An innovative platform tackling misinformation online has been shortlisted for a prestigious national award.
Aleta Index is an AI-powered platform helping people and organisations make sense of today’s overwhelming flow of news, social media and information.
Its developers, London-based engineering graduates Anna Tsiganchuk, 40, and Xiaoqin Jamie Zhao, 28, say it the innovation goes beyond fact-checking, looking deeper to analyse language, tone and patterns of reporting over time to reveal true credibility and the intent behind the words.
By exposing hidden bias, misinformation, or narrative manipulation, Aleta Index provides a source ‘credibility index’ for each piece of information.
The duo won a prize for their innovation in Imperial College London’s WE Innovate enterprise competition, with prizes provided by business education charity ESBF. Now, they’ll compete against nine other talented teams from across the UK in ESBF’s Champion of Champions Competition.
Anna said: “The idea for Aleta Index was inspired by recent world events that showed how misinformation can distort reality, fuel distrust in reliable sources, and even destabilise economies. In 2024, the World Economic Forum named misinformation the world’s number one global risk,
highlighting the scale of the problem in an election year. The cost is not only social but also economic: false narratives are estimated to cause $78 billion in annual losses worldwide.
“Advances in generative AI make this challenge even greater. A few years ago, you could spot a manipulated image or video. Today, entire facts, sources, and narratives can be fabricated convincingly. Traditional fact-checking approaches are no longer enough.”
The Champion of Champions grand final will take place at the Royal Academy of Engineering on Friday 7 November, where the pair will compete for a share of the £17,000 prize pot, providing vital seed money to help winners develop their innovation.
Winners will also receive mentoring from business leaders who are members of the Sainsbury Management Fellows network, plus CV packages from PurpleCV and entrepreneurial books from sponsors.
The event, hosted by TV presenter and engineer Rob Bell, is the culmination of a year of ESBF-sponsored enterprise competitions held across UK universities, with thousands of undergraduate and graduates taking part.
Each year, ESBF champions business education for engineers and supports universities by giving them grants to award prizes to engineering and science students who develop ideas that can make a positive impact on society.
On being shortlisted for the grand final, Anna said: “Being part of the Champion of Champions Competition is important to me because it represents the chance to take part in something greater than myself, joining a cohort of talented innovators who are shaping the future. It’s an opportunity to learn from other groundbreaking ideas, exchange perspectives, and be part of a group of future leaders who will drive positive change.
“Engineering gives you the tools to design and build, but without business skills those ideas often stay on the shelf. To turn innovation into real-world impact, student and graduate engineers need to understand how to frame a value proposition, navigate funding, engage with users, and manage resources. Business skills don’t replace technical depth – they amplify it.”
Nadia Ahrazem, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Manager at Imperial College London, said: “We are incredibly proud to see Anna and Jamie’s Aleta Index recognised on the national stage through the 2025 Champion of Champions Competition. Their innovation exemplifies the impact that entrepreneurial engineers can have in tackling society’s most urgent challenges. Supporting ventures like Aleta Index through Imperial College London’s WE Innovate is central to our mission to empower the next generation of changemakers.”
