Ethan Waisberg is the Winner of the 2024 Verizon/Unloc Young Entrepreneurs Challenge

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What an event this year’s Young Entrepreneurs Challenge Grand Final was! Year upon year the competition grows in scale and reputation, attracting ever more impressive young people from across Europe. This year’s event was held at the stunning V Suite in our partner Verizon’s Headquarters in Holborn, London, with leaders from across industry sectors gathering to witness our young hopefuls pitch their business ideas to our panel of judges, including ex Dragon’s Den star Piers Linney.

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After some amazing and impressive pitches, and much difficult deliberation from the judges, Ethan Waisberg has been revealed as the winner of  the 2024 Verizon/Unloc Young Entrepreneurs Challenge. Ethan competed with strong contenders from across Europe to win £10,000 (€12,000), mentorship, a technology support package to help kickstart their business proposal, and a trip to the One Young World 2024 Global Summit, which brings together many of the brightest young leaders from over 190 countries.

The Young Entrepreneurs Challenge, now in its sixth year, tasks young people between the ages of 16 and 25 to devise a tech-led business idea that enriches and benefits the planet. This year’s challenge  uncovered solutions, including a new bladeless hydro generator, a hybrid sunlight system that utilises advanced optics with a sun-tracking mechanism, and Generative AI technology to improve eye disease screening programs. 

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This year the contestants pitched to an esteemed panel of expert judges including:

Sanjiv Gossain, Head of EMEA, VerizonBusiness
EllaRobertson-McKay, ManagingDirector, One Young World
Piers Linney, Former investor on Dragons’Den, Co-founder: ImplementAI,Adviser & Speaker
Jamie Bankhead, Previous YEC Winner & CEO ofKonglomerate Games
JohnWilliams, MarketingDirector & CMO – EMEA,APAC & LatAm, Verizon

With a strong pitch and well  defined business plan, Ethan won this year’s competition with his product AngioGenius.  With eye disease screening programs worldwide not performing well enough and  millions around the world to going  blind, Ethan developed an app where anyone can take a photo of their eye at home to help detect and monitor eye disease progression.  From his research work with NASA astronauts, Ethan found a way to use Generative AI to allow the eyes of astronauts to be better monitored while in spaceflight, where limited imaging equipment exists. Ethan is bringing this same technology to Earth with AngioGenius at a fraction of the cost to current and widely used eye disease screening programs.

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“I’m extremely impressed with all the other finalists and I feel honoured to be here and  to have won,”said Ethan Waisberg, Founder, AngioGenius “I’m really excited as this funding will enable us to carry out clinical trials and help reduce blindness worldwide.  I’m also excited by the  support and  mentorship being offered by Verizon and Unloc to help my company take the next steps to growth” 

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“What an amazing Grand Final this year” said Unloc’s Managing Director Hayden Taylor, “Our Finalists were so prepared and focused during the event, and really demonstrated the ingenuity, creativity and determination of young people in today’s world. I know our judges had an incredibly tough decision to make, but ultimately there can only be one grand prize winner, and Ethan absolutely deserved the £10,000 prize to take his ideas forward and make them a reality. A huge congratulations to all of our finalists, you make all of the hard work that goes into this competition absolutely worth it, and we’ll continue to watch and support you on your journey as the business leaders of tomorrow.”

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“I am truly impressed by the innovative ideas and determination demonstrated by all participants in this year’s Young Entrepreneur Challenge. Congratulations to this year’s winner, Ethan Waisberg for his  innovative vision and exemplary execution, and to all the finalists for their remarkable contributions to the entrepreneurial landscape. Their  innovative ideas and entrepreneurial spirit have truly impressed us all and  their  passion, creativity, and dedication are inspiring examples for aspiring entrepreneurs everywhere.  I am excited to see this group of young  business leaders  and their innovations  fulfill their potential to have a positive impact .” said Sanjiv Gossain, General Manager and Head of EMEA for Verizon Business.

