Doshi, 17, a Grade 12 student at The Woodlands School, and his teammates won two awards - Best Application of Theme and Best Website award at the prestigious 2007 RBC Shad Entrepreneurship Cup.
More than 600 students from across the country participated in the competition, which included conceptualizing and designing an environmentally-friendly product, then crafting a prototype and business plan for it.
Doshi's team designed Shower Drops, a dissolvable gel bead, made up of gelatine and glycerine, which holds shampoo and conditioner inside. The gel casing softens and disintegrates within 10 seconds when it comes in contact with water, thereby eliminating the need for plastic containers.
Doshi attended the Shad Valley Program, a summer program for gifted high school children that is held across 11 university campuses in the country. Doshi attended the University of British Columbia (UBC) in the summer, and the competition was part of the program.
“While doing our brainstorming and looking for potential problems, we found in hotels, the shampoo and conditioners that come in plastic bottles are thrown in the garbage after one use,” Doshi explained. “The plastic bottle then goes to landfill. The Shower Drops completely eliminates this problem.”
Doshi explains the prototype of the product was just one of the challenges. The team had to present the idea as if it were a plan for a business. He said the team was able to produce the gel in just one colour given the time frame.
“We had to present the final product along with the business plan to a panel comprising of UBC professors and businessmen,” he said. “Aesthetically, the gel could have been better. We just didn't have time to experiment with more colours.”
Shower Drops wowed the judges and the team was invited to participate in the nationals.
The team received $500 to refine their product and tweak up their plan and create a website for the product.
Doshi stepped up to the plate after other members of his team admitted they had no idea on how to create a website from scratch, and put his technical ability to use. The team won the gold medal in the Best Website Category.
The young gifted student said he enjoyed the opportunity to experience first hand the thrill of writing a business plan and all other aspects that went along with it, since he plans to pursue a career in business and finance.
“On a personal note, I made friends,” he said. “But, what I took away from the entire stint was to experience how the university life works. Aside from the project part, we were taking lectures from university professors and doing workshops. I got a good taste of university life and I liked it.”
For more information on the product www.mist.fw.nu.
