DE success at NAK TechLab
The two-member team of the University of Debrecen finished first in the student idea category in the national final of the NAK TechLab innovation competition of the National Chamber of Agriculture. They hope that their idea will become a tool that will be used by many in the near future.
A team of seven Hungarian universities made it to the finals of the NAK TechLab university idea competition, which took place in the chamber building of the National Chamber of Agriculture,where the ideas of the participants related to agriculture were presented.
Among the ideas, Balázs Joó, a member of AgroFly, a rural engineering student at the DE Faculty of Economics, said that an idea was born this autumn, which he shared with his colleague Roland Harangi, Faculty of Agriculture, Food Science and Environmental Management. They developed an unmanned aircraft designed to repel cormorants that significantly destroy fish in fishponds. The device may also be suitable for the protection of agricultural land.
They received help on the spot from Zoltán Mag, an employee of the Chancellery of the University of Debrecen, and a fish farming entrepreneur from Hajdúszoboszló, but NAK also helped them with mentoring in agricultural and business development.
The final of the three-round competition took place similarly to the TV show entitled Sharks. First, in the framework of a four-minute presentation, not only the details of the idea had to be presented, but also the business plan necessary for its implementation.
The jury then asked questions, which the teams had a total of two minutes to answer. The students of our institution performed well in both parts.
"We prepared for it a lot and it was a difficult competition, others also came up with very good, original ideas," said Balázs Joó.
The young thinker also reported that the invention still lacks a technical drawing (blueprint) and there is no prototype, yet. Nevertheless, together with his partner, they are confident that they will be able to find a business partner who sees an opportunity in this, so that in the near future the idea will become a tangible product used by many.