A student team from Ballakermeen High School has won the online Intel® AI Innovators Award, a highlight of Europe's largest entrepreneurship festival, GEN E. The team, known as CREED IOM and comprising Ben Thomas, Miltos Provatakis, and Krishna Ramesh, participated in the Junior Achievement Company Programme starting in September 2023.
This well-established entrepreneurial programme offers high school students the opportunity to set up and run their own business over the course of an academic year. CREED IOM has created the world’s first smart glove for the blind, named ‘SensoGuard.’ The ‘SensoGuard’ features ultrasonic sensors capable of detecting obstacles.
During this time, the team received support from their volunteer business mentor, Sam Liver, who works for Lloyds Bank International, and Joy Spence, Employment Engagement Manager for Junior Achievement.
In March 2024, CREED IOM entered the Junior Achievement Isle of Man national finals and won the overall competition, earning the title of HSBC Student Company of the Year 2024. Their prize includes a trip to Sicily in July to compete against top student companies from forty European countries at GEN E (www.gen-e.eu), taking place from July 2–4.
Leading up to the competition in Sicily, CREED IOM has been announced as the winner of the Intel® AI Innovators Award. This online award recognises teams that have used AI tools and methodologies responsibly to create purposeful solutions addressing various local and global challenges.
Sue Cook, CEO of Junior Achievement, said, ‘We are delighted that Ben, Miltos, and Krishna have won this prestigious award. It is a fantastic achievement and demonstrates how students from the Isle of Man can succeed on a global level.’
For more information about the work of Junior Achievement, visit www.jaiom.im. You can follow the team's progress on their Instagram page @CREEDIOM.