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Build a Sustainable Tomorrow with TCS’ Corporate Social Responsibility
Highlights
- TCS’ Global Innovator of the Year competition, a program of Go Innovate Together (goIT), recognizes and celebrates the ingenuity and creativity of young innovators dedicated to making a positive impact on people and the planet.
- The 2023-2024 goIT Global Innovator of the Year competition considered innovations from over 80,000 students under the age of 17 from 48 countries.
- In the final judging, 73 students presented 17 innovations individually or in teams. Their technology-led solutions aligned with the United Nations' 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).
- The goIT program inspires innovation and global citizenship, equipping students the world over with the skills, confidence, and mindset to pursue careers of the future.
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The Innovation Contest
Students used purpose and technology to shape solutions for a better tomorrow during the second-annual TCS goIT Global Innovator of the Year competition (2023-2024).
The contest invited some of the brightest student innovators from around the world to present their digital solutions to global challenges, as identified by the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).
The contest, an integral part of TCS’s flagship digital innovation and career readiness program, Go Innovate Together (goIT), aims to equip young minds with the skills and mindset needed to excel in careers of the future while fostering a sense of global citizenship from an early age.
“At the heart of this initiative is TCS’s unwavering belief in the potential of youth to drive significant social change through technology,” says John DiChiara, Global goIT Program Manager. “The competition isn’t just about recognizing talent; it’s about empowering the next generation of problem solvers to consider, create, and contribute solutions that address some of our most pressing global issues.”
Tech for solutions
While some students may enjoy gaming apps and participating in social media trends, others channel their creativity into developing their own app design.
TCS’ goIT Global Innovator of the Year competition serves as a platform to highlight the innovative applications developed by these bright young minds. According to the organizers, the most popular app development categories among entrants aged six to 17 were the ones that enhance people’s quality of life and their sense of environmental security.
Some of the apps that advanced to the final round used:
- A design to bridge communication gaps for non-verbal individuals or those with hearing impairments
- The concept of marine conservation
- A digital innovation that addresses unsanitary water conditions by providing river purification and garbage collection, along with the introduction of aquatic plant seed to create a habitat where fish can live
These solutions exemplified the power of technology to drive meaningful change and improve the lives of people around the globe.
The most popular app development categories among TCS goIT entrants aged six to 17 were the ones that enhance people’s quality of life and their sense of environmental security.
The winners
Casey S from Toronto, Ontario, emerged as the winner of the 2023-2024 Global Innovator of the Year award with her app, Waste Not Want Not.
Aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goal 10 — reduce inequalities, Casey’s app addresses the pressing issue of food waste and insecurity, particularly prevalent in her community.
The first runner-up award went to Diego R, Victor P, Sebastian H, and Osvaldo Sanchez from Puebla, Mexico with their app, Heal Kids. It is an application designed to guide children toward autonomous learning and promote a healthy lifestyle applicable to daily life.
The second runner-up award was given to Eman F, Kiera M, Edeoyenmwen N, Alishba A, Kayna D, and Ibrahim H from Toronto, Ontario, for their app Check-Up. It brings various personal health information together in one convenient place to make healthcare management easy, efficient, and effective.
An infographic showcasing the three winning entries for the Global Innovators of the Year for 2023-2024 and the students behind the innovations.
Global reach
TCS goIT teams implemented the competition in all operating geographies—Europe, Asia Pacific, the Americas, Middle East and Africa, India, Australia, and New Zealand—and, through a thoughtful and standardized judging process, identified 17 concepts as finalists.
These were created by 73 students who presented either individually or in teams. To prepare them for the final round, TCS associates mentored presenters of the 17 concepts. They provided coaching, advice, and feedback to help students perfect their entrepreneurial pitches.
Perks for the winners
The competition’s global winner and runners-up will receive a host of honors and opportunities.
It may include operational support for potentially bringing their concepts to life and the chance to represent youth publicly at high-profile TCS-sponsored sporting and other events. It may also include the chance to participate in a mentorship series. TCS associates dedicated to providing guidance and helping winners advance their business capabilities are highly supportive industry professionals. It’s one of the ways TCS employees can join in with efforts to elevate and empower these winners, all global citizens today and potential future tech leaders.
Here is the list of student innovations that made it to the final: