12 December 2023 at 10:00 am
Smart waste management idea sees students take out top spot in KIWI Challenge Indonesia finals
The KIWI Challenge is a competition designed to inspire youth across Indonesia to engage in entrepreneurial activities and help resolve societal issues. This year, Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) partnered with Auckland University of Technology (AUT) to co-host the initiative.
The theme was “Reforming Indonesia’s mobility and smart cities using AI technology”. This year’s initiative hosted 59 teams from across 37 schools for a total of 269 student participants, the highest ever at the KIWI Challenge.
The groups were required to submit video entries to a judging panel made up of AUT academics and ENZ representatives, who reviewed the submissions and selected finalists. Participants received mentoring from a New Zealand university academic through the process and took part in workshops to refine their business plans. They were given a taste of New Zealand’s learning environment along the way and built an understanding of our tertiary education offering for future planning.
The participating academic was Dr Taghreed Hikmet from AUT, a Senior Lecturer in International Business, Strategy, and Entrepreneurship who has expertise in smart cities and is passionate about mentoring and inspiring young future leaders.
The finals were held on Saturday 25th November, where six shortlisted teams from across Indonesia presented their ideas to a panel of judges made up of Dr Hikmet (AUT), Ben Burrowes (ENZ’s Regional Director, Asia), and Indonesia Embassy staff (representing Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade), Hira Trisnoputri.
UniSadhuGuna International College took first place with their ‘Greenlight’ business idea, a smart waste management enterprise which aims to create a sustainable waste management system that actively involves households, businesses, and the government. UniSadhuGuna International College received a voucher worth 10,000,000 Indonesian Rupiah for winning the competition.
Winners! The team from UniSadhuGuna international College took out first place with their ‘Greenlight’ business idea.
Dr Hikmet reflected on the KIWI Challenge warmly. “It has been truly rewarding, observing the outstanding progress and growth in the finalists' projects, presentations, and overall confidence.
"It was a privilege to engage with high school students across Indonesia, contributing to the vibrant entrepreneurial spirit fostered by the competition. Excitement brews within me for the potential of future collaborations and initiatives,” Dr Hikmet concluded.
Following the finals, Ben Burrowes and Dr Taghreed Hikmet participated in an Instagram Live session with KOMPAS TV, the leading media network in Indonesia. This Instagram Live generated a total of 3.4k views and the highest number of people watching online was 348. You can watch the Instagram Live here: Part 1 and Part 2.
