The Singtel Group Future Makers (SGFM) 2023 has crowned six innovative social impact start-ups, recognizing their pioneering work in leveraging cutting-edge technology to tackle critical societal challenges. The event, which has been running since 2016, is dedicated to nurturing technological solutions that drive positive change in areas such as healthcare, education, data privacy, environment, and inclusion.
Out of over 3,000 applicants hailing from Singtel, its subsidiary Optus in Australia, and regional associates across six countries, 80 start-ups were selected to participate in rigorous capacity building and mentorship workshops. Following this, only nine top-performing teams moved forward to the regional finals, held at SGFM 2023. Among these, six emerged victorious, securing the opportunity to fund regional market development or collaborate closely with Singtel and its regional associates for expanding their solutions.
The winning solutions, inspired by real-life stories of elderly individuals, busy professionals, and urban commuters, showcased the potential of advanced technologies, including 5G, to drive regional-scale impact. Virtual Psychologist and GEPP were awarded the top honors, receiving grants of $40,000 and $30,000 respectively. All six winners will also receive invaluable support from the Group in the form of mentorship and access to a vast customer base encompassing over 770 million mobile users.
Andrew Buay, Vice President of Group Sustainability at Singtel, emphasized the program’s mission, stating, “This year’s SGFM winners have shown how technology such as 5G, AI and IoT can be used to develop meaningful solutions that address many pressing social issues from ageing to urban traffic congestion. We’re excited to support them with our network, expertise, and resources so they can grow beyond their home markets and bring their innovations to the people who need them.”
Here is a closer look at the winning solutions:
Virtual Psychologist: A text-based counselling service aimed at improving mental well-being in the workplace, offering discreet, on-demand support for employees.
GEPP: A digital platform providing consultancy, data-driven insights, and analytical services to assist businesses in waste management and achieving sustainability goals.
SoundEye: Leveraging sound recognition and depth imaging vision analytics technology, SoundEye addresses aged care, healthcare, and surveillance needs while safeguarding personal privacy. The system can detect abnormal sounds and motions, enabling immediate emergency response.
Tictag: A mobile app that gamifies the process of tagging images, texts, and audio files, allowing users, especially those with disabilities, to earn income by completing tagging tasks. The tagged data aids companies in training AI models for their businesses.
myEco: Empowered by an AI-powered smart advisor, myEco assists busy individuals in optimizing electricity usage through an automated app.
Aqilliz: A digital marketing software service utilizing blockchain technology to ensure data privacy and security for companies collecting first-party data for consumer insights, advertising, and measurement.
