Qld Year 9 students’ design may revolutionise shark nets

Three year nine boys’ innovative shark net prototype has seen them take out a national entrepreneurship award.

Three Queensland students have an ambitious plan to revolutionise shark nets with a prototype that has already crowned them winners of a national entrepreneurship program.

St Andrew’s Anglican College year 9 students – Kiavesh Pulo, Ethan Bland and Byron Page – have developed Aquashield using an innovative design that uses magnets, similar to those used in personal shark repellents on the market, that will interfere with the sharks’ senses and move it on.

After researching and building their prototype, the teenagers developed a business plan and pitched the idea alongside teams from more than 40 schools in the Future Anything’s Activate entrepreneurship program.

St Andrews College Year 9 students Ethan Bland, Kiavesh Pulo and Byron Page. Picture: Lachie Millard

The invention and their business plan saw them win the national final of the program.

“We’re going to do a fair amount of work during the holidays, and hopefully install this product in Australia and eventually the world,” Kiavesh said.  

“We are also hoping to expand our market in order to be as successful as possible, but in summary, we are hoping that Aquashield will be a fully functioning business that will help the environment and improve safety standards to a whole new level.”