An innovative ‘Desk in a Box’ project, engineered by Comet Bay College Year 8 student Matthew Roberts won second place at the Western Australian Just Start It Grand Final gala this week.
Matthew’s clever design, inspired by a growing need for compact work stations, will now be pitched to hundreds of investors at the 2022 West Tech Fest in December.
The desk stood out among a field of 200 entrants from across the state in the six-month-long STEM-inspired competition.
Matthew said his multi-purpose design was unique and he is looking to get it patented.
“When I realised I came second out of 200, I thought, ‘this is a big deal’,” he said.
“If this desk was available on the market today, I would buy it. It was inspired by my own needs.”
Matthew’s prize also includes entrepreneurship workshops to take his venture to the next level.
“It is ready to go – I just need to make the prototype,” he said.
Comet Bay College boasted another finalist, with Susie Moon, Naomi Symonds and Sienna Mosqueda making it through to the Top 10 for their eating disorder support app, The Lighthouse.
Associate Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences Michelle Statham said she was incredibly proud of the innovation and creativity of her students, and their dedication to their projects.
“They have all spent thousands of hours working on their business concepts, displaying exceptional entrepreneurship skills and outstanding work ethic,” she said.
“Our finalists were the youngest entrants in the contest, but sometimes the best ideas come from the youngest minds. These students have created wonderful and viable business models that I am sure they can develop into a successful venture with the right support.”
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