05 November 2021
NOVA impACT! Challenges Final
10 impactful projects compete to solve NOVA’s proposed challenges with the support of Santander Universities
On Demo Day, held on November 5th, 2021, 10 finalist teams of the 2nd edition of Nova impACT! Challenges pitched in front of a panel of experts to defend the answers they have devised to solve a problem of social, economic or environmental relevance. Supported by Santander Universities, the teams received 500 euros each and have spent a whole month attending workshops and developing their prototypes or proofs of concept.
Lauched in 2020, the Nova ImpACT! Challenges aims to reward innovative technological solutions with social impact. Such solutions can include apps, computer tools, physical devices or a business plan and should align with at least one of the United Nations’ sustainable development goals.
Of the 10 most promising projects, one stood out indeed, having won the competition and a prize money of 2.000€. The project EyeCycle, presenting a device capable of avoiding cycling accidents by predicting the driver’s desire to make a right turn, controlling the traffic lights of each lane, lead by Francisco Enguita and João Raio.
An honorable mention was also given to the Scientist Returns to School, covering the creation of an educational programme that promotes the return of scientists to their primary school to carry out science workshops. The team was made up by Joana Bordalo, master degree student in Science Communication (NOVA FCSH) with experience in managing an educational programme based on the methodologies “Science Capital Teaching Approach” and “Content and Language Integrated Learning”, being also a Fullbright grantee and apart of the European project FOSTWOM, which promotes gender equality through MOOCs in STEM, at Instituto Superior Técnico, and Matilde Gonçalves, a researcher at the Linguistics Centre of NOVA University Lisbon and an assistant professor at NOVA FCSH. Matilde also has a Ph.D. in Linguistics, post-doctoral studies in text and discourse linguistics and has experience in funded projects with educational impact at the level of scientific literacy. Other team members supporting the implementation of the project include Joana Moscoso, Gil Costa, Sara Martins, Teresa Serafim and Ricardo Marvão.