A team of students from Abu Dhabi as well as Neil Parmar, a business reporter for The National, has won a global business case challenge that aims to illuminate 1 million households in Africa through solar-powered lamps.
The former US president Bill Clinton announced that Mr Parmar and four second-year students from New York University's Abu Dhabi campus won in the energy track of the Hult Global Case Challenge.
The annual contest tackled global poverty this year by targeting real-world issues in the fields of energy, housing and education.
The competition is organised by Hult International Business School, which awarded a US$1 million (Dh3.6m) prize that will be shared by the charities SolarAid, Habitat for Humanity and One Laptop per Child and used to implement the three winning concepts.
"The fact that these young folks from five different countries could come together and create an intellectual team that could operate against anyone is just a small foreshadowing of what's to come [from NYU in Abu Dhabi]," said John Sexton, the president of New York University.
The NYU group was one of three winning teams competing among more than 4,000 applicants vying to be included in this year's challenge. Judges in the final round included Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and microcredit expert, as well as Michael Treschow, the chairman of the multinational consumer-goods company Unilever.
Students from Hult's campus in Dubai also advanced to the global finals in New York in the competition's housing track.
However, they lost to their rival campus in Boston. Students from Carnegie Mellon took top place in the education track.
The students from NYU in Abu Dhabi conducted on-the-ground research in Africa while creating a model that would sell solar lamps to rural residents and offer after-sales support.
They also pitched a plan to tap the skills of local "fundis", or repair technicians, and promote a pay-as-you-go technology that would make a large solar lighting system with up to four lamps more affordable to rural residents.
"They [residents] are the ones who will actually purchase it, own it and cherish it," said Muhammad Awais Islam, an NYU Abu Dhabi student from Pakistan.
"I really believe that a charity is not a solution," added Mr Islam, 21. "The rural people of Africa need to be the architects of their own development."
Madhav Vaidyanathan, 21, initiated the team's participation in this year's challenge after working in rural areas near his home in India. Songyishu Yang, 20, of China, and Ruey-Ting (Gary) Chien, 19, of Taiwan, were also members of the team, while Ramesh Jagannathan, professor of chemical engineering at NYU in Abu Dhabi, served as the team's faculty advisor.
"Our students' success emerges from their extraordinary intelligence, imagination, perseverance and commitment to humanity, and terrific support from faculty, staff, and alumni," said Al Bloom, the vice chancellor for New York University's campus in Abu Dhabi.
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Three tips from La Perle's performers
1 The kind of water athletes drink is important. Gwilym Hooson, a 28-year-old British performer who is currently recovering from knee surgery, found that out when the company was still in Studio City, training for 12 hours a day. “The physio team was like: ‘Why is everyone getting cramps?’ And then they realised we had to add salt and sugar to the water,” he says.
2 A little chocolate is a good thing. “It’s emergency energy,” says Craig Paul Smith, La Perle’s head coach and former Cirque du Soleil performer, gesturing to an almost-empty open box of mini chocolate bars on his desk backstage.
3 Take chances, says Young, who has worked all over the world, including most recently at Dragone’s show in China. “Every time we go out of our comfort zone, we learn a lot about ourselves,” she says.
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
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Stars: Samuel L Jackson, Dominique Fishback, Walton Goggins
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Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
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'My Son'
Director: Christian Carion
Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis
Rating: 2/5
Results
- Brock Lesnar retained the WWE Universal title against Roman Reigns
- Braun Strowman and Nicolas won the Raw Tag Team titles against Sheamus and Cesaro
- AJ Styles retained the WWE World Heavyweight title against Shinsuke Nakamura
- Nia Jax won the Raw Women’s title against Alexa Bliss
- Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon beat Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn
- The Undertaker beat John Cena
- The Bludgeon Brothers won the SmackDown Tag Team titles against the Usos and New Day
- Ronda Rousey and Kurt Angle beat Triple H and Stephanie McMahon
- Jinder Mahal won the United States title against Randy Orton, Rusev and Bobby Roode
- Charlotte retained the SmackDown Women’s title against Asuka
- Seth Rollins won the Intercontinental title against The Miz and Finn Balor
- Naomi won the first WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal
- Cedric Alexander won the vacant Cruiserweight title against Mustafa Ali
- Matt Hardy won the Andre the Giant Battle Royal
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