Three students from an Ormskirk secondary school are in with a chance of a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the United States after reaching the final of a national competition.
Timothy, Ollie, and Wojtek, who all attend St Bede’s Catholic High School, have been shortlisted in the schools category of the National Innovation Challenge (NIC).
The trio impressed judges with their project, the DuoPod, which aims to improve the quality of life for people living with diabetes.
Using artificial intelligence, the device predicts fluctuations in blood sugar levels and automatically delivers glucose or insulin as needed, helping to keep levels stable without constant manual monitoring.
Designed with sustainability in mind, the DuoPod would be made using reusable materials to reduce the number of traditional diabetes pumps that end up in landfill.
The NIE, led by Harrow, Richmond and Uxbridge Colleges (HRUC) in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Industrial Liaison Program, invited entries from students across the UK on the theme of sustainability and AI.
The East American-based institution retained its place as the world's best in the QS World University Rankings 2027 results.
Participants were challenged to develop innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing issues.
Four schools and four colleges have been shortlisted for the final, with the winning teams set to be announced at an awards ceremony in central London later this month.
Wojtek, who lives with diabetes, said the project was especially personal to him.
He said: "As a person living with diabetes, this has inspired my friends and I to try and change the life of mine and others.
"Now that also means I am in with a chance to go to MIT and develop my product, which I am so excited about."
Timothy added: "The competition has given me the chance to develop a product which is genuinely something I’m interested in.
"When we heard we were finalists, I couldn’t believe it – the chance to go to MIT seemed like a dream."
Ollie said the experience had opened his eyes to future career possibilities.
He said: "It has allowed me to understand the impact a product can have and has inspired me to consider a role in biosciences.
"I’m really happy to now have the chance to go to MIT too."
Emma Scott, curriculum leader of maths at St Bede’s, praised the students’ efforts.
She said: "What makes the NIC so unique is its ability to engage pupils regardless of their skill level, while fostering creativity, collaboration and independent thinking.
"Seeing pupils gain confidence and take pride in their ideas is one of the most rewarding aspects of the programme."
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Yaseen Akhtar, managing director of the West London Institute of Technology at HRUC, said the standard of entries had been high.
He said: "The finalists have demonstrated how innovative thinking and the effective use of AI can help tackle some of the most pressing sustainability challenges facing our society.
"I look forward to celebrating their achievements at the final."
All finalists are now hoping to secure the top prize – a trip to MIT, where they will collaborate with world-leading researchers.
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