Social Innovation
Winners of Red Bull Basement University Global Final revealed
Winners of the first Red Bull Basement University prize hope to help everyone find a place to study on campus
2 min
Red Bull Basement University Global Final
After 4 days of workshops, lectures and mentorship, the event wraps in a final stage where participants have the opportunity to pitch their project, and generate maximum impact at their universities.
After taking top spot at the Red Bull Basement University, two Canadian students hope to put their campus hack into practice at university in Toronto.
The first Basement University in Berlin invited students from more than 300 colleges worldwide to submit projects which would challenge the status quo and change student life.
Anna Pogossyan and Temirlan Toktabek
© MICHAEL KROSNY/RED BULL CONTENT POOL
Working hard at Red Bull Basement University
© Michael Krosny/Red Bull Content Pool
Mark Dinkel and Leonard Kracik
© MICHAEL KROSNY/RED BULL CONTENT POOL
Matthias Brendel and Anna Trunk
© MICHAEL KROSNY/RED BULL CONTENT POOL
More than 800 entries came in from 16 countries, but the winners were Anna Pogossyan and Temirlan Toktabek with their Vacant concept.
Vacant enables students to get real-time information about study space across campus. Motion sensors underneath desks feed an app and displays to see which rooms have free space to study in.
Anna said: “We’re overwhelmed, tired… and very happy.” But now the work really starts: “The next steps are to continue working on the project. We have a solid base in Toronto and we're meeting the university to run our first pilots, and figuring out the practicalities of the prototype.”
Students were keen to discuss ideas
© Michael Krosny/Red Bull Content Pool
It wasn’t just the top prize they left with. “We learned the art of presentation, that’s for sure. That was the biggest challenge and the biggest achievement,” said Anna, “and after only a day of story-telling exercises to be able to deliver something that was worthy of the prize. Collaborating with other teams was also a big learning curve and an interesting process.”
Each entry – either individuals or teams – uploaded a 60-second video of their idea about how to improve student life and solve challenges in society through technology.
More than 80,000 votes were registered in October to select 16 finalists, who were narrowed down to a shortlist of five for the final pitching in Berlin in November: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ireland, Chile, Germany and Canada.
After four days of workshops, lectures and mentoring, the Canadian pair were chosen as the first global winners of Red Bull Basement University.
The Basement University workshop
© Michael Krosny/Red Bull Content Pool
Additionally, the team from Germany, with their innovation UniVote, picked up the Audi Vorsprung Award sponsored by the programme’s official global partner, AUDI AG.
The idea, from German duo Mark Dinkel and Leonard Kracik, removes the formality involved in student elections to give students the chance to vote via a phone on everything from elections to day-to-day campus issues.
Red Bull Basement University is a platform for students to challenge and co-create to drive change on campus through technology. Its aim is to connect and inspire the next generation of students with a ‘DIY mindset’, with cutting-edge platforms of collaboration, empowerment and exchange on the topic of technology for good.