The aim to completely shatter the stereotype of entrepreneurship and innovation

The largest course taught at Reykjavik University is Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which students from most departments take over three weeks at the end of their first or second year of study. The award ceremony took place at RU on Friday, May 15th.

One of our main goals is not only to break, but to completely shatter, the stereotype that entrepreneurship and innovation are only for certain people, not others. The ability to solve problems, deal with uncertainty, and design solutions is a skill that benefits people in everything they do.

Says Ásgeir Jónsson, lecturer in the Department of Business and Economics and supervisor of the course.

The team that placed first this year is called Bravor. The team designed a contactless interpretation device for healthcare institutions that facilitates communication between staff and patients across hospital departments when language barriers impede safe, efficient service. The solution uses local data processing to ensure privacy and data security.

The members of Bravor are: Erna Sólveig Sverrisdóttir, a student in Biomedical Engineering; Helgi Hrafn Bergmann, a student in Economics and Finance; Inga Sól Kristjánsdóttir, a student in Business Administration; Jóhann Tómas Portal, a Computer Science student with Business Administration as a minor; and Krummi Poomi Gunnars, a student in Computer Science.

The team Lineo won second place. Lineo developed a smart sterilisation and drying device, along with specialised cleaning wipes, designed to help prosthetic users avoid painful skin infections by using skin-friendly UV-C light and protective materials for the residual limb.

The members of Lineo are: Eyrún Inga Einarsdóttir, a Computer Science student; Iðunn Soffía Agnadóttir, a Psychology student; Sandra Diljá Kristinsdóttir, an Energy Engineering student; Sigurður Steinsson, a Mechatronics Engineering student; and Stefán Þorri Magnússon, a Financial Engineering student.

In third place was the team Safe Sence, which designed color-changing stickers placed inside chicken packaging that change colour when the chicken has spoiled, thereby improving food safety.

The members of Safe Sence are: Auður Ísfold Geirsdóttir, Biomedical Engineering student, Daníel Máni Einarsson, Mechanical Engineering student, Guðmundur Ísak Bóasson, Business Administration student, Regína Sjöfn Sveinsdóttir, Computer Science student and Ágústa Helga Kristinsdóttir, Law student

Ásgeir says this year’s course was particularly vibrant, with many strong teams participating.

The group of instructors, who have worked on the course for many years, agreed that there has never been such a large number of promising ideas and impressive prototypes.

In the course, students work together in teams under the guidance of teachers and specialists to develop their own business ideas. The course has proven to be an excellent launching pad for many young entrepreneurs at RU, many of whom have continued developing their ideas afterwards.