The immersive visit will give the students the chance to explore innovation, research, and entrepreneurship alongside world-leading scientists and engineers.
The once in lifetime trip will also take in visits to Harvard University, the Freedom Trail, and some whale watching. The winning innovators were:
- Secondary Schools: Home-e-stasis by Robert O'Callaghan, Matthew Rawcliffe and Sean Carlyle (St Bede’s Catholic High, Lancashire) – a digital twin tool to test retrofit upgrades for homes.
- Colleges and Sixth Forms: TideTidy by Emily Cheesman (The King John School Sixth Form, Essex) – a device that traps litter from coastal waters, starting with Southend’s busy 7-mile shoreline.
- HRUC Colleges: The Cranial Cooler by Valentina Vicario (Uxbridge College) – a smart wearable designed to ease migraines, swelling, and aid neurorehabilitation.
Harrow, Richmond, and Uxbridge Colleges (HRUC) has a partnership with MIT's Industrial Liaison Program, which includes the National Innovation Challenge, via the West London Institute of Technology.
Yaseen Akhtar, Managing Director, WLIoT Business Growth, Skills and Partnerships, said:
“This is an incredible opportunity for these talented students to learn from the best and develop their remarkable and sustainable ideas.”
The first ever NIC awards in July were hosted by TV presenter and children’s author, Konnie Huq, at a stunning inaugural awards evening, at the historic Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) in London.
The celebration brought together students, educators, industry leaders, and special guests to celebrate innovation in sustainability.
