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International Exchange Student Takes Out Co-Lab Social Enterprise Pitch Award with Groundbreaking Accessibility Innovation

Following rigorous evaluation and voting by our distinguished panel of ACU judges, Co-Lab is absolutely thrilled to announce Hannah Sophia Lukas as the winner of the $1,000 prize for the ACU Co-Lab Social Enterprise Pitch Award 2025.

Hannah's revolutionary idea, Tramquility, is set to transform public transport accessibility by creating calmer, more inclusive experiences specifically designed for neurodivergent individuals. This innovative concept addresses a critical gap in urban design – sensory accessibility – that significantly impacts participation and wellbeing for countless commuters.

Tramquility tackles the overwhelming sensory challenges many faces in crowded public transport environments. By focusing on practical design solutions and awareness strategies, the initiative aims to make daily journeys more manageable for people with sensory sensitivities, ultimately creating more inclusive communities for everyone.

The concept emerged from Hannah's personal experiences combined with her academic expertise, proving that the most powerful innovations often stem from lived experience meeting scholarly insight.

Hannah Sophia Lukas, psychology master's student bringing international perspective to ACU Melbourne.

Hannah is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Psychology in Germany and is spending an exchange semester at ACU's Melbourne campus, where she developed Tramquility through the Big Ideas: Social Enterprise and Innovation course.

"I've never seen myself as someone who naturally belongs in the world of pitching or business, but working on this idea showed me that it's absolutely possible to think about social change not just in theory, but in terms of actionable design. This award has encouraged me to explore this field further and made me realize how relevant these skills could be for my future career."

"The recognition from ACU Co-Lab validates that accessibility innovations like Tramquility can make a real difference. For me, certain everyday situations like taking a crowded tram during peak hours can feel overwhelming – that personal experience, combined with my studies, sparked this idea about making public environments more inclusive for everyone."

View Hannah's pitch video here

The Co-Lab team was exceptionally impressed by the innovative range of solutions from our talented student entrepreneurs who stepped up to the Social Enterprise Pitch Award challenge.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all participants for their dedication, creativity, and the time invested in researching and crafting their compelling pitch videos. The positive social impact underlying each proposed solution continues to inspire and energize our mission.

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