An app designed to help people manage allergies has taken out the top prize at the 2026 Generation Innovation Challenge.
The announcement caps months of mentoring, research, business planning and pitching for a cohort of young entrepreneurs.
Julia Rejman was crowned the winner at Pitch Night on September 2, after three finalists took to the stage to deliver their final pitches and showcase everything they had developed throughout the challenge.
Her venture, Allergy Arc, is designed to give people greater confidence managing allergies wherever they are. Julia’s app brings together allergy and medication information, trigger and reaction tracking, emergency functionality and tools to help others recognise and respond safely to an allergic reaction.
Zeke Pari was named a runner-up for MESR: a venture aiming to transform how public infrastructure is inspected. His concept uses vision-based technology to scan infrastructure and identify and analyse defects, helping to automate a traditionally manual process.
Christian Fernando also was named a runner-up for InvestiGate: a gamified financial education app designed to help Secondary students learn how to invest and develop sustainable financial habits. His concept combines curriculum-aligned learning with an engaging experience focused on preparing young people for life beyond school.
The finalists pitched to a judging panel including Youi CEO Nat Simpson, Regional Development Australia Moreton Bay and Sunshine Coast CEO Paul Fisher and representatives from BeWell Brands and Jetts Fitness, Walker Corp and Sunshine Coast Council.
The Spirit of GI Award was presented to Amaia Van Zuydam, Ozzy Clarke and Sebastian Roach for embodying the values and spirit of Generation Innovation throughout the challenge.
