The students pitched real-world business ideas developed during the Faculty’s Engineering You’re Hired programme. The event is sponsored by the Engineers in Business Fellowship and brought together six multi-disciplinary student teams.
Scale of Participation and Selection Process
These finalists were selected from over 240 teams and more than 1,400 second-year engineering students who participated in EYH earlier this year. Each team had just eight minutes to present their innovation, followed by five minutes of rigorous Q&A from a panel of industry experts.
Innovative Engineering Solutions Tackling Global and Local Challenges
Their ideas addressed pressing global and local challenges, including:
• Autonomous drones to combat wildfires
• AI-powered systems for sorting fruits and vegetables
• Smart farming trays and portable farms to tackle the UK’s food import crisis
• Advanced soil aeration techniques
• Robots designed to detect and repair utility water leaks
Technical and Business Skills on Display in Presentations
The presentations showcased not just the students’ technical skills, but also their ability to consider business viability. Teams included detailed designs, CAD models, cost analyses, business plans, funding strategies and in some cases prototypes.
Finalist Teams Demonstrating Entrepreneurial Excellence
• F.I.S.H. (Swarm Robotics)
• MUSH-ROOM (Smart Farming)
• Intelligent Water Turret (Autonomous Aerial Firefighting)
• The TANK (Smart Farming)
• The TerraSwarm (Swarm Robotics)
• Better Picked (AI Solutions for Engineering)
Industry Experts Applaud Innovation and Teamwork
Dr. Raja Toqeer, Senior University Teacher for Computing, Control and Electrical Engineering and event host, said: “These teams have not only applied their technical knowledge they have demonstrated real entrepreneurial thinking. The pitches showcased the ingenuity and teamwork that define modern engineering.”
Winners and Next Steps in Engineering in Business Competition 2025
Winners of the 2025 Engineers in Business Final were:
• First place - The TerraSwarm – £1,500
• Second place - MUSH-ROOM – £1,000
• Third place - F.I.S.H. – £500
The competition prizes were funded by EIBF to encourage commercial development of student-led innovations. The top teams are eligible to participate in the Champion of Champions Grand Final, where they’ll compete against leading entries from other UK universities.
The Engineering in Business Competition 2025 supports the integration of enterprise and innovation into engineering education, helping students gain the commercial awareness needed to bring ideas to market. The event also gave students the valuable opportunity to network with the industry panel, gaining insights and encouragement from professionals in the field.
