A group of tech-savvy college students who have invented an innovative way of charging a mobile phone are heading the the national finals of a prestigious business competition.
The students, who study at College of North West London , in Dudden Hil Lane, Dollis Hill, came up with the idea of charging a phone using a kinetic energy band, and put their idea forward to the Market Maker competition, which aims to help students develop entrepreneurial skills.
Tyffani Robb, 17, from Kingsbury, Iuliana Petrescu, 18, from Wembley , Eliza Larisa Urzica, 19, from Edgware, Bianca Madalina Varga, 19, from Wembley and Ronaldo Neziraj, 17, from Willesden, who collectively go by the group name Quality Control, impressed the judges with their ‘KBC.’ – Kinetic Battery Charger – which is worn around a person’s arm, to hold a phone securely in place.
With the help of kinetic energy which is produced when running or walking, the band charges the phone battery. It is estimated that three miles of running could fully charge a phone from empty.
Andy Cole, principal at the College of North West London, who sat on the panel of judges, said: “We were really impressed with the ideas that all the students had come up with. It made our job as judges very hard.
“However, Quality Control presented a confident and clear business plan and we were delighted to choose them to go forward to the national final.
“KBC is a great idea and we wish them the best of luck in the finals.”
The group now go through to the national finals of the competition, held on November 17 at The Institute of Directors in London, and if they win, they could be set for a trip to New York.
