Huawei’s Tech4City competition has concluded its third year, empowering young innovators to use artificial intelligence for social good in Singapore. The finals on October 11 highlighted projects focused on inclusivity and sustainability, directly supporting Singapore’s Smart Nation 2.0 vision. This initiative provides a crucial platform for students and professionals to develop tangible solutions for pressing community challenges, ensuring technology benefits everyone.
Fostering Innovation for an Inclusive Smart Nation
The competition serves as a vital bridge between young talent and the nation’s technological ambitions. During the finals, Senior Minister of State Tan Kiat How emphasized the core mission of this movement. “We must be a Smart Nation that leaves no one behind,” he stated, highlighting the need for technology to create unity alongside growth.
This year’s event attracted immense interest, with over 340 participants submitting more than 70 unique proposals. Each project was carefully evaluated based on its research depth, innovation, social value, and feasibility. Five finalist teams received technical training, mentorship, and funding to develop their concepts further, showcasing the competition’s commitment to nurturing ideas from start to finish.
Top Honors for AI Solutions Targeting Seniors
Many of the standout innovations focused on improving the lives of Singapore’s aging population, a key demographic in the nation’s social planning.
Team Golden Gamers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) won the grand prize of $20,000. Their project, PrimePlay, is an AI-powered exercise system designed specifically for seniors. It offers personalized workout recommendations and progress tracking to make staying active fun and effective. Built on Huawei Cloud, the system intelligently adapts to the physical capabilities of each user.
The first runner-up, Team Node, also focused on seniors, winning $12,000 for their community engagement app. Their solution uses augmented reality (AR) to create personalized adventures, encouraging social interaction and activity among older adults.
| Team Name | Prize | Innovation |
|---|---|---|
| Golden Gamers | $20,000 (Grand Prize) | PrimePlay: AI-powered exercise system for seniors. |
| Team Node | $12,000 (1st Runner-Up) | AR app to promote community engagement for seniors. |
| BinaCloud | $11,000 (2nd Runner-Up + Special Award) | AI solution to improve public transport accessibility. |
Broadening the Scope of Social Good
Beyond elder care, the competition recognized innovations aimed at other critical areas of society, proving the versatility of AI in creating a more inclusive environment.
Team BinaCloud secured the second runner-up position, earning $8,000 for their project to enhance public transport for people with mobility challenges. Their AI system helps identify individuals who may struggle with infrastructure. The team also won an additional $3,000 for the Best Innovation in Mobility award from SBS Transit.
Two other teams were celebrated for their impactful ideas:
- Team Cikgang received an award for their AI-powered learning platform, which also earned them the Swan & Maclaren Social Impact Award for its potential to deliver personalized education.
- Team MyCoTech was also recognized for their innovative contribution.
These projects demonstrate a wider commitment to using technology to solve diverse challenges, from education to urban mobility.
Turning Ideas into Real-World Solutions
A key measure of the competition’s success is its ability to launch real-world applications. Past winners have gone on to create start-ups that make a tangible difference in the community.
A leading example is FingerDance, a start-up that created SiLViA, an AI-powered sign language assistant. Born from a previous competition, SiLViA helps deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals use public transport independently by converting text and speech into sign language. The system has already been trialed in Chinatown Station.
This long-term impact is supported by initiatives like the Huawei Cloud Incubator and the IMDA PIXEL program. As Maxi Wang, CEO of Huawei International, explained, “Tech4City is aimed at empowering communities and inspiring innovators to develop solutions that are inclusive and sustainable.” This collaborative ecosystem ensures that bright ideas from the competition have a clear path to becoming real-world solutions that strengthen Singapore’s Smart Nation.
