Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow invites STEM students to propose tech solutions for social impact

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Launched for the first time in the Philippines, Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow aims to unleash the creativity and potential of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) students in discovering social solutions with the use of technology. In partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Solve for Tomorrow aims to provide opportunities for top students to transform emerging ideas into action and unlock their full potential as future leaders. This global program has successfully helped over 2 million people and has reached beyond the boundaries of 50 other countries, including the Philippines, as the latest addition this 2023.

Samsung is inviting public science high school students from Grades 8 to 10 to showcase their groundbreaking ideas that can positively impact communities and create a better tomorrow. Participating schools can form teams with a maximum of four (4) students and one (1) faculty advisor for every entry. There will be no limit to how many teams can join per school.

The team should identify a local community or an environmental sustainability problem and provide a design proposal outlining sustainable and feasible solutions with the help of technology. The proposal can be in a slide presentation format (5 slides maximum) or a Word document (2,500 words maximum). After completing the proposal, teams must submit their entry via the Solve for Tomorrow registration site before or on November 3, 2023.

Ten shortlisted teams will have a chance to be coached by Samsung experts, and present their proposals to an esteemed board of judges. The Grand Prize winner will receive Samsung devices worth up to ₱650,000 for their school, ₱190,000 worth of Samsung devices for the team and their teacher adviser, ₱100,000 cash prize for team members, and P 20,000 cash prize for faculty adviser. Full mechanics and prizes can be found on the official website.

Here are just some of the solutions developed by winners of Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow from around the world.

Looking for a study buddy? TAZ’s App got your back

Indeed, wherever young innovators triumph, each convenes to develop solutions for a better tomorrow.  TAZ, the winning team from Malaysia in 2021, from St. Francis Institution, Malacca, developed an app that helps Malaysian students around the country to connect with study buddies who share similar interests and help them acquire access to a variety of learning materials nationwide and equip their peers with time management tips.

PathFinder System:  Key to safer spaces in schools

A gunshot detection and evacuation system was one of the 2022 Solve for Tomorrow’s grand prize winners in the United States. Designed by students from Porter High School, Texas, the PathFinder system addresses crowd stampedes caused by a threat of an active shooter. It aims to ensure students' safety inside their school and ease the fear of school shootings. It essentially eradicates false alarms and its LED lights change color to indicate the proximity of danger while pointing out the safest way out. It was one of the smartest prototypes proposed in the competition, as it is highly functional and sustainable.

Support athletes during competitions with the Human Health Band

With an innovation that aimed to assist athletes on their road to victory, Strawberry Crest High School from Dover, Florida, was awarded one of the four grand-winners for Solve for Tomorrow 2023. With a Human Health Band designed to monitor an athlete’s body temperature and prevent heat-related deaths,  the team conducted thorough research on making this project feasible and sustainable to save lives using recycled fabrics and developed software.

Join Samsung in its mission to help build a better future and be part of the country’s very first Solve for Tomorrow competition. The deadline for submission is November 03, 2023. Interested applicants can learn more and submit their entries at the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow site: https://www.samsung.com/ph/solve-for-tomorrow/

 

*DTI Fair Trade Permit No. FTEB-176096 Series of 2023

KodeGo bridges STEM gender-employment gap, opens new opportunities for women in tech

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KodeGo, the innovative online tech boot camp by Globe's 917Ventures, is charting a new course for women in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields by providing opportunities that aim to address gender disparity in local employment.

The Philippines currently exhibits a 22% gender-based disparity in the STEM workforce, the largest in Southeast Asia, according to a study by professional networking platform LinkedIn. Although women make up 58.8% of employees in non-STEM fields, this figure dramatically falls to a mere 36.3% within the STEM sectors.

KodeGo's mission to democratize education for all is proving to be instrumental in this context, equalizing opportunities for women in these rapidly evolving and highly sought-after disciplines.

The online boot camp has a curriculum patterned after in-demand tech skills and soft skills sought by companies. Short-term tech-related courses include Full-Stack Web Development, UX Design, and WordPress Development.

KodeGo has seen an increasing number of women enrolling in its programs, with the number rising as

KodeGo increased the number of boot camps it offers. Currently, women make up 26% of KodeGo’s student population, with a total of 572 as of June 2023– a testament to increased female interest in traditionally male-dominated fields because of KodeGo’s dedication to offering accessible, gender-neutral education.

"KodeGo is deeply committed to addressing the glaring STEM gender-employment gaps in the country," said Cristina Gervasio, Entrepreneur-in-Residence at KodeGo. "By providing quality training, we aim to empower Filipinos, no matter what their gender may be so that they could be more competitive in the IT industry. We envision a future where the tech world sees equal representation of genders, fostering innovation, diversity, and resilience."

Recognizing that the most significant drop in female representation in the STEM workforce occurs between graduation and employment, KodeGo is intensifying efforts to provide a seamless transition for its graduates. By partnering with top-tier companies, KodeGo ensures graduates receive first-rate education and gain hands-on experience in real-world projects, further cementing their place in the STEM workforce.

As an initiative under 917Ventures, KodeGo signifies the Globe Group's ongoing commitment to improving the caliber of Filipino software engineers and promoting gender equality in the tech sector.

For more information about KodeGo and 917Ventures and how they are empowering women in the STEM fields, please visit www.kodego.ph and www.917ventures.com.

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About KodeGo

KodeGo is a study now, pay later tech school offering boot camps on different IT courses to equip beginners, upskillers, and career shifters with critical and highly in-demand skills while offering company-matching support to jumpstart and progress their IT career. KodeGo is a portfolio company under Globe’s corporate venture builder, 917Ventures.