Hult Prize at Hokkaido University On-Campus Finals 2022/2023

The series of entrepreneurial events organized by Hult Prize at Hokkaido University culminated in the On-Campus Competition finals on November 26, 2022. Sixteen teams of Hokkaido University students presented their business ideas in front of a panel of international judges and chief guests.

Student competitors, judges, guests, OC members, and volunteers of the Hult Prize at Hokkaido University 2022/2023

Hosted globally by Hult Prize Foundation, the annual Hult Prize Competition challenges students around the world to propose their world-changing business ideas. The On-Campus competition finals at Hokkaido University took place at EZOHUB Sapporo, on November 26, 2022.

45 students from 21 countries made up the 16 teams who pitched their business ideas before 4 judges and 3 chief guests. The judges and chief guests have rooted experience in business and entrepreneurship, including Mekhala Munshi from India, and Motoki Harigaya, Mina Tsuchida and Miho Tanaka from Japan. This year’s theme is “Redesigning Fashion.”

Along with Professor Yoshichika Iida from Hokkaido University and Paola Hintze from Mexico, Carla Osnaya, the Director of Human Resources of Hult Prize, attended the event as chief guests.

“The diversity of the members within a single team—not just the nationalities, but also the mixed levels of education—is very particular to Hokkaido University,” Osnaya commented. “This year’s theme is unique in that the fashion industry consists of many production phases. There are many rooms for sustainable business ideas to grow in this industry to support the realizations of any of the Sustainable Development Goals.”

Carla Osnaya, the Director of Human Resources of Hult Prize, delivering a keynote speech in the finals

After a long day, Team Tikbal was announced as the first prize winner. They received a total of ¥150,000 as a grand prize for their business seed capital and immediately qualified for the Summit. They also received 3 months of expert consultation and travel support for the next phase of the competition. Winners of the Summit will proceed to the Global Semi Finals to be held in 14 cities across the globe and might as well proceed to the Global Accelerator and Global Finals in Paris, France.

Luis Pablo Yon Secaida (Graduate School of Engineering) and Ranjani Rajagopal (Graduate School of Science) both had tried in the previous Hult Prize competitions though without success. This year, they won as Team Tikbal whose enterprise idea involves upcycling cotton from second hand clothings, turning them into high-quality fashion products, and incorporating touches from the indigenous people of Guatemala.

“Born and raised in Guatemala, I have personal connections with its indigenous community members who gave big influences in my life,” said Luis. “My academic work is also dedicated to helping one of these communities in Guatemala. Ranjani raised the possibility of expanding this idea to other indigenous communities who are in need, which shaped what is Tikbal now.”

Team Tikbal (kneeling) with the judges and chief guests.

In one part of the event, Gaurab Das Mahapatra (Graduate School of Engineering), Director of Hult Prize at Hokkaido University, presented the progress of the On-Campus program measured by multiple parameters, such as the increasing number of sponsorships and participants compared to last year.

“I am happy with this massive self-improvement. These numbers will always have to be improved in the upcoming years. Thank you for supporting us. We would like to be the next big thing in Sapporo,” said Gaurab. He also announced that Kuriko Kawate (Faculty of Humanities and Human Sciences), the Deputy Campus Director, will assume the chair of campus director next year.

Gaurab Das Mahapatra (left) and Kuriko Kawate (right) during a deliberation session in the finals

The grand finale was preceded by 4 seminars, 2 workshops, 2 bootcamps, and 16 promotional events. Also announced at the finals are community engagement events to be organized by the committee of Hokkaido University’s Hult Prize.

Hult Prize at Hokkaido University’s official website

Written by Aprilia Agatha Gunawan