Congratulations to Winners and Finalists in the 2023 Challenge Season!

Here are the top competitors in the 2023-24 academic year NFTE World Series of Innovation.

BMO Biodiversity Challenge - 2023

The Challenge: Design a solution to restore, conserve, or restore wildlife ecosystems from threats of climate change.

Winners

• First Place: Liyab Biosolution, transforms discarded rice husks into vibrant, clean-burning briquettes, creating a sustainable solution that not only cooks up but also fuels environmental preservation, and economic empowerment. Submitted by Dominic Lenard L. Ramos (22), Cheska Marie H. Carale (22), Khaela R. Casilla (22), and Ma. Claudine C. Roguel (24) from Far Eastern University in the Philippines. See their video here.
• Second Place: Eco Reef Solutions, sells all-natural and eco-friendly skincare and beauty products that not only keep the best interest of the coral reefs in mind but also its users. Submitted by Bri Thomas (17) from Duncan U. Fletcher High School in Florida, USA. See their video here.
• Third Place: A2D2, an AI-driven Autonomous Drone-based Detection network for wildfires in large-scale areas. Submitted by Calvin Zhou (16) from Lynbrook High School in California, USA. See their video here.

Finalists

• AquaBalance: AlkaliDrones, an innovatitve drone system aimed to reduce the detrimental affects of ocean acidification by spreading calcium carbonate. Submitted by a team from Illinois, United States. See their video here.
• Recycle Star, a reverse vending machine to reverse pollution. Submitted by a team from Florida. See their video here.
• Green4Grains, an eco-friendly notebook, transforms rice husks and banana fiber waste, into sustainable and innovative stationery products, benefiting Filipino farmers while mitigating pollution. Submitted by a team from the Philippines. See their video here.
• PTravel, an sustainable approach to travel that seeks to accommodate the preference of each user in the application by offering a variety of activities in Panama from a family cabin to the most beautiful waterfalls in Panama. Submitted by a team from Panama. See their video here.
• RE-BANATEX, a social venture startup with the mission to address the most pressing environmental issues and revolutionize the fashion industry by converting the waste of crops (banana fibers) into fashion leather materials. Submitted by a team from Rwanda. See their video here.
• SCB Biovinyl, a sugarcane-based biodegradable biovinyl designed to restore degraded soil and reuse sugarcane waste. Submitted by a team from South Korea. See their video here.
• SeaBloom, a comprehensive system equipped with AI, LiDAR mapping, and micro-fragmentation tools to revive, support, and protect marine ecosystems from the impacts of coral bleaching. Submitted by a team from Canada. See their video here.