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MBA pair win major Microsoft award

Published

Akshat Saraf and Jorge Garduño scooped the $50,000 second prize at the World Championship final of the Microsoft Imagine Cup.

MBA classmates, Akshat Saraf and Jorge Garduño last week flew to Seattle to the World Championship final of the Microsoft Imagine Cup with their innovative AI startup JRE – and scooped the $50,000 second prize. 

The Microsoft Imagine Cup is a global competition that encourages students to create AI-based solutions to real-world challenges. More than 1,500 teams entered, and the MBA team JRE were delighted with their podium finish.

Akshat Saraf said: ‘Participating in the Microsoft Imagine Cup has been transformative, providing invaluable experience, exposure, and the esteemed Microsoft endorsement. Beyond the $50,000 prize, it empowered us to turn our technology into a viable business poised to revolutionise the steel industry, balancing commercial success with sustainability.’

He added: ‘We are humbled and deeply thankful for this opportunity, hoping to use it as a launchpad to further success. This achievement reflects our dedication to our motto: People, Planet, Profit.’ 

The winners in Seattle

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Jorge Garduño López Guerrero maintained: ‘Showcasing our technology at Microsoft’s largest stage is a paramount achievement because we are drawing attention to the transformative power that AI can have in the manufacturing industry. 

‘We chose to work on this industry because it is hard, and the experiences around this competition gave us the clarity to bridge technology, sustainability, and entrepreneurship. As Imagine Cup finalists, we had access to a wealth of conversations and mentorships opportunities that will allow us to be more resolute in pursuing our mission.’

Kathy Harvey, Associate Dean for MBA and Executive Degrees, added that 'Akshat and Jorge 'embody what it means to be an Oxford MBA student - ambitious, innovative, and a force for good'.

JRE is an AI-powered hardware-software system the size of a can of drink which can detect anomalies in the steel manufacturing processes and which Akshat and Jorge believe has the potential to eliminate all steel waste and reprocessing costs from the industry, while increasing profits by at least 1M per facility per year. 
 
Akshat and Jorge believe it could save:

  • More than 30 billion litres of water 
  • Over a million tons of coal from being burnt 
  • Enough electricity to power the New York City skyline for more than two months, every year. 

Jorge co-founded JRE in Mexico with Eli Cuellar and developed the concept and AI technology behind their product, before partnering with Akshat after meeting at the School. They have recently set up an on-site test at a steel plant in India and are soon to have one in Japan.