CAMBRIAN COLLEGE
Cambrian R&D hosts annual Student Innovation Challenge

Cambrian College has wrapped up this year's Research and Innovation Week by announcing the winners of its annual Student Innovation Challenge, powered by RBC.

At the Student Innovation Challenge, students pitch business ideas to a panel of judges, for the opportunity to win cash prizes and move their ideas forward.

"This has been an amazing Research and Innovation Week and I always look forward to the Student Innovation Challenge," says Dr. Mike Commito, Director of Cambrian R&D, the applied research department of Cambrian College. "You never know what to expect, and I have learned to never underestimate the kind of solutions, ideas or new products our students come up with. We really do push creative thinking here and this year's pitches certainly caught our attention.

Photo: As part of Research and Innovation Week, Cambrian College held its annual Student Innovation Challenge, powered by RBC. In the competition, students pitched business ideas to a panel of judges. Top prize went to Clairvoyant, an AI-driven platform designed to help businesses efficiently manage their software subscriptions. Pictured are team members Rohan Reddy, Koushik Reddy Madugula, and Devika Chenkulam.

As part of the challenge, students took part in a series of workshops that helped them adjust and polish their business proposals before making a presentation to the panel.

Up for grabs was a total of $7,000 in prize money.

"The Student Innovation Challenge, supported by RBC, is always an exciting and inspiring event," says Cambrian College President Kristine Morrissey. "It provides an opportunity to recognize the dedication and effort of the students, and it's truly remarkable to witness their journey from the initial concept to a polished business pitch."

Here are the 2025 Student Innovation Challenge winners:

1st prize ($3,000): Clairyvoyant: an AI-driven platform designed to help businesses efficiently manage their software subscriptions. The platform offers features like AI-powered license tracking, cost optimization recommendations, compliance alerts, and automated renewals, enabling businesses to reduce costs, ensure regulatory compliance, and streamline operations.

2nd prize ($2,000): InfaTap: offers an innovative NFC-enabled physical business card that shares your contact information with a simple tap, displaying your digital profile in the browser. InfaTap aims to streamline networking by providing an efficient, and data-driven solution for professionals.

3rd prize ($1,000): The Auto Nonna: a kitchen appliance that automates all your boiling needs. The all-in-one design ensures it will fit on all counters, and its auto stir, boil detection, buzzer, timer, and hot plate ensures your food gets made right, efficiently, and with minimal thought, allowing you to relax after a long day of work, or have a more efficient multitasking setup.

Best Use of Technology ($500): Cipher Aura: an AI-powered wearable in the form of a smart necklace, designed to enhance personal safety and emotional awareness through advanced on-device processing. Cipher Aura captures and analyzes facial expressions and voice tones to deliver real-time emotional insights entirely offline and without sending sensitive information to the cloud. The device helps individuals better understand their inner states and make mindful decisions about their mental wellness.

People's Choice Award ($500): InfaTap

Cambrian College thanks its sponsors who make possible the Student Innovation Challenge powered by RBC.

Title Sponsor:
RBC

Prize Sponsors:

• sofvie
• XPS-Expert Process Solutions - a Glencore company
• Ontario Power Generation
• CEMI - Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation
• RBC
• Supporting partner sponsors:
• Northern Ontario Angels
• Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce
• Regional Business Centre

Cambrian R&D works with industry to improve or create a product, process or service, so that it can be implemented in the workplace or commercialized. For 13 consecutive years, Cambrian College, through the work of Cambrian R&D, has been named one of Canada's top 50 research colleges.

To learn more about Cambrian R&D, visit www.cambriancollege.ca/rd.