Azfar Adib just got some welcome news. The Electrical and Computer Engineering PhD student at Concordia University won Controlio’s latest student scholarship.
Controlio software helps remote teams stay productive. The company picked Azfar based on his 3.78 GPA and a strong application essay. He becomes the third person to receive this award.
Remote tracking tools like the ones Controlio builds sit at the center of how distributed teams measure real work. A short YouTube link shows how those systems operate in practice.
How the selection worked
Controlio gives $2,500 to two university students each year. Selection rests on merit, grades, financial need, community work, and extracurricular efforts.
Applicants need a minimum 3.5 GPA. They can come from technical, IT, marketing, or business programs. Azfar met every mark.
In early 2026 the company announced him as the winner. CEO comments noted his academic record and clear plans for the money.
What Azfar plans to do with the funds
He liked the scholarship’s focus on ambitious students with an entrepreneurial bent. The tech angle fit his work.
First, he wants smart wearables for ongoing research. The rest will support awareness programs on digital identity for the general public. He already runs versions of both projects. The award should push them further.
Azfar said the motto matched his own approach. The extra resources remove some friction that usually slows student research.
Why companies like Controlio fund student work
Remote work tools need fresh thinking. Students sitting in labs often spot edge cases that product teams miss.
Controlio has used the scholarship program three times now. Each round looks for people who already show drive outside pure coursework. Community involvement and real projects count as much as grades.
The company serves more than 2,200 organizations. Keeping a pipeline of sharp technical talent helps long-term product quality. Scholarships form one quiet way to stay close to that pipeline.
The broader pattern in tech scholarships
Many productivity platforms now run small awards like this. They target mid-to-late-stage students rather than first-year applicants. GPA floors stay high. Essays matter more than recommendation letters in several cases.
Azfar’s path shows one clear route. Strong grades plus concrete side projects beat vague statements of interest. Wearable research and digital-identity outreach gave him a practical story the selection team could evaluate.
Students in similar fields can copy the structure. Document the work you already do. Tie it to the company’s domain when you apply. Keep the ask specific.
Practical notes for future applicants
Controlio opens the program to both technical and non-technical majors. Marketing or business students with solid GPAs remain eligible. The minimum stays 3.5.
Application timing sits early in the year. Essays that show how the money will move real work forward tend to stand out. Pure academic plans without next steps score lower.
Financial need still factors in, yet merit carries the heavier weight. Community involvement and extracurriculars tip close decisions.
Azfar’s case also highlights follow-through. He already ran versions of the projects he wants to expand. Selection teams notice that pattern.
What the award means on the ground
$2,500 will not fund an entire research year. It can buy the specific hardware or cover the small costs that stall student projects. For Azfar that means wearables and outreach materials.
The recognition travels further than the cash. A public win from a company that builds remote tracking systems adds weight on a CV. Later grant applications and internship conversations often reference it.
Controlio gains quiet goodwill and early visibility with the next generation of engineers. Both sides leave with something concrete.
Final words
Azfar Adib’s win in 2026 continues a short but consistent program. Controlio software keeps funding students who already show initiative. The combination of grades, essay quality, and real side work remains the filter.
Students watching this round can treat the pattern as a checklist. Keep the GPA solid. Document the projects you already run. Apply when the window opens. The rest follows from there.
