Invent for the Planet

Invent for the Planet is an Intensive Design Experience which engages students at different universities around the world and tasks them with solving some of the world’s most pressing problems in just 48 hours.

Led by our partner, Texas A&M University, students work in local teams to develop solutions to challenges such as food security, waste management, energy consumption, and flooding. Each team develops a concept, prototype and elevator pitch which they present to a panel of expert judges in Swansea. The judges select a winning team, which is then put forward to be considered for a place at the Invent for the Planet Grand Final in Texas.

• In 2018 Swansea was one of just 14 universities worldwide invited to participate in the inaugural Invent for the Planet and it remains the only UK university invited to partcipate. 
• In 2019 a Swansea team took 3rd place in the Invent for the Planet Grand Final in Texas, and in 2023 Swansea team H2Grow took the top spot - 1st place and a $5,000 prize.
• in 2024, Swansea's Invent for the Planet was named winner of a Students Organising for Sustainability (SOS) Innovation for Engagement Special Award.
• In 2025, over 1500 students from 50 universities in 24 countries participated in the largest Invent for the Planet to date. The Swansea event featured 39 students from 10 Science and Engineering discplines and 11 countries, including Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Armenia, Senegal and India. Four Swansea teams took home a total of £3,500 in prize money courtesy of the Engineers in Business Fellowship and the Royal Academy of Engineering Wales.

Finding Solutions to the World's Most Pressing Problems

Teams select a challenge from a set of Needs Statements on topics such as:

• Improving Recycling Rates
• Reducing Food Waste
• Providing Access to Clean Water
• Reducing Single-Use Plastic

2025 Winners: Waste2Watts

Over 20% of the world’s population live in slums. Cost-effective solutions that address the needs of rapidly expanding populations while ensuring access to sanitation, safe water & sustainable living conditions are required.  

Waste2Watts developed a biotransformer toilet that converts human waste into biofuel. This would improve sanitation and help prevent the spread of water-borne diseases, and would also capture methane to generate household power, create fertilizer for use in local agriculture, and create employment opportunities.

2024 Winners: Pure Flow

In Papua New Guinea, only 40% of people have access to safe drinking water due to the challenging geography of the country.

2024 winners Pure Flow chose to tackle this challenge which aimed to improve access to clean water for drinking and sanitation.

The team's solution was a low-cost, low maintenance filtration system which filters river water to provide clean drinking water to rural populations. Following the Swansea event, the team travelled to Ireland to compete in the Invent for the Planet semi-final where they took 2nd place.

2023 Winners: H2Grow

2.2 million people around the world currently lack access to safe drinking water.

2023 winners H2Grow chose to tackle this issue and were tasked with developing an affordable and easy device that could provide safe drinking water.

The team developed a reverse-osmosis pump which could convert toxic river water into potable water for rural farming communities. 

Following the Swansea event, the team were selected for the Invent for the Planet Grand Final in Texas where they took 1st place and a prize of $5,000.

Winning Team 2020: LifeLight

Needs Statement: A smart city uses information and communication technologies to address public issues with solutions that leverage resources more intelligently and efficiently. As a result, smart cities experience cost and energy savings, improved service delivery and quality of life, and a reduced environmental footprint. Develop, replace, or upgrade an existing process or technology that would make a city smarter.

Product: LifeLight

• This solution aims to improve emergency vehicle response times by using an Internet of Things system architecture to alert motorists of approaching emergency service vehicles ahead of time so that they can move out of the way

Winning Team 2019: SuperSocials

Needs Statement: A large portion of the population spends at least a portion of their lives feeling isolated and lonely. This can happen during a child’s adolescent period and extend into their adult life. Can we design a system, better than current social media that connects people and reduces loneliness?

Product: SuperSocials App

• This solution uses technological innovations such as near-field communication, geo-location and social media to incentivise users to go out and meet new people and reduce loneliness.
• Users can earn points by meeting new people, creating and participating in events.  These points can later be redeemed for items or at local businesses.