Since its inception in 2016, SDYIC has made a significant impact, touching the lives of over 21,000 individuals across Malaysia, including not only secondary school students but also schoolteachers, undergraduate students, and Sime Darby innovation officers, with the support of MOE, the Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), and YSD education partner Chumbaka.

The journey of SDYIC 2023, which commenced in April, saw the participation of more than 680 teams in state-level competitions, and culminated in the SDYIC 2023 National Championship from 17 to 20 November. The 15 finalist teams presented their refined prototypes and pitched implementation plans to a panel of judges. This followed a 3-week National Camp where they engaged with over 20 industry experts, including innovation officers from Chumbaka, leaders from corporates and social enterprises, technical consultants, and trained alumni of SDYIC known as “Yodas” who served as online mentors.

In addressing environmental challenges, this year’s innovation grants will enable team INSLABBY from Terengganu to tackle their local community’s wastewater issue by incorporating mechanisms for pollution reduction and water recycling. Responding to societal concerns like flood mitigation and counterfeiting, team BITARA from Sarawak and team MIND BENDERS from Johor will be utilising the innovation grant to assist their surrounding communities using their smart innovations. BITARA’s project will effectively detect flash floods while automatically tripping off electricity during flooding to protect lives and property. MIND BENDERS is developing a cost-effective solution for small stall owners by identifying unique money patterns to detect counterfeit money.

The 15 finalist teams were evaluated and shortlisted by a panel of judges comprising government officers from MOE and industry leaders from Sime Darby Plantation, Sime Darby Berhad, MDEC, National STEM Association, Yayasan Didik Negara, Rentwise, and Ekuiti Nasional Berhad (EKUINAS). The judging criteria included feasibility, creativity of prototypes, and potential community impact.

Y.A.M. Tunku Imran emphasised the growing diversity in SDYIC each year, with the 15 finalist teams having 4 all-girls teams and 6 teams hailing from the states of Sabah and Sarawak. This motivates the foundation to continue working towards providing an improved platform for every aspiring innovator for an equal opportunity in STEM.
“As we look to the future, our vision is one of hope and promise. Our commitment to nurturing innovation and fostering problem-solving skills remains resolute, as we envision a world where the inventive prowess of our youth becomes the driving force for change,” he added.

The event also marked a significant milestone as YSD and MOE formalised their commitment to advancing TVET education in the country. The commitment was sealed through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding by YSD CEO Dr Yatela Zainal Abidin and Vocational Education Training Division (BPLTV) Deputy Director Ts Supian Mahmood on behalf of BPLTV Director Ts Zulkernai Fauzi. The strategic partnership aims to prepare our future workforce, aligning with our goal to support the nation’s human capital development.

Over the years, local communities have benefited from winning prototypes like ‘Enhance’, a mental health application available on Google Play Store, designed to address mental health issues tailored for teenagers dealing with depression; ‘Mykroskope’, a portable and affordable microscope to address the shortage of optical microscopes in schools; and ‘D-Monitor’, a drain water monitoring project to mitigate flood incidents in rural areas.