2012 Archives - Student Entrepreneur Awards

First prize – DRS.ie

IDEA

The team are First Year Engineering Students at NUI Galway. DRS.ie stands for Drag Reduction Systems. The team have invented a drag reduction device which can reduce the drag between a truck and its container load so significantly that it will reduce fuel consumption of the truck by 8%.

This balloon type devise is attached to the back of a truck and has two side air inlets. These air inlets allow the balloon to inflate, filling the drag producing gap between the truck and the container, when it is moving at speed but also allow it to deflate when it is stationary or travelling at slow speeds. The importance of the deflating of the device is that the product doesn’t get damaged when the truck is making tight manoeuvres.

Winning Institution

Students

Dearbhaile Forde
Justin Conboy
Garrett Archbold

Sponsored by

Most Technologically Innovative Idea – AWAMA

IDEA

AWAMA are introducing the Apex airline seat that “puts the power of personal space back into your hands”. The Apex seat addresses a major problem within the industry and one to date without a standard solution.

The conventional recline of the airline seat has always been a problem; a reclined seat intrudes the personal space of the passenger behind who has no control over this. The Apex airline seat is the solution, with its unique design allowing the passenger to enjoy the same levels of recline without introducing this problem by reclining within its own space.

Winning Institution

Students

Dearbhaile Forde
Justin Conboy
Garrett Archbold

Sponsored by

Emerging and Dynamic company of the year – Zooplar

IDEA

Zooplar is a new type of business. The team are building world-class brand engagement platforms that enable companies and creative agencies to deploy innovative digital media campaigns that create meaningful connections between the brand and its customers.

Personalisation of the user experience is at the heart of everything Zooplar does. Their product Social AR is the world’s first augmented reality platform that runs on Facebook and through a unique architecture provides each user with a personalised brand experience.

Winning Institution

Students

Brian Corish
Gillian Barrett

Sponsored by