'Synergic Spark' wins Hult Prize at ULAB 2023-24

The Grand Finale and Closing Ceremony of Star Line presents Hult Prize at ULAB OnCampus Programme 2023-24 Powered by Mughal Kabab House was hosted on Saturday (17 February) at ULAB Permanent Campus in the capital's Mohammadpur.

"Synergic Spark" emerged as the champion of the OnCampus round, winning a grand reward of Tk15,000, and proceeded towards the regional round. Moreover, the first runner-up "Atlas Rubber Duck" won the prize money of Tk10,000 and the second runner-up "Habitaid" won Tk5,000.

Minhaz Anwar, chief storyteller from BetterStories Limited, was the chief guest of the event. He shared, "The fact that you are here already makes you one step closer to the solution of the problem you're trying to solve. All I can say is that do your research properly, make sure you know your context and what you are doing, and if it is solving a problem in Bangladesh as well as the world."

The judges' panel for the final round was Sabira Mehrin Saba, founder and CEO of Wander Woman; Nusrat Amin, communications senior officer, SDG National Communications Strategy Development for the Government of Bangladesh, United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS); Shuvasish Bhowmick, country director at ATEC Australia International Ltd; MD Abdul Quayyum, head of communications, UNDP Bangladesh and Tarif Mohammed Khan, head of communications, Dekko Isho Venture Capital.

The closing ceremony was held shortly after as Istiaque Ahmed Eshan, the campus director of this year's OnCampus programme, handed over the crests to all the participants, judges, sponsors, media partners and organisers.