At just 21 years old, Angel Pinnock has positioned herself as a force for national change. The University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech) student outshone dozens of competitors on Tuesday at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, walking away with a $1 million grand prize at the UTech/Sagicor Innovation Challenge.
Her winning concept, Flood Sense, is a smart flood prediction and gully management system powered by IoT sensors and real-time analytics. Built to support disaster preparedness, the solution targets one of Jamaica’s most persistent issues—flash flooding caused by clogged drainage systems and illegal dumping.
“Floods aren’t just natural disasters anymore,” Pinnock explained. “They’re often man-made due to negligence and poor waste disposal. My solution is to intervene with technology before lives are lost.”
Backed by data and field research, Flood Sense integrates Gully Guard, a sensor-driven capture system designed to detect rising water levels and prevent garbage from entering drainage networks. The system aims to not only alert agencies in real-time but intercept the problem at its root.
Beyond the prototype, Pinnock’s mission is deeply personal. Her grandfather once owned a small business near a gully that routinely overflowed. “There were nights we thought we’d lose the shop to the floodwaters. That fear stayed with me,” she shared.
Her mother, Tamika Ennis, reflected on the journey with emotion. “She’s been talking about this since high school. We couldn’t afford to develop it back then, but to see her win today—this is her moment.”
This year’s runner-up, Team Blue Print, took home $250,000 for Street Guard—a real-time surveillance tool combining LiDAR and AI to flag suspicious activity and potential hazards. Third-place finishers, Team Jana, were awarded for One Stop Ja, a mobile platform delivering live updates on public transportation to improve commuter efficiency.
According to Sagicor Innovation Lab’s director Ray St Michael Williams, Pinnock’s project is one of several attracting investor interest. “We’re not staging competitions for applause. We’re building pipelines for implementation,” he stated.
As Jamaica battles the rising costs of disaster response—over J$2.5 billion spent on gully clean-up last year alone—projects like Flood Sense offer more than innovation. They offer a chance to rethink national infrastructure.
And Pinnock? She’s not slowing down. “This isn’t just a pitch. It’s the beginning of a movement.”
