That’s a Wrap: Innovation, Impact & 34 Metres of Sandwiches at the Sustainability and Innovation Challenge

Hackathons like the UQ Innovation and Entrepreneurship Society (UQIES), UQ Ventures Sustainability and Innovation Challenge (SIC) are high-energy, fast-paced experiences where creativity meets purpose. And this year's edition—powered by the incredible support of Seqwater—was no exception.

As the first hackathon of the year, the SIC Hackathon kicked off 2025 with an inspiring call to action: solve some of the biggest water challenges facing South East Queensland (SEQ). With over 3.7 million people relying on the SEQ Water Grid, participants were asked to imagine a future where conservation, restoration, and innovation go hand in hand.

More than just a weekend of brainstorming, the event brought together a record-breaking 140 students (our largest to date) across 28 teams—powered by 75 pizzas, 34 metres of Subway sandwiches, and a whole lot of energy—all fuelled by curiosity, caffeine, and a hunger for impact.

Participants spanned disciplines and experience levels: from first-year students to research higher degree candidates, everyone came together to collaborate with industry experts and mentors—and compete for a $10,000 prize pool to bring their ideas to life.

To help teams put their best foot forward, Ventures delivered tailored Pitching and Storytelling, and Design Thinking workshops across the weekend—ensuring students were equipped not just to build solutions, but to communicate them with clarity and impact.

Congratulations to Our Winners

After an intense weekend of ideation, prototyping, and pitching, four teams rose to the top:

1st Place: Moist Meter
An agriculture SaaS platform that integrates with farming equipment to reduce water consumption. Moist Meter gives farmers real-time data and insights to optimise water use, reduce waste, and improve sustainability in the agricultural sector.

2nd Place: Native Roots
A water-efficient turf made from a native species of Australian grass that only needs to be watered once a fortnight. It’s a low-maintenance, eco-friendly solution for sports fields, public spaces, and urban developments.

3rd Place: Ningaloo
A healthy cooking oil made from algae, offering a sustainable alternative to seed and olive oils. Algae oil requires significantly less water to produce, making it a smart solution for eco-conscious consumers and food producers.

Spirit of SIC: DuckMat
Modular biomediation mats made with duckweed, designed to absorb heavy metals and pollutants from waterways. DuckMat’s low-cost, scalable solution is a fresh take on nature-based innovation in environmental restoration.

These teams didn’t just impress with their final pitches—they showcased the power of diverse thinking, rapid problem solving, and genuine passion for creating a better future for our region.

Backed by Seqwater, this event forms part of a broader commitment to innovation and community impact. As a proud sponsor of initiatives like EcoMarines and Farm Angels Queensland, Seqwater is championing the next generation of problem solvers who will shape the future of water management across Australia.

Coming Soon: SIC Hackathon Winner Series

What happens when bold ideas, great teamwork, and a dash of chaos collide?

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing quick interviews with the top teams from the 2025 Sustainability and Innovation Challenge (SIC) Hackathon—giving you a behind-the-scenes look at how they navigated pivots, pressure, and post-it notes to build solutions that could shape our future.

Here’s a sneak peek:

• “We had to completely restructure our idea after mentor feedback... it was a huge pivot, but it paid off.” — Nathan, Moist Meter
• “Turns out moss isn’t very durable… but it helped us land somewhere better.” — Pabina, Native Roots
• “Realising my Canva skills weren’t going to cut it—that was my real ‘uh oh’ moment.” — Rowan, Ningaloo

From water-saving turf and smarter agriculture tools to algae oil and duckweed-powered cleanups, these students delivered big on the weekend—and we can’t wait to share their stories.

What’s next? 

The 2025 SIC Hackathon was a showcase of what’s possible when creativity meets community. Congratulations to all who took part—you’ve proven once again that bold ideas and a collaborative spirit can shape a more sustainable future.

Keen to be part of the next one? Ventures Hackathon EOI