Frederico Correia Cerqueira, currently pursuing a Master’s in Computer Engineering with a specialization in Artificial Intelligence at FCUL, and Manuel Santos, an undergraduate student in Computer Engineering at ISEL, stood out in this year’s edition of the Red Bull Basement Challenge held in Tokyo, Japan.
The team, which also includes Ricardo Oliveira, a fellow student from ISEL, joined the competition after spotting a promotional poster at FCUL. “We didn’t have high expectations initially, but as we progressed through the stages, we began to believe it was possible to win—first nationally and then globally. When we won the national round, we decided to give it our all to present the best version of our project in Tokyo,” shared Frederico Cerqueira.
Although they didn’t take home the grand prize, the experience was described as highly rewarding. “Competitions like Red Bull Basement are incredible opportunities to network with peers who have projects as innovative as ours and to exchange ideas with professionals from big tech companies like. These interactions were invaluable in helping us improve our project,” he added.
Their intense journey in Tokyo included workshops on Business Model Canvas (BMC), Hero Asset, and Pitch preparation, all of which helped them refine their ideas. While only two members could participate directly, Ricardo Oliveira contributed from behind the scenes, offering crucial support to the project.
This achievement not only highlights the students’ talent but also showcases the potential of Ciências ULisboa’s academic community in international innovation and technology competitions.
