The Ed & Shauna Smith Empower Your Dreams Competition took place at Brigham Young University–Hawaii from April 1 to 2, recognizing students for their innovative solutions to real-world problems. The event, organized by the Willes Center for International Entrepreneurship, invited all students to participate and was structured in three stages that assessed proposals on business model, value, and professionalism.
The competition aimed to mentor students and provide them with tools to address pressing issues through sustainable approaches. Forty finalists were selected from over one hundred participants after the first day, advancing to an awards ceremony where three top winners were chosen.
Norman Uili, a senior majoring in information technology from Samoa, won first place and a $6,000 scholarship for his company Koko Pass. Uili said of his project: “This is the very first one [for my country], so I had to develop a platform for it. I researched, and there are a lot of new regulations in the global market that say most products are required to have full traceability– and that’s what my company is for. It traces every journey of every crop from the farm, all the way to people’s shops.” He added that his inspiration came from family: “What inspired me was my grandfather’s example; he owns a cacao farm back home… When I started thinking about creating this company a year ago, I just wanted to make something useful for my family.”
Second place went to Dolly Delemose and her husband Sebastian Delemose from New Delhi, India. Their project Ek Nai Pehchaan uses artificial intelligence as an educational tool for children who lack access or guidance due to cost barriers. Dolly Delemose said: “We come from a place where so many students are struggling with education… You see others who want to study but there is no guidance because education can be too expensive.” Sebastian Delemose added: “Our purpose is to make education a friend to everyone. This is not an idea; it is a reality of life.”
Third prize was awarded to Chhaya Yadav and her husband Kundan Yadav of India for Dava Seva—a business focused on providing affordable generic medicines in rural West Bengal through walkable distances and doorstep delivery. Chhaya Yadav said: “We already have a store under renovation and are hoping to open three more in the next five years… We want people from our home to know that generic medicines work, and we deserve access to them as well!”
Organizers described the competition as an opportunity where “faith-driven ideas met opportunity”—giving participants practical experience while supporting efforts toward meaningful change.
