalchan - Nutrimix Representative [2nd from right], with finalists.

This year's competition saw an overwhelming response, with forty-four entries submitted. Following a rigorous initial screening process, thirty-four submissions advanced to the preliminary round, held on March 24 and 25. This stage required participants to categorise their ideas and deliver compelling pitches before a panel of judges comprising of knowledge experts from a variety of industries and backgrounds relating to entrepreneurship, innovation and business development, as follows:

• Makesi Alexander - Strategic Planner, National Entrepreneurship Development Company Limited
• Nikita Legall - Manager, Tropical Hives Limited and Brand Manager of Tanex Marketing & Distribution
• Emerson John-Charles - Chair, National Mirror Committee on Innovation Management at Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards (TTBS), and Chair, Innovation Association of Trinidad and Tobago
• Deonecio Salazar: Former Chief Executive Officer, Tobago Agribusiness Development Company Limited (TADCO) and Business Development Consultant, Andersen Global

Judges (l-r): Makesi Alexander, Nikita Legall, Deonecio Salazar and Emerson John-Charles

After an intense and competitive selection process, ten finalists emerged, each demonstrating remarkable innovation, feasibility, and market potential. These finalists had the opportunity to present their refined business concepts to a new panel of external judges, marking the final stage of the competition. The results are as follows:

1^st place - Meagain Ali - Touch Tone (Sensory Steel Pan)

2^nd place - Marcia Arthur - Tastee Budz Satisfyerz (Milky)

3^rd place - Denyse Montrose - Regenerative Offshore Farming

Professor Rean Maharaj - VP - Research, Academic and Student Affairs (Ag) with winners (l-r): Denyse Montrose (3^rd), Meagain Ali (1^st) and Marcia Arthur (2^nd)

The Ideas Competition 2025 is a testament to UTT's commitment to fostering entrepreneurship, creative problem-solving, and business insight among its students. By encouraging innovative thinking and providing a launchpad for promising ideas, the Research, Impact and Postgraduate Studies continues to shape the next generation of business leaders and changemakers.