The 2021 winners of London Met’s annual Big Idea Challenge were announced at our much-anticipated live online awards night on Thursday 27 May.

Throughout the evening we celebrated some of London Met’s most entrepreneurial, creative and socially minded students and graduates, from all areas of the university who entered in 2021. But as with the nature of competition, there can only be one grand champion winner who secures themselves a coveted spot in our Big Idea Challenge Hall of Fame.

We’re pleased to announce that our 2021 Big Idea Challenge Grand Champion went to Sian Stephens with Hear Me Out, a new accessible and inclusive app that will allow the deaf community, hard of hearing individuals and people with cochlear implants to have a place in which they can go to in order to meet and connect with similar people.

The well-deserved overall win went to Sian after her idea was unanimously selected from the five category winners chosen by our industry expert panel of judges, including Ashley Shipman, Georgina Mackey, Jacob Thundil MBE, Justice Williams MBE and Tara Mae.

For the first time in Big Idea history, as well as winning the Community category and Grand Champion awards, Sian also scooped the People’s Choice award after securing over 1,000 unique public votes.

While describing her recent win Sian said, “I signed up with an idea that I’ve had for such a long time and to be able to see that people believed in my idea is just heart-warming. For a long time, I’ve wanted to create this app and now I feel that taking part in the Big Idea Challenge has helped me prepare to make it a reality. I’m now finally able to make my idea come to life and help the deaf community.”

“There’s no other words I can use to describe how it feels but I’m just thankful for the support that everyone has shared and those who helped me during my pitches. I’m very happy and I am looking forward to my app helping so many deaf people like myself”

We’d like to say a massive congratulations to all of our 2021 Big Idea Challenge winners. Thank you to everyone who tuned into the awards night (which is available to re-watch now) and entered this year’s competition. We’d also like to thank our competition partners NatWest and Lucidica for helping us make London Met’s 2021 Big Idea Challenge and Schools and College competition our biggest yet!

The Big Idea Challenge university winners from each category are…

Creative: African Opera – Agnes Fouda
Climate & Environment: LAMS – Dion Mariyanayagam & Monika Rabka
Digital & Tech: Open Art – Robin Simpson
Consumer Products: 5 Hills – Diana Sanchez
Community: Hear Me Out – Sian Stephens
People’s Choice: Hear Me Out – Sian Stephens
Grand Champion: Hear Me Out – Sian Stephens

Interested in taking in London Met’s 2022 Big Idea Challenge? Register your interest to find out more.

Big Idea Schools and Colleges

Most Creative Pitch: Bodged – New City College Hackney
Runner Up: Supply Stop – Brooklands College
Runner Up: Go Mobility – St Charles Sixth Form College
The People’s Choice Award: Fitness Reviver – NewVIc
Grand Champion: Cancer Care – New City College Epping Forest

Interested in taking in the 2022 Schools and College Big Idea Competition? Register your interest to find out more.