LED Plates announced as 2021 Generation Innovation challenge winners…

We’re super proud and very pleased to announce that LED Plates have taken out their second big Sunshine Coast innovation award, the 2021 Generation Innovation Challenge. The challenge is open to 15-25 year olds on the Sunshine Coast. Out of the 3 finalists, 4 of the young entrepreneurs were 15 when they began the challenge.  

Josiah Monos, Charlie Bidgood and Arno Men’s started their project in The DeLorean Project at the beginning of the year and have been an incredible team to watch. They have played to their strengths and together they have built a feasible product and business. This is one of those products that you wonder why it hasn’t been done before. And then you find yourself saying “I would absolutely buy one of these”.  

At the Generation Innovation finals on Wednesday night the team showed their first class pitch video and then engaged in a 7 minute Q&A with a judging panel of reputable Sunshine Coast business owners and CEOs. It was very impressive to see how well they knew their business and to think, in just 3 years, targeting just 1% of the market, they forecast $2 million in revenue. (I’m thinking shares in LED Plates would make welcome Christmas gifts for their teachers this year ;).

The prize for these guys is $5000 cash and $10000 in-kind services, including legal, accounting, marketing and branding, and media packages and an induction to the Sunshine Coast Business Community. With this prize the team can move forward in creating a patent and working with government and lawyers to ensure LED Plates meet Australian Design Rules (as advised in their recent correspondence with the Hon. Barnaby Joyce).

LED Plates is an excellent example of what can be achieved by young people if given the chance; if given the opportunity to Think, Create and Share. At GCC, our students have this unique opportunity and develop essential skills while they do this. As The DeLorean Project heads into its 7th year, the quality of the projects and the positive impact to society, just keeps growing. LED Plates will no doubt inspire younger students to believe that they can turn ideas into reality!  

Congratulations Charlie, Josiah and Arno and good luck as you continue with this venture. We can’t wait to see LED Plates illuminate the future of safer roads.