NORTHERN Caribbean University (NCU) has again claimed the prize for the National Business Model Competition after one of its teams, JarGro, was yesterday crowned winner of the competition.

Team members Colin Thorpe, David Smith and Craig Campbell walked away with a cheque of $2 million and will be entering the international leg of the competition in Utah, United States, come May.

The University of Technology’s team Feevr was placed second, while NCU’s Vitae came in third. The teams were awarded $1 million and $500,000 respectively, which will be used to assist the teams in converting their business models into reality.

Digital Farms and Genius Software Programs and Electronics shared the fourth place prize of $200,000.

JarGro plans on making agricultural production easier for many home garden consumers. The entrepreneurs have designed a smart appliance to support the production of foods for individuals in the urban communities. The appliance uses natural LED plant light, a built-in irrigation system (aeroponics) which uses 98 per cent less water and 70 per cent less fertiliser and various sensors which enable it to produce.

The system replicates the natural way plants grow, thus providing all the attributes for the plant to thrive, and is built around a minimalistic concept that enables it to fit in one kitchen.

“We saw that the country’s industrial system is failing and decided to tackle that need,” chief executive officer of JarGro, David Smith, told the Jamaica Observer. “So we are trying to turn consumers into effortless producers growing their own foods.”

The young entrepreneurs also saw the need to produce less genetically modified foods (GMO) which have resulted in increased food allergies, among other diseases, over the years.

Last year, NCU’s team Herboo was crowned winner of the NBMC. In the international leg of the competition it was awarded the best international team and placed eighth out of 42 teams in Utah.

The NBMC is specially designed to encourage and promote the creative and innovative thinking of local

students, facilitates entrepreneurial skills and enhances collaboration and communication between private sector stakeholders and education. The competition hopes to cultivate the establishment of more creative enterprises, and promote innovative businesses in Jamaica.

“We will be taking the international level of the competition head-on and we will ensure that everyone gets a taste of some good organic food,” Smith stated.