The new face of innovation bringing their brilliant business idea to life

A husband and wife team who designed an online program to improve pelvic health have won the 2017 Peter Farrell Cup.

The $15,000 prize was awarded to The Pelvic Expert founders AGSM MBA student Nabeil Allam, and his wife Heba Shaheed (a physiotherapist).

The Cup celebrates entrepreneurial students, giving them practical skills, industry mentors – and, for the lucky few, prize money to make their dreams of innovation a reality by kick-starting their business ideas.

Other prize-winning ideas were -- a new method for de-inking paper for recycling, a portable medication reminder kit to keep track of medication schedules, a filter to stop aimless scrolling on our mobile devices, and a hydropic growing system to speed up plant growth – aimed at medicinal cannabis users.

Ninety-six teams entered this year’s competition, sponsored by ResMed founder Peter Farrell, and run by UNSW Business School’s School of Management.

Ten finalists pitched their business ideas to a judging panel of industry experts, inventors and investors – in front of an audience from the Sydney start-up community, UNSW students and staff.

“Students have many, many innovative ideas and need support to bring those ideas alive,” says Professor Karin Sanders, head of the School of Management.

“Many start-ups fail because they don’t have the management knowledge. These students learn how to think about planning, strategy, how to pitch a good business idea.”

The Pelvic Expert’s online programs are designed to provide research-based programs to help in pregnancy, birth recovery, chronic pelvic pain and other issues.

“There is little accurate, reliable and accessible information on women’s health and pelvic issues,” said Heba, mother of a 7-month-old. “We offer e-health on a gamified platform that you can access anywhere in the world.”