We are thrilled to announce the outstanding achievements of our Glasshouse Christian College students at the 2024 Mayor’s Telstra Innovation Awards. These competitions are more than just a showcase of ideas; they are vital experiences that equip our students with real-world skills, inspire innovation, and foster an entrepreneurial spirit.

The competition consisted of three phases. The first phase involved students (teams of up to three) from all across the region submitting their innovative ideas, which resulted in 12 teams being chosen to progress as finalists through the program.

The second phase consisted of two development workshops in which students were given the opportunity to demonstrate the refinement of their ideas, create a business plan to take their ideas to market and consider a marketing strategy for their target market.

The third and final phase was a live pitch night, where all teams were given three minutes to pitch their idea to the panel of judges (including Mayor Rosana Natoli) followed by a two- minute question and answer session. Points were awarded for all three phases and winners were decided.

First Prize Winners: Fundies

Congratulations to Eli Alksne, Elijah Rumble, and Timothy Ford, who secured first prize with their innovative creation, ‘Fundies.’ Fundies are specially designed underwear with zippers, making them easy to put on for individuals with injuries, disabilities, or mobility issues. This brilliant idea was inspired by a personal experience when one of the co-founders broke his ankle. Special thanks to mentor Colin Graham for his invaluable guidance.

Emerging Entrepreneur Award: Room Ready

We also celebrate Jolie Veit, Liana Boss, and Holly Zielinski, who won the Emerging Entrepreneur Award for their app, Room Ready. This digital platform encourages users to shop locally, addressing environmental concerns related to excessive packaging used in online shopping. It would be one of only a few platforms that attempts to bring together online and bricks and mortar shopping, rather than pit them against each other, and it creates a better shopping experience for both the customer and the retailer. Their mentor throughout the competition was USC Lecturer Saskia D, who played a crucial role in the development and refinement of their idea.

Honorable Mention: SAF3

Another one of our DeLorean students, Shelbi McNulty, also presented her solution to firearm safety. She has developed and prototyped a safety mechanism that inserts into the cartridge chamber of a firearm and indicates its status, either clear (no bullets in chamber), or live (bullets in chamber). We are proud of Shelbi for presenting her idea as the only individual (solo) team in the competition.

The Mayor’s Reflections:

Mayor Rosanna Natoli (also one of the judges for the competition) lauded the students’ pitches, stating, “The pitches delivered by these students were truly amazing. Our region’s future is very bright with such talented individuals leading the way…I congratulate each and every one of the students for their impressive mix of ideas and wish them every success in potentially turning their innovations into a commercial reality.”

Final Thoughts:

We extend our gratitude to judges Tara Jacobsen, Brent McArthur, Tim McGee, and MC Tracey Coobula, as well as the major sponsors, Telstra and Sunshine Coast Council, for making these awards possible.

The dedication and innovative thinking of all our DeLorean students was remarkable. These young innovators have demonstrated exceptional problem-solving skills and a commitment to making a positive impact on both local and global levels. We are incredibly proud of their achievements and the entrepreneurial journey they have embarked upon. We are keen to see how far they are able to take their ideas with the support they are given through the DeLorean Project Program as well as the extra industry mentoring they will receive as part of the prize pool.

If you are interested in watching the final three- minute pitches from Fundies and/or Room Ready, please just click on the link provided. To watch a brief overview video of the live pitch night, please click here.

Thank you to everyone who supported our students, and congratulations once again to our talented participants. Your hard work and creativity are truly inspiring, and we look forward to seeing your future successes.

Rob Seffler, Dean of Studies and DeLoean Project Lead