The competition, launched by the Royal Academy of Engineering in partnership with Dragons’ Den investor Deborah Meaden, asked entrants to share their ideas for inventions that could help make daily life more sustainable. It encouraged people from all walks of life to release their “inner engineer” and recognise that everyone has the capability to think like an engineer as engineering habits – like problem spotting and creative problem solving – can come from anyone.
Using a menstrual cup can significantly reduce single-use plastic waste associated with sanitary products. In the average lifetime, women and those who menstruate will send two minibuses full of menstrual product waste to landfill, and spend around £5,000 on those products, the equivalent of buying a latte every day for the next 4 years.
Kira Goode (24) and Monica Wai, (24) designed the case, Eleria, (previously known as CupSquared) as a portable, multifunctional menstrual cup cleaner that helps to make adopting the menstrual cup easier and more convenient, especially on the move. They want to make cleaning the cup at public toilets and at home sterilising processes quicker, simpler and more discreet. Eleria is currently a prototype, with Kira and Monica seeking investment to allow them to develop the product further (watch how it works).
Kira and Monica have won the chance to meet Dragons’ Den investor Deborah Meaden and get her advice on their idea, as well as an award from the Royal Academy of Engineering and a mentoring session from its Enterprise Hub – a unique accelerator for engineering entrepreneurs - to take their idea to the next level.
In their entry, Kira, co-founder, said “At University I was trying to find a cheaper and more sustainable period product and I started using a menstrual cup and wondered why more people weren't using it. After conducting research with thousands of people it was clear the main barrier was that women were unsure how to clean and sterilise cups on the move, and it that was really off-putting. We created Eleria to make these products more convenient and save money!”
Eleria has previously secured funding through the University of Bristol and Enterprise Nation, won an award for the best Green Startup, and secured a place on NatWest’s Entrepreneur Accelerator Hub.
Eleria was one of three finalists, including EcoPonics, a customisable vertical farming unit for gardens, invented by Anvith Sujay and Ashwin Madhusudhanan (both 16, Bristol) and Phyto, a hanging pendant light made from 3D printed ‘nuisance’ algae-based bioplastic, invented by Sam Bird Smith (23, London).
The finalist’s inventions were put to a public vote on social media on National Engineering Day earlier this week.
The entries were judged by Dr Rhys Morgan, Strategic Projects Director at the Royal Academy of Engineering and Amrit Chandan, CEO and co-founder of Aceleron, a clean-tech company designing and building sustainable, smarter and safer batteries.
The Everyday Engineering competition was launched to raise awareness of the need for more engineers in the UK in the run up to National Engineering Day, as the UK does not currently have enough engineers to meet its net zero goals. For example, the energy sector needs to fill 400,000 roles by 2050, around 260,000 of which will be newly created. In the housing sector, retrofitting will require the recruitment of 30,000 technicians each year at its peak in 5 to 10 years’ time. This is on top of “business as usual” needs[1]
Polling research commissioned by the Royal Academy of Engineering and released on National Engineering Day shows that misperceptions of engineering, particularly among the younger generation, could be holding people back from considering careers in the profession. For example, the stereotype that engineering roles are better suited to men still prevails, with nearly a fifth (18%) of people holding this view. This misperception is most prominent in younger people, with more than a quarter (28%) of 18-34-year-olds believing engineering jobs are better suited to men, compared to just 10% of over 55s. Similarly, 39% of 18-34-year-olds believe the myth that engineering jobs are mainly based in factories and building sites, compared to just 13% of over 55s.
In response, the Royal Academy of Engineering is busting these myths by showing the nation that everyone has the potential to be an engineer.
Dr Hayaatun Sillem CBE, CEO of the Royal Academy of Engineering, said: “It’s been brilliant to see such innovative and original ideas for sustainable inventions and to have discovered Eleria, the menstrual cup portable cleaning and sterilising case, which will help people to use a menstrual cup on the move, prevent landfill from menstrual products and save money. I’m delighted to see so many people getting into the engineering mindset and coming up with creative solutions to everyday challenges.
“There has never been a more urgent need for engineering expertise to provide practical solutions that will help us to build a more sustainable future. We hope that through National Engineering Day and our This is Engineering Campaign, we can raise awareness of the vital roles that engineers play in society and encourage more young people across the nation to consider this rewarding career path.”
Amrit Chandan, CEO and Co-founder of Acerleron and judge of the Everyday Engineering competition said: “The Eleria menstrual cup portable cleaning and sterilising cup is a great example of invention which seems so obvious when it is created, solving real world problems. I could see this having a huge impact on both women and those who menstruate, and the environment, especially for those in developing markets where access to disposable sanitary product can be a huge challenge. Well done team Eleria!"
Notes for editors
About the Everyday Engineering competition finalists
1. Eleria’s Menstrual Cup Portable Cleaning and Sterilising Case
Invented by Kira Goode (24, Bristol) and Monica Wai (24, Bristol)Eleria is a portable cleaning and sterilising case suitable for all size A menstrual cups, making the public toilet cleaning and at home sterilising processes quicker, simpler and more discreet.
In the average menstruator’s lifetime, the person will send two minibuses full of menstrual product waste to landfill, and spend around £5,000 on those products, the equivalent of buying a latte every day for the next four years.
2. EcoPonics
A customisable vertical farming unit for gardens, invented by Anvith Sujay (16, Bristol)Each 0.5m cubic unit, or 'cell' has space for multiple plants and contains a pink LED light, allowing for the fastest rate of photosynthesis, and a piping system to allow the water to easily be changed, as the cells use hydroponics. EcoPonics saves space in gardens, allowing more plants to be grown per area and more efficiently, without the need for fertilisers.
3. Phyto
A hanging pendant light made from 3D printed algae-based bioplastic, invented by Sam Bird Smith (23, London)The Phyto Light is made from nuisance algae, which when allowed to spread out of control, can damage surrounding marine life. This algae is extracted from the water before being dried and processed into bioplastic. The clean water is then pumped back into the source, restoring life to the area. This process not only creates a new, sustainable material, but also protects marine life and provides local areas with clean water.
About The Royal Academy of Engineering
The Royal Academy of Engineering is harnessing the power of engineering to build a sustainable society and an inclusive economy that works for everyone.In collaboration with our Fellows and partners, we’re growing talent and developing skills for the future, driving innovation and building global partnerships, and influencing policy and engaging the public.Together we’re working to tackle the greatest challenges of our age.
About National Engineering Day
National Engineering Day (formerly This is Engineering Day) aims to make the UK’s engineers and engineering more visible and celebrate how they improve everyday lives and shape the world around us. This year, National Engineering Day was celebrated on 1 November and the theme explored how we can engineer a more sustainable everyday.Engineering expertise is central to achieving the UK’s Net Zero goals and creating a more sustainable future for both people and planet. But for this to be possible, more engineers are needed. To inspire young people to consider a career in engineering, we must change its perception by amplifying the diverse contribution engineers make to creating a more sustainable everyday.
References
Research conducted with 2,000 adults by Opinium between 13 and 17 October.[1] https://www.engineeringuk.com/media/318694/net-zero-workforce_engineeringuk_2022-11-29-no-idric.pdf