Finding the confidence to pursue engineering dreams

I've won The Big Bang Competition twice, but what I remember most isn't the awards. It's the confidence they gave me to believe in my ideas and pursue a career in engineering.

My journey started with my design and technology teacher, who encouraged me to explore my interest in making things and enter The Competition.

In 2017, I won the Intermediate Engineering prize with Stackamals, a wooden educational toy I'd developed for my GCSE project. Made from laser-cut layers, children could stack the pieces to create different animals, with a hidden storage compartment inside.

Winning gave me the confidence to take the idea further. I launched Stackamals on Kickstarter and ended up selling it in 21 countries.

The Competition also taught me how to pitch an idea, communicate with different people and believe in what I'd created. At the time, I was torn between filmmaking and design engineering. Winning helped me decide which direction to take.

Finding my confidence again

In 2019, I secured a place to study design engineering at Imperial College London. As part of my A Levels, I developed an electromechanical clock with magnetic hands that appeared to jump around its face as the time changed.

I almost didn't enter the clock into The Big Bang Competition. Thankfully, I changed my mind at the last minute.

In 2020, I was named UK Young Engineer of the Year.

That second win meant an enormous amount to me. It reminded me that my ideas had value and gave me the motivation to keep pushing myself.

From student projects to cutting-edge research

After completing my master's degree at Imperial, I became a research assistant, working on a project inspired by something I love: hiking in the mountains. We were developing robotic feet based on how mountain goats navigate steep, rocky terrain.

I later joined my brother as a founding engineer at Staxel, a start-up developing robotic retail systems. In 2025, I returned to Imperial to begin a PhD.

My research explores how animals climb so effectively in alpine environments and whether we can apply those principles to new technologies.

We're investigating applications ranging from prosthetic legs and improved traction to equipment that could help people working in disaster response or environmental monitoring. We're also exploring the potential for planetary exploration.

It's exciting to combine my passion for the outdoors with engineering and the possibility of making a real difference.

Passing on the encouragement

One of the most rewarding parts of my journey has been helping other young people develop their own confidence.

I've taught students through my PhD, helped young people learn practical skills such as 3D printing and soldering, and supported aspiring engineers worldwide.

I've also spoken to students about design engineering at the school my former teacher now works at, to say thank you for her early encouragement.

I know how much that encouragement matters. Without it, I might never have entered The Big Bang Competition.

Both wins gave me the confidence and motivation to take the next step. They also introduced me to industry professionals and other young people who shared my enthusiasm for creating things.

My advice to anyone who loves building, designing or solving problems is to explore engineering. There are so many different careers, and you can shape what you do around your own interests.

And most importantly, you can have an enormous amount of fun along the way.

Find out more about The Big Bang Competition