Dell Technologies (NYSE:DELL) today hosted the finals of its inaugural InnovateFest, an inter-tertiary school competition that aims to empower the next generation of technologists to develop innovative solutions that drive human progress in Singapore. 

Organised in partnership with the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS), Dell Technologies’ long-time charity partner, the first edition of the event was focused on social responsibility and giving back to the community. Over the last two months, forty-seven students from seven participating Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs)¹ were tasked to build solutions to improve the lives of Persons with Intellectual Disability (PWIDs) in Singapore.

Dell Technologies and MINDS identified problem statements that challenged polytechnic students to leverage technology to play sports, make arts and active ageing offerings more accessible to PWIDs and increase participation. Meanwhile, students from universities were tasked to present innovative ways to improve PWIDs’ access to community spaces in the F&B sector and foster more inclusivity.

Team DAAAL.E from Singapore Polytechnic (SP) and Team Pathmakers from Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) emerged as champions at the grand finals of InnovateFest 2023, held earlier today at the Dell Technologies Changi office in the presence of Chan Chun Sing, Singapore Minister for Education, as well as Peter Marrs, President, Asia Pacific & Japan, Dell Technologies, Andy Sim, Vice President and Managing Director, Singapore, Dell Technologies and partners.

In response to the problem statement, SP’s Team DAAAL.E proposed a mobile application called SportyBuddies, which incorporates Augmented Reality (AR) features to enable PWIDs to discover and explore new sports while fostering social connections. The app includes an algorithm that matches users with one another based on common sporting interests and similar profile demographics and invites them to chat and connect.

Meanwhile, Team Pathmakers from SIT created FoodFriend, a mobile application which enhances the hawker dining experience for PWIDs through user-friendly menus that were designed in collaboration with MINDS. It aims to provide PWIDs with personalised, step-by-step and visual guidance on how to navigate, order and pay for their meals in a hawker centre setting.

Each of the winning teams walked away with a cash prize of SGD$10,000. The runner-up teams and consolation prize recipients each received a cash prize of SGD $6,000 and SGD $1,000 respectively.

During the competition, participants were invited to build their solutions on a platform hosted by Dell Technologies. Each team’s solution had to incorporate emerging technologies such as cloud native, multi-cloud, extended reality and AI/Machine Learning, with guidance and mentorship from Dell Technologies, MINDS and participating sponsors.

“The Government welcomes collaborations between industry and educational institutions to create meaningful experiences for our learners. Dell Technologies’ InnovateFest is a fine example of how multi-stakeholder efforts can give students the space to apply their skills, contribute to a cause bigger than themselves, and support Singapore’s push for greater inclusivity. This is the kind of whole-of-society effort we need to create more opportunities for modern learning and societal progress,” said Minister for Education Chan Chun Sing.

“Dell Technologies has been a trusted and long-term partner of MINDS and we are heartened by their continuous and unwavering support.  As we celebrate 10 years of partnership with Dell Technologies, we are honoured to support the inaugural InnovateFest. This is a platform where youths are challenged to leverage technology to address real-life social challenges. It was also an opportunity for them to understand more about intellectual disability and learn how they can support PWIDs and their families”, said Kelvin Koh, Chief Executive Officer, MINDS. “We look forward to bringing some of these innovative solutions to life and enhance the quality of life for PWIDs and their families, facilitating their integration into society.”

“At Dell, we believe that technology should ultimately be used to drive human progress. The Singapore government emphasises the need for digital technology to create economic and social value and improve lives,” said Andy Sim, Vice President and Managing Director, Singapore, Dell Technologies. “InnovateFest is an extension of our commitment to uplifting the local tech ecosystem, and we’re taking it a step further beyond skilling to demonstrate how innovation can also benefit the PWIDs community and others in need.”

A continuous journey towards shaping the future of tech talent

InnovateFest is organised under the umbrella of Dell Technologies’ Digital Future – Made in Singapore initiative, which aims to fast-track the adoption of future-ready digital solutions and drive innovation in Singapore for partners and customers globally. This event is the latest initiative that builds on Dell Technologies’ ongoing efforts to boost the information and communications technology (ICT) sector in Singapore and cultivate a robust talent pipeline. 

Since 2021, Dell Technologies has been working with seven IHLs to enhance the pre-employment training curriculum and provide dedicated insights, mentorship and skilling opportunities – equipping over 5,000 students to date with critical core skills tied to new and emerging technologies.

Earlier this year, Dell Technologies also concluded the second edition of the SCDF and Dell Lifesavers' Innovation Challenge, which invited tertiary students to employ digital capabilities to arrive at innovative solutions to solve various challenges in civil defence, community resilience and emergency response.

To learn more about the other student projects created for InnovateFest, please refer to Annex A.

Additional resources

• Download the Dell Technologies’ InnovateFest press kit here
• Connect with Dell via Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn

¹ The seven participating IHLs are Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP), Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP), Republic Polytechnic (RP), Singapore Polytechnic (SP), Temasek Polytechnic (TP), Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and Singapore Management University (SMU).

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