Direção de Transferência de Tecnologia do IST (TT)

The 5th edition of the Vodafone Merit Award in Mobile Networks and Internet of Things took place on June 16 at the North Tower of Instituto Superior Técnico’s Alameda campus. Promoted in partnership with Vodafone, the initiative challenges Técnico students to develop solutions that serve society. The award recognises the best project developed within the Mobile Networks and Internet of Things course unit, taught by the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (DEEC).

The Smart Cooling team – composed of students Ana Sofia Abreu Mendes and Carolina Silva Arruda – was awarded the prize, which included a financial incentive of €1800. Their proposal presented a solution for remote water quality monitoring in aquaculture tanks, focusing on measuring temperature and turbidity through a low-cost, energy-efficient automated system designed to be simple, effective, and adaptable to various operational contexts.

This edition featured five finalist groups, who presented their projects to a jury composed of Técnico faculty and Vodafone representatives, in a pitch format: 10 minutes followed by a Q&A session.

In addition to the winning group, four other finalist projects were presented: CliniScope, Realtime Energy Monitoring and Feedback, Drone Sense, and Track&Check.

While the jury deliberated on the winning project, participation certificates were handed out to all finalist students, in recognition of the dedication and quality of the proposals developed over seven weeks.

Following the announcement of the winning project, the Smart Cooling creators expressed their gratitude for the support received throughout the course unit, acknowledging the valuable guidance provided by the professors, which helped improve both the project and its presentation. They also praised Vodafone’s initiative, stressing the importance of such opportunities in giving visibility to students’ work during their academic journey.

Técnico President Rogério Colaço highlighted the importance of a dynamic relationship between academia and industry, which is essential to preparing professionals capable of keeping pace with rapid technological change. Emphasising the impact of the School’s students and alumni, he stated:
“I am convinced that Técnico’s alumni are revolutionising engineering in Portugal and Europe. Initiatives like this one show how our students approach problems, propose solutions, and keep up with constantly evolving technologies.”
He also underlined the relevance of collaborating with companies like Vodafone, a member of Técnico’s Partners Network since 2019, which directly contributes to the institution’s strategic mission by bringing education and research closer to the real needs of society and the economy: “Research and science cannot exist without a connection to society,” he stressed.

During the session, Pedro Amaral, Técnico’s Vice-President for Business Interface, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, emphasised the strategic relevance of partnerships with companies like Vodafone, noting that these collaborations expose students to real-world challenges, reward academic merit, and encourage the creation of impactful technological solutions — many with immediate practical application, including potential implementation on Técnico’s own campus.

Representing Vodafone, Rui Gomes praised the quality of the solutions presented and the potential of the participants:
“I’m always amazed by the gadgets they bring here! I see so much potential in this room and I’m truly happy to see that Técnico continues to produce engineers with a bright future.”

In addition to the merit award given to the winning group, Vodafone also donated €1200 to the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (DEEC) as a contribution toward the continuous improvement of teaching conditions.
At the closing of the ceremony, Sérgio Pequito, member of DEEC’s executive committee, thanked Rui Gomes and the Vodafone team not only for the opportunity given to students to present their work, but also for the financial support, which will help enhance pedagogical resources and foster the development of future innovation projects within the department.

Photo gallery.