Tech-driven Solutions that Address Climate Change Awarded at Climate Hack 2022
The Singapore International Foundation’s Climate Hack 2022 received more than 60 digital prototypes from across Asia, in a bid to harness the power of technology and digital readiness for climate action.
From April to June, 246 changemakers from more than 10 countries in Asia participated in Climate Hack 2022 - organised by the Singapore International Foundation and social enterprise Code For Asia, in collaboration with SAP, and supported by the National Youth Council Singapore.
Participants engaged in discussions about today’s climate issues and how digital skills can develop and accelerate innovative solutions to address such challenges. They also participated in Skills Labs, a series of interactive workshops where specialist volunteers from Singapore equipped them with digital skills and tools.
Subsequently, participants engaged in a virtual hackathon where they came up with technology-driven solutions for a greener planet. They were encouraged to team up with fellow participants from different countries to foster diversity and cross-cultural learning. Out of 66 submissions, there were 20 teams that comprised members of different nationalities.
Six teams with the strongest proposals advanced to the finals on 11 June. In the period leading to the finals, the teams were mentored by established entrepreneurs and software developers to sharpen and refine their ideas.
At the Pitch Day finale, the teams presented their solutions, supported by a viable prototype, to a panel of judges. Four teams emerged as winners after scoring highly on innovation and the impact of their ideas and received a total of S$5,500 in cash.
The winning teams and their solutions are:
- 1st place: NutrIoTion (India and Singapore), an Internet of Things (IoT)-driven food waste detection device
- 2nd place: SENYUM (Indonesia and Jordon), a mobile application that facilitates the redistribution of edible food waste and clean fashion waste to appropriate beneficiaries
- 3rd place: TechTon (Malaysia), a mobile application that facilitates the collection of e-waste for recycling
- Judges' mention: Sprout! (Singapore), a mobile application that nurtures and encourages home and community gardening
Mr Sanath Surawar, a NutrIoTion member from India, said: “We are honoured for our team to come in first place for SIF’s Climate Hack. Our vision is to reduce food waste from our communities through our solution. We are also grateful for the opportunity to learn relevant digital skills through the workshops and guidance from the mentors.”
Ms Maria Putri Elshaddai, a SENYUM member from Indonesia, said: “SIF’s Climate Hack was truly an enriching experience for the team. We gained understanding on the real social impact of climate change, learnt new digital skills, and connected with like-minded peers from around the region. We are looking forward to the next part of the programme.”
The winning teams will embark on the next phase of the programme. For the next six months, they will continue to build on their ideas with Climate Lab – an intensive line-up of activities curated to bring their solutions to a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and pre-incubator stage.
The activities include an online bootcamp designed to enhance their MVP, peer-learning sessions, and a collaboration with relevant partners and mentors for customised support. Climate Lab will culminate with a graduation showcase at the end of the year.
Climate Hack is an SIF e-volunteering programme which leverages on technology and global networks to empower participants to develop solutions for climate change. It is powered by volunteers from Singapore who work with communities in different countries to share skills, knowledge, and expertise in digital readiness.
Stay tuned for updates on Climate Hack 2022, chronicled via the hashtag #ClimateHack on Facebook and Instagram.
