ULM students win DevDays ClimateTech Challenge with AI carbon management tool

BATON ROUGE, La. (KTVE/KARD) — Nexus Louisiana has announced Carbon Horizon, a student team from the University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM), as the winner of the DevDays ClimateTech Challenge. The event was held in partnership with Future Use of Energy in Louisiana (FUEL) and Baker Hughes.

The competition brought together 30 students across 11 finalist teams from ULM, Grambling State University, LSU, and the University of New Orleans to address one of Louisiana’s most urgent industry challenges: carbon management.

Developed by ULM students Cecil Pradhan, Jeevan Parajuli, Sujal Thapa, and Prasanna Kumar Jha, Carbon Horizon is an AI-powered web application designed to manage every stage of Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) operations. The platform centralizes carbon data, automates compliance, and uses GPT-4.0 and custom AI models for anomaly detection, operational efficiency, and data-driven decision-making.

The application supports both automated and manual data uploads and serves as a collaborative hub for companies, universities, and industry partners. Its public dashboard visualizes verified carbon performance data to promote transparency and accountability.

“It seemed daunting because we didn’t know much about climate tech or carbon capture—we’re computer science students,” said Pradhan. “But we took on this challenge, and I’m really proud of myself, my team, and everyone who supported us.”

“Carbon Horizon embodies what DevDays was designed to inspire—Louisiana-based technology developed by Louisiana-based engineers,” said Tony Zanders, president and CEO of Nexus Louisiana.

Pradhan, who previously competed in the Nexus Technology Cup, said the experience motivated him to return stronger. “It lit a fire inside of me,” he said. “It made me feel like an athlete—not for sports, but for tech.”

The DevDays ClimateTech Challenge is the first in a series of statewide innovation competitions connecting Louisiana’s top talent with real-world industry problems. The next DevDay, in partnership with Ochsner Health, will take place on November 14, 2025, and focus on sports medicine, ACL injury prevention, and treatment.