Nazarbayev University team won at the Smart Scooter International Competition in Barcelona
This past week the international Castelloli Smart Scooter Challenge competition was held in a picturesque corner of Spain. Students from different countries had a chance to participate with their self-made scooters on the racing track Parkmotor de Castelloli. Previously we reported about the NU TEAM’s work on the SteelG based on the Nazarbayev University’s Innovation Cluster. The team consists of two second year students from the School of Engineering and Digital Sciences Yersultan Baymukhan and Maksat Anuarbek, a graduate from the School of Science and Technology Sultanmurat Yeleu, and a second year student from the School of Sciences and Humanities Akmaral Kalmanbayeva.
The electric scooter was built to model the technical specifications of the world’s largest manufacturers. The SteelG also has a folding design, and uses an application called SmartApp to monitor speed and battery charge, and serve as an electronic key to start the engine, which significantly reduces the risk of theft.
After the scooter successfully passed all static tests – moisture protection in conditions of pelting rain, brake system, pilot safety, and mass-dimensional characteristics – it then went for dynamic testing. Sultanmurat, the team member who developed of a mobile application also served as one of the pilots. He trained on an artificial track at the university, and then on the Castelloli track the day before the race, which was essential for the team’s successful completion of the race.
The Castelloli Smart Scooter Challenge, not only included showing off the engineering of the scooter, but also the presentation of a marketing business plan. Akmaral analyzed the Kazakhstani market from top to bottom and, the competition’s judges decided that the NU TEAM’s business plan was the most elaborate and likely to be successfully implemented.
Not every team in attendance met the completion’s preliminary round requirements to progress to the finals. The NU TEAM’s SteelG is an amazing accomplishment and they proudly won the competition in all categories: static, dynamic, business plan, design, and final engineering design report.
In the near future, the team plans to commercialize the project and take part in the four-month program of the business incubator of Nazarbayev University’s Innovation Cluster whose aim is to support early stage high-tech startups. The students will receive coworking office space, access to experienced mentors, technical support for further development and master the basics of business education.
Contacts for the media: 8 (7172) 70-92-99 (66-43), email: pr.nuris@old.nu.edu.kz, website: nuris.nu.edu.kz