Dell Technologies (NYSE:DELL) today concluded the finals of its second InnovateFest, an inter-tertiary school competition in Singapore designed to empower aspiring technologists to create innovative solutions that drive human progress

This year's event, in collaboration with social service agencies Lions Befrienders and Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS), focused on leveraging technology to combat social isolation faced by seniors and persons with intellectual disabilities (PWIDs).

Social isolation is a critical issue impacting both the elderly and the PWIDs community, leading to health issues like depression and anxiety. By 2030, one in four Singaporeans will be 65 years old or older1, heightening the risk of isolation among seniors. Additionally, PWIDs also encounter difficulties in social communication, grappling with cues, boundaries, and behavioursbehaviour.

The grand finals were held at the National Gallery Singapore and showcased the remarkable talent and creativity of the participants. Team Snoopy from Ngee Ann Polytechnic proposed a mobile application called SocialCompass and Team 343 from Singapore Institute of Technology (University of Glasgow Singapore) with their solution, JioTogether, emerged as the champions. The winning polytechnic and university teams walked away with the top prizes of SGD10,000 each.

The competition was graced by Singapore's Minister for Health, Ong Ye Kung, who presented the winners with their well-deserved awards, acknowledging their contributions towards a more connected and inclusive society. 

Winning Projects - Bridging Technology and Social Responsibility

SocialCompass by Team Snoopy from Ngee Ann Polytechnic is an inclusive mobile application designed to empower PWIDs to master social interactions via immersive and gamified training features.

JioTogether by Team 343 from Singapore Institute of Technology (University of Glasgow Singapore) is an innovative mobile application designed to rekindle the kampung spirit among seniors by empowering them to participate in and volunteer for a wide range of communal activities organised by local care centres, facilitated using a point-based reward system. 

"Dell is dedicated to equipping our next generation with future-ready technology and AI skills, encouraging them to think about how they can address future societal challenges," said Andy Sim, vice president and managing director, Singapore, Dell Technologies. "By uniting like-minded organisations, educational institutions and social agencies, we are confident that technology and AI will continue to drive human progress."

"We are proud to stand alongside Dell Technologies in this impactful initiative that not only highlights the technical abilities of our youth, but also emphasises the importance of addressing social isolation among more vulnerable communities," said Mr Alex Lim, Chairman of Lions Befrienders. "The students, in developing these creative solutions, have proven that they are both technologically competent as well as socially conscious, ready to tackle the challenges of tomorrow."

"MINDS is pleased to be partnering with Dell once again for InnovateFest. It is heartening to see our youths actively engaged in using technology to address real-life social challenges of PWIDs. We look forward to the opportunity to work with the winning teams to further develop the solutions to advance the social-emotional competencies of PWIDs and facilitate their path to community living," said Kelvin Koh, Chief Executive Officer, MINDS.

"It's truly inspiring to see young innovators harness the power of technology to address the needs of people with disabilities, tackling pressing social challenges with passion and ingenuity. Their creativity reminds us that technology can be a transformative force for inclusion, helping to reimagine a more accessible and equitable Singapore for all. I'm confident their future contributions will continue to share a digital landscape that empowers every member of our community," said Dr. Ong Chen Hui, Assistant Chief Executive, BizTech Group, IMDA.

Highlights of InnovateFest 2024

• Enhanced Participation: Ten teams from 10 Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs)² are competing in the grand finals. Additionally, there was significant engagement from public sector entities such as IMDA, MINDEF, and SGEnable, along with educators from the 10 IHLs.
• Adoption of Innovative Technologies: In addition to cloud-native technologies, students were exposed to advanced AI and GenAI tools such as Red Hat OpenShift, NVIDIA AI Enterprise and Microsoft Copilot+, all supported by Dell infrastructure. Furthermore, several teams were provided with the latest Copilot+ PCs, equipped with NPU chips to meet their specific machine learning needs.
• Expert Curation and Guidance: Mentors from Dell Technologies, including specialists from the Cloud Native Architecture, Enterprise Design Group, and Data Science teams, along with partners from Microsoft, NVIDIA, NCS, AsiaPac, Red Hat, and PSA Singapore, actively offered technological insights and project guidance to the teams.
• Emphasizing Real-World Impact: These projects address fundamental needs, like access to essential services, focusing on practical tech applications to benefit seniors and PWIDs. They prioritize implementation for real-world benefits. This learning journey equips students with future-ready tech skills, inspiring solutions for tomorrow's societal issues.
• Cross-Sector Partnerships: InnovateFest 2024 highlights the power of forming extensive partnerships across various sectors. By uniting technology partners³, customers, social and public agencies, it aims to leverage technology for the greater good.

Testimonials from Participants

"Participating in InnovateFest has been a life-changing experience. It has not only honed my technical skills but also made me more aware of the societal issues that technology can solve," said Caden Toh Jun Yi, a student from Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

"Working on a project at InnovateFest has opened my eyes to the potential of using technology in tackling social issues. I felt a genuine sense of purpose knowing that our work could make a difference in the lives of those facing social isolation," shared Peter Febrianto Afandy, a student from Singapore Institute of Technology and University of Glasgow.

To learn more about all the student projects created for InnovateFest 2024, please refer to Annex A.

Additional resources

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

Copyright ? 2024 Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved. Dell Technologies and Dell are trademarks of Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. Other trademarks may be trademarks of their respective owners. 

Red Hat and Red Hat OpenShift are trademarks or registered trademarks of Red Hat, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and other countries.

1 https://www.forwardsingapore.gov.sg/chapter5

2 Participating IHLs include Nanyang Technology University, Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore Management University, Singapore University of Social Sciences, Singapore University of Technology & Design, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Nanyang Polytechnic, Republic Polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic, Tampines Polytechnic.

3 Participating sponsors include Microsoft, NCS, AsiaPac, NVIDIA, Red Hat, PSA Singapore, PTC, JK Tech