Finalist Announcement on CU Social Innovation Competition

7 September 2020

Bangkok, Thailand— Chulalongkorn University announces the ten finalists of its Social Innovation Competition entitled “Engaging our Future!—Innovation Challenge for Sustainable Society”.

The Competition is a global engagement program launched by Chulalongkorn University in partnership with SDGx, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Yunus Foundation that encourages university students from around the globe to work together in a team spirit towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

118 teams of student social innovators of diverse backgrounds from 26 countries with some 400 participants submitted project ideas in the Competition. As an integral process of the Competition to engage students to learn about the SDGs at deeper level, an international webinar entitled “Leading our Futures through Sustainable Development” was organized on July 31, 2020, inviting experts and experienced and committed practitioners of social innovation as speakers from diverse backgrounds.

At the Webinar opening, President Bundhit Eua-arporn highlighted Chulalongkorn University’s commitment to contribute to society and support the SDGs by nurturing future leaders, producing impactful research and innovations, and practicing sustainability.

Professor Mohammad Yunus, the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate whose name is synonymous with social entrepreneurship that creates economic and social development from below, told the participants: “your work is the future—it is new thinking that will take us to the new frontier, so you have the responsibility to make it happen.”  Mr. Renaud Meyer, Resident Representative of UNDP Thailand noted that it is each one of us who is going to achieve the 17 SDGs through our actions. “This innovation challenge provides an opportunity to help us re-think and engage with our societies,” he said.

The 10 project finalists and their countries of origin are:

  • Merca (Thailand / USA)
  • FLOCKCHAIN (Indonesia)
  • Growing House (United Kingdom)
  • Terrafic (Philippines)
  • CareConnect Platform (Thailand)
  • Termtem (Thailand)
  • Donest (Thailand)
  • Alpha Protect (Thailand)
  • NeoPlastic (France/ Hong Kong)
  • Altimate Nutrition (United Kingdom)

Each team will be provided with a mentor to help them re-shape the projects prior to the Final Pitching Competition to take place on August 22, 2020. Winners will be awarded US$10,000 (first prize), US$3,000 (second prize), and US$1,000 (third prize) to advance their projects. A Judges’ award will also enable a chosen project team to join a partner platform.

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For further information about the Program, please visit https://www.eventpop.me/e/9142 or contact EngagingOurFutureCU@gmail.com. The Social Innovation Competition Program was launched in June 2020 as a global engagement program of Chulalongkorn University, a joint initiative by the Office of International Affairs and Global Network (OIA) and the CU School of Integrated Innovation (Scll).

For July 31, 2020 webinar, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVOM7sv8UiQ

“Chulalongkorn University sets the standard as a university of innovations for society and is listed in the World’s Top 100 Universities for Academic Reputation, in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS)  World University Rankings 2021.”