虎扑电竞

Tohoku University held its first Student DemoDay at Aobayama Commons on December 14. Organized jointly by the Startup Incubation Centre, the Alumni and Outreach Office and the Green Goals Initiative, the event showcased socially impactful student projects across various fields.

The day-long programme featured two main events: the Tomo Pro! Next Challenge and the 2024 Tohoku University Business Idea Contest. Both events provided platforms for students to present their ideas to companies and the public.

In the Tomo Pro! Next Challenge, eight groups who had previously participated in the crowdfunding programme between 2021 - 2023, presented updates of their projects, covering a range of topics from healthcare to space exploration.

The ARES Project clinched the Grand Prize of 100,000 yen, with engineering student Danishi Ai presenting the team's experience competing in the global University Rover Challenge.

Rintaro Miyashita, a medical student, secured the Excellence Award of 50,000 yen for his Kyoyu Project, which aims to bring warmth to medical settings through music.

The Business Idea Contest, now in its eighth year, saw 10 finalists pitching their innovative concepts.

Team TsuCre emerged victorious with their idea for a user-assembled gaming controller, impressing the judges with its real-world business feasibility. The team received the Grand Prize of 500,000 yen in project funding.

Team RERAX secured the runner-up position, worth 300,000 yen, with a proposal to commercialise aromatherapy blends for cancer patients. Additional awards from various sponsors, as well as an Audience Choice Award, were also given out.

Tohoku University Professor Ryoichi Nagatomi, head of the judging panel, emphasised the event's educational value and wide-ranging social impact. "Student Demo Day allows students to link classroom learning to real life. It's a crucial experience that inspires further study and promotes the kind of creativity that is necessary to help solve global challenges."

On the sidelines, workshops engaged younger participants, offering hands-on experiences in building electrical circuits and telescopes using everyday materials.

Student DemoDay marks a significant step in Tohoku University's commitment to fostering student innovation and entrepreneurship. By integrating various support programmes, the university aims to create a comprehensive ecosystem that nurtures creative ideas and supports enterprising students on their journey from concept to real-world impact.

For details of all the projects and ideas presented on DemoDay, please visit the links below.