Sydney-based Kanishk Aggarwal has been named one of four national winners of the ACT Bright Future Prize 2025 — taking home the award in the ‘Your Vision’ category.
His win recognises a growing portfolio of innovative hardware projects aimed at improving wellbeing in the healthcare sector.
"Ever since I was a kid, I loved taking things apart, soldering, and figuring out how to improve them,” Kanishk says. “What really inspired me was seeing how sleep — something so essential — is often compromised for older people and those with disabilities.”
A Passion for Purposeful Engineering
Kanishk’s projects blend electronics, entrepreneurship, and empathy — the three “E’s” that have guided his journey so far.
A member of the UNSW Founders community, his hands-on work with UNSW Redback Racing honed his technical and entrepreneurial skills, but it was through his recent ventures into health and wellbeing that he discovered how engineering could make a direct impact on people’s lives.
“The empathy part felt missing,” he explains. “I now fulfill that by actively working in the wellbeing and medical space — helping those who need it most, powered by my burning curiosity for all things engineering.”
Among his standout innovations is the EMDR Mini Kit — Australia’s first of its kind. This device is used by therapists to support patients through bilateral tactile, audio, and visual stimulation during therapy sessions. By helping patients stay distracted while narrating traumatic memories, the device can suppress associated emotional responses and effectively prevent Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) from surfacing.
Kanishk is also working on two projects that caught the attention of the Bright Future Prize judges: a sensor-embedded sheet and a device aimed at reducing anxiety for expectant mothers. Both projects are currently in development, with the support of the Ardonagh Prize expected to help bring them to market.
His approach proves that engineering, when guided by human-centred design and genuine care, can change lives.
What's Next?
With the Bright Future Prize spotlight, Kanishk plans to continue scaling his innovations and collaborating with health professionals to bring more accessible, tech-driven solutions to those who need them most. “Engineering is more than solving problems — it’s about understanding people, listening to their needs, and building things that make life better.”
Founded in 2021, each year, ACT, The Ardonagh Group’s independent charity, searches the globe for aspiring young community leaders – with a prize fund of £40,000 waiting to empower them to take their bright ideas to the next level.
Learn more about the work and impact of ACT
- ardonaghtrust.org
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