The increasing role of technology in today’s rapidly evolving world demands innovative solutions that address key societal challenges. In this context, forging a strong social compact to tackle intergenerational issues is becoming more critical than ever. One such initiative is Huawei’s Tech4City Competition, now in its third year, which aims to empower young talents to use artificial intelligence (AI) to develop innovative solutions for social good. This year’s competition, with the themes of “AI for Inclusivity” and “AI for Sustainability,” aligns with Singapore’s Smart Nation 2.0 vision—a national effort to enhance digital services while ensuring no one is left behind.
Innovation for a Better Tomorrow
Huawei’s Tech4City Competition is more than just a contest; it serves as a platform that brings together innovators, students, and professionals alike to address pressing challenges in Singapore and beyond. During the finals held on October 11, Tan Kiat How, Senior Minister of State, delivered a keynote address emphasizing the importance of building a Smart Nation that is inclusive, innovative, and trustworthy. “We must be a Smart Nation that leaves no one behind,” he said, highlighting the need for technology to promote growth while fostering a sense of unity.
This year’s competition saw a massive turnout, with over 340 participants submitting more than 70 proposals. Proposals were assessed based on various factors, including the depth of research, innovation, social value, feasibility, and technology integration. Five teams emerged as finalists, each equipped with technical training, mentorship, and funding to bring their ideas to life.
Unveiling the Winning Innovations
Team Golden Gamers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) clinched the grand prize of $20,000. Their project, PrimePlay, an AI-integrated exercise system tailored for seniors, stood out for its relevance to Singapore’s aging population. The system features personalized exercise recommendations and tracks users’ progress, offering seniors a fun and comprehensive way to stay active. Built on Huawei Cloud, the project leverages AI to adapt to seniors’ physical capabilities, aligning with the team’s goal to encourage active aging.
The team aims to continue using Huawei’s technologies such as Huawei HMS Core and ModelArts to scale up their initiative and roll it out across more senior homes in Singapore. Team leader Jonathon Leong noted, “If our solution focuses on health and makes it fun with AI recommendations, that might be our winning point.”
AI-Powered Solutions for Inclusivity
The first runner-up, Team Node, won $12,000 for their AI-powered app that promotes community engagement among seniors. Their app, designed to create augmented reality (AR) adventures, personalizes activities and encourages social bonding. By integrating AI and AR, Team Node’s solution transforms the digital landscape into one that is accessible and engaging for older adults.
Team BinaCloud, the second runner-up, focused on improving public transport accessibility for people with mobility challenges. Their project uses AI to identify individuals with difficulty navigating infrastructure, enhancing inclusivity in urban environments. For their outstanding innovation, the team was awarded $8,000, alongside an additional $3,000 for winning the Best Innovation in Mobility award, sponsored by SBS Transit.
Honoring Social Impact
Two additional teams, Team Cikgang and Team MyCoTech, secured fourth and fifth places respectively, each winning $3,000. Team Cikgang’s AI-powered learning platform earned them an extra $2,500 through the Swan & Maclaren Social Impact Award, recognizing the platform’s potential to deliver personalized education at scale. According to Christopher Mo, vice president of corporate operations at Swan & Maclaren, the theme of inclusivity resonated deeply with their corporate ethos of fostering impactful solutions through purposeful design.
Real-World Impact of Innovation
One of the most impressive aspects of the Tech4City initiative is how past winners have successfully deployed their ideas in real-world scenarios. A prime example is FingerDance, a start-up born from the competition, which developed an AI-powered sign language assistant called SiLViA. This virtual assistant helps deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals navigate public transport independently. By utilizing AI-driven large language models, SiLViA transforms written or spoken language into sign language and has been trialed in Chinatown Station.
The continued success of projects like FingerDance underscores Huawei’s commitment to empowering innovators through platforms such as the Huawei Cloud Incubator and the IMDA PIXEL program. These incubators provide essential support to start-ups, enabling them to refine and scale their innovations.
Collaboration as the Key to Smart Nation 2.0
Huawei’s Tech4City Competition is more than just a showcase of talent; it represents a collective effort to drive Singapore toward its Smart Nation 2.0 goals. Maxi Wang, CEO of Huawei International, highlighted the long-term vision behind this initiative: “Tech4City is aimed at empowering communities and inspiring innovators to develop solutions that are inclusive and sustainable.” Events like this foster collaboration between students, professionals, and businesses, reinforcing that the future of innovation lies in partnerships across various sectors.
As Tan Kiat How pointed out in his keynote, Smart Nation 2.0 is a whole-of-nation endeavor, requiring the combined effort of multiple stakeholders to ensure that Singapore continues to thrive in the digital age. The Tech4City finalists demonstrate how collaboration and technology can pave the way for meaningful change, ultimately leading to a more inclusive and connected society.
