Invent for the Planet

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. Student teams develop concepts, prototypes and elevator pitches which are presented to a panel of expert judges. Read about their ideas below.

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 participate.

In 2019 a Swansea team was selected to participate in the Invent for the Planet Grand Final in Texas where they took 3rd place overall.

In 2023, the Swansea team, H2Grow were selected to go to Texas for the Grand Final and came first place in the world. 

H2Grow chose to tackle the 'Clean Drinking Water' issue and were tasked with developing an affordable and easy device that could provide safe drinking water. They 

The team, which comprised Alex Henson from Engineering, Oli Leslie-Golding from Physics, and Engineering exchange students Matthew Coomes and Rachel Simms from Texas A&M University, developed a reverse-osmosis pump which could convert toxic river water into potable water for rural farming communities.