Six teams have made it to the exciting final of this year’s Bright SCIdea Challenge.
The Bright SCIdea Challenge sees university students develop an innovative science-based idea into a business plan - and then to compete for a £5,000 prize.
SCI supports entrants during the competition by delivering free, exclusive training, and the teams with the strongest business plan are invited to deliver their pitch to an expert panel of experienced, successful senior business people and innovators.
The first Bright SCIdea challenge took place in March 2018 and since then the competition has seen winners go on to launch companies, raise significant funding and take their products to market.
This year’s final - the seventh instalment of SCI’s annual entrepreneurship competition - takes place at SCI’s headquarters on March 17.
Here are the 2026 Bright SCIdea Challenge finalists:
Ascenx
Sophie Siu, William Wang, Justin Wong and Gwen Rico
Where are they from?
University College London
Why did they enter the Bright SCIdea Challenge 2026?
“As second year chemistry students we were keen to apply our theoretical knowledge to a viable business idea under the guidance of industry experts in a fun and dynamic setting. Our entry was catalysed by reading a paper by Kaifeng Wang and Case M. van Genuchten which discussed a novel process of retrieving arsenic from wastewater sludge. We were fascinated by the chemistry and its dual potential of ensuring clean drinking water whilst supplying a sustainable arsenic source. The opportunity to contribute to a meaningful global impact strongly aligned with our humanitarian values and motivated us to participate.”
AvennaX
Josh Das, Peilin Chen and Tara Hudson-Ballard
Where are they from?
Imperial College London
Why did they enter the Bright SCIdea Challenge 2026?
“We entered the BrightSCIdea challenge to accelerate the commercial scaling of AlphaSuite, build a network of other scientific innovators, and gain mentorship from experts. This competiton offers the opportunity to develop our roadmap for market entry, ensuring our innovation is positioned for long term growth. Winning would provide the foundational funding for us to scale our technical infrastructure and secure our IP, and the insights gained from this experience will help us turn our innovation into a successful venture truly valuable to the global research and healthcare community.”
CheGo
Cheyenne Gracias, Chayanit Panjak, Hita Dunukunala and Yunseo Lee
Where are they from?
Kings College London
Why did they enter the Bright SCIdea Challenge 2026?
“Having previously won a hackathon, our team believes real impact comes from bringing solutions to industry which is why BrightSCIdea felt like the right next step. Our inspiration came from a teammate's mother, an experienced ICU nurse, who described how suctioning can cause bleeding and stress for patients and nurses. This sparked our add-on sensor system that transforms standard closed suction catheters into precision-guided medical devices, reducing complications in intensive care. Beyond technical skills, we recognised the need for commercialisation expertise. This competition offers industry feedback, workshops, and funding to develop our prototype into a real product.”
MediKeto
Nano Kojima, Yuri Fujikura and Eleina Hames
Where are they from?
Institute of Science Tokyo
Why did they enter the Bright SCIdea Challenge 2026?
“The ketogenic diet is a highly evidence-based treatment for drug-resistant epilepsy, yet it remains underutilised because of the daily management burden. We built MediKeto to change that.
"As an early-stage team bridging medicine and engineering, the Bright SCIdea Challenge offers something distinct: international validation, critical feedback and support from industry experts, and funding that would directly accelerate our pathway from healthcare app to SaMD. We are determined to refine our concept and empower patients and families who need it most, ultimately boosting treatment adherence and unlocking a better quality of life.”
Napré
Nwachukwu Christiana Okonkwo, Kosisochukwu Judith Offojebe, Ikwuezuma Elochukwu Reynolds and Ekeomodi Chikodi Christabel
Where are they from?
Newcastle University, McGill University, Nnamdi Azikiwe University and Stellenbosch University
Why did they enter the Bright SCIdea Challenge 2026?
“Our participation in Bright SCIdea challenge was driven by our identification of a critical gap in the manufacturing industry: while billions are spent producing drug and food products, the adverse effects of the preservatives used in these products have been largely neglected. We saw an opportunity to change the status quo and create a paradigm shift to safer preservatives while protecting the environment - through the valorisation of agricultural waste. Bright SCIdea offers us an opportunity to connect with visionary partners who share our goal: to disrupt a dysfunctional market with innovative solutions that promote well-being without sacrificing commercial value.”
QROOT — Quantum Reactive Optical Observation of Terrain
Gergo Meszaros, Hassan Raza Khan and Kaden Ethan Tan
Where are they from?
University of Toronto and Brown University
Why did they enter the Bright SCIdea Challenge 2026?
“Uncertainty. Corporations cannot always predict crop yields or the best interventions. Farmers cannot know whether fields will suffer from disease or deplete prior to the first harvest—yet they plant, nurture, and persevere anyway. If they can act despite uncertainty, why shouldn't we? The practicality of scaling a business, of turning innovation into impact, and reaching those who need it most was unknown to us—but because they try, we must too. With BrightSCIdea we have our expertise, the guidance of industry experts, and the network to bring QROOT to life, that is why we are here.”