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Each runner-up receives £1,000 to fund their start-up business, a personalised development plan that focuses on key priorities, and access to a series of masterclasses over the next year that will pair the finalists with various industry experts. We also provided Mariia with entry to the One Young World Summit in Montrèal, Canada by way of making up for the fact she was unable to travel to the UK from Ukraine and attend the Grand Final in person.

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The 2024 Young Entrepreneurs Challenge Runner Ups

• Devi Pathak (19), UK  | LinkedIn
  
  Lung cancer accounts for over a fifth of cancer fatalities annually. With approximately 38,000 new cases diagnosed annually, it is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. This is due to ineffective screening processes and delayed symptom recognition associated with lung cancer detection. PulmoGuard ProScan, is a breathalyser intended for both routine GP exams and high-risk individuals (e.g. smokers, exposure to environmental pollutants) to determine lung cancer susceptibility. It analyses volatile organic chemicals and biomarkers in exhaled air, such as miRNAs, isoprene or NNK, which are linked to lung cancer risk. Early detection is aided by the device’s rapid and non-invasive results.
  
  
• Kolatat Phaiboonnukulkij (20) UK | LinkedIn
  
  Phytavaren Technology, a Proptech startup in London, specialises in building thermal dynamics R&D with passive design and developing eco-friendly building materials and other low-energy construction materials by integrating architectural solution design to address thermal regulation, carbon sequestration and structural integrity in construction. The Interlocking Semi-Calcite Passive Brick (ISCPB), Phytavaren Technology’s flagship product, is a sustainable construction material with eco-design integrated with thermal dynamics to use less electricity to regulate building temperature.  

• Theodor Blomberg (23) UK | LinkedIn
  
  “The Swirl.” – one of the first truly bladeless hydro generators that harness the power of the vortex effect, setting it apart from conventional generators. The innovative bladeless design of Swirl. eliminates perpendicular obstacles for passing biomass, and its rotating system follows the water stream – creating a safe passage for fish and other biomasses through the middle section, all while generating sustainable power. The Swirl. is sustainable as it aims to support the commercialisation of clean energy sources for eco-conscious individuals or those in need of a green backup source.

• Mariia Alipatova (24) Ukraine | LinkedIn
  
  Solar Optic is a hybrid sunlight system that utilises advanced optics and a sun-tracking mechanism to provide natural illumination indoors. The system concentrates sunlight on the surface of the lens and the light beam is guided through a polymer optic cable. High electricity prices and carbon taxes are forcing organisations to think about the implementation of sustainable solutions. Solar Optic technology has a potential application in various markets such as schools, warehouses and supermarkets. 
  
  
  

We’ll be watching these inspiring young people closely to follow all their progress and developments as they start their careers, paving the way for fellow young entrepreneurs to follow in their footsteps. Follow us on our social channels to keep up with their progress and career developments!

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For more information on The Young Entrepreneurs Challenge simply click here!

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About Unloc

Unloc was founded in 2013 by award-winning young leaders and advocates Hayden Taylor and Ben Dowling. Our mission is to empower young people to be innovative changemakers who seek to build stronger communities and sustainable businesses. We develop young people’s skills, enhance their potential and boost their determination to succeed. This is encapsulated in our ‘Developing Young Potential’ tagline. We work towards our mission by delivering inspiring educational programmes in our growing network of schools and colleges, our physical Changemaker Studios spaces in Portsmouth and London, and work with business leaders to deliver a range of programmes that help us achieve our mission. For more information about Unloc visit www.unloc.org.uk 

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About Verizon

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) was formed on June 30, 2000, and is one of the world’s leading providers of technology and communications services. Headquartered in New York City and with a presence around the world, Verizon generated revenues of $134.0 billion in 2023. The company offers data, video and voice services and solutions on its award-winning networks and platforms, delivering on customers’ demand for mobility, reliable network connectivity, security and control.

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