18-year-old Abu Dhabi expat wins KT+150 grand prize for self-charging power bank pitch

A university student who designed a self-charging power bank was crowned the winner of the inaugural KT+ 150 List Makers Elevator Pitch competition. Dhana Abdul Fathah, a second-year student at the American University of Sharjah, won the top prize of Dh250,000 worth of Khaleej Times media coverage and 250,000 Skywards Miles from Emirates.

“I almost didn’t enter the competition because I was in the middle of my exams,” the elated 18-year-old Indian expat Dhana told Khaleej Times after receiving her prize for her idea of a power bank that charges with the energy of movement and light.

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“I had this idea in my mind for a while, but I didn’t have anything concrete. When I heard about the competition, I conceived the idea for the video, shot it, edited and uploaded it in just four hours. I actually clicked and submitted my entry on the last day just minutes before midnight.”

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The elevator pitch competition invited startups to submit their ideas for a chance to win Dh250,000 worth of media coverage across all KT platforms. According to Chief content Officer Ted Kemp, there were over 20 entries and judges carefully sifted through them to pick the winner. 

The idea

Dhana said the idea for the battery came from her own studies. The student of environmental science and sustainability said she has been researching about the idea of the battery for several months. 

“It is a self-charging power bank that is equipped with tiny micro-energy chips that uses movement, light, and energy around you,” she said. “No external charging is required. I'm currently doing research about the technology that goes into it.”

She estimated that the research and development will take her at least a year. “It will probably take a year or so to develop, test it, have a prototype ready and pitch it to investors,” she said. “It's going to be a long process, but I think eventually, by the time I graduate, I can have a startup that I can step into.”

Dhana also works remotely as an ambassador for Abu Dhabi-based Middle East Business Alliance for Sustainability. Born and raised in Abu Dhabi, the student said that her biggest challenge will be finding investors for her project and scaling it up. “There's a lot of questions and uncertainties, but I feel like I can eventually work it out and create something amazing,” the Kerala expat said.

Finalists

Dhana’s project was one of three shortlisted for the finals. One was a project by university student Joanna, who pitched the ideas of building a zero-waste circular economy farm café. She envisioned an eatery where every aspect regenerated itself. The scraps of the café would be turned into compost, which would in turn grow produce.

The other finalist was magician Drummond Money-Coutts who hoped to set up his own magic academy in Dubai. Titled Magination, he said learning of magic would lead to a radical shift in mindset. 

Nasreen Abdulla

nasreen@khaleejtimes.com

Nasreen Abdulla is a Special Correspondent covering food, tech and human interest stories. When not challenged by deadlines, you’ll find her pulling off submissions on the jiu jitsu mats.