The UltrAgro team of Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) emerged as the second runner-up in the regional ASB101K Entrepreneurship Competition. The team was comprised of Muhammad Shazwan Mahmud (MSc in Mechanical Engineering programme), Noor A'in A Rahman (MSc in Electrical & Electronic Engineering programme) and Mohammad Firdaus Hashim (MSc in Science). They walked away with a cash prize money of RM5,000.
The ASB 101K is a competition that brings together, in two different tracks, talented students and aspiring entrepreneurs from Southeast Asia to address current market challenges and opportunities through innovative technology-driven solutions in the areas, such as, agriculture, education, environment, finance, healthcare and ICT.
For the competition, contestants need to pitch their most scalable, sustainable, and innovative business solution that addresses a genuine business problem with respect to its target market. The winner of each track will win RM101,000 for their start-ups.
The UltrAgro is an IoT device designed to control pest with minimal human intervention. It leverages on the concept of disturbing the existing insect’s (corn earworm) life span and activity by inducing a designated soundwave within the protected area.
The team were mentored by En Mohd Zamri Abdullah, UTP Technopreneurship Office Manager and Datin Azalina Adham, who serves as a director on the board of several public listed companies, namely Media Prima Berhad, OSK Holdings Berhad and PRG Holdings Berhad.
