Reviewing the Google Solution Challenge 2023 & Winner Announcement

The Solution Challenge 2023 is a global competition that involves talented members of the Google Developer Student Club (GDSC). This event invited participants from around the world, including Indonesia, to demonstrate their ability to use Google technology to address, solve, and potentially make progress in tackling the United Nations' complex challenges known as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Some of the points within the UN's SDGs include a world without poverty and hunger, achieving good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, and many others.

To delve deeper into this event, here is a summary that you can explore.

 

Google Solution Challenge 2023 Timeline

This year, the event has been successfully completed, and the winners have been announced. To provide a clear picture, here is the timeline from registration to the announcement of Google Solution Challenge 2023:

 

• January 11, 2023 - Registration opened on the Google Developers website.
• March 17–31, March - Phase 1 submissions were open.
• May 3 - Announcement of the top 100 teams.
• June 2 - Phase 2 submissions.
• June 19 - Announcement of the top 10 teams.
• August 3 - Demo day & announcement of the top 3 winners.

 

According to the official Solution Challenge page, the steps that each team needs to take in this event are as follows:

• Join the Google Developer Student Club (GDSC).
• Form a team and register it.
• Choose one of the UN goals to address.
• Create a solution for the selected UN goal.
• Create a user interface.
• Backend technology planning.
• Test the created technology.
• Refine the project.
• Create a demo video and submit it before March 31, 2023.

 

Benefits Obtained

The benefits that the top 100 teams will receive in Google Solution Challenge 2023 include:

• Mentorship from Googlers.
• T-shirts, certificates, and swag.
• Cash prizes, memorabilia, and the opportunity to showcase their products.
• Additional prizes and the opportunity to be featured on the Google Developers Blog.
• The opportunity to build a portfolio and project experience.
• Building a global network.

 

Demo Day and Winner Announcement

For the top 10 finalists, August 3 was an important moment when they could showcase their breakthrough projects during a live broadcast on YouTube. A prominent panel of judges from Google also selected the top 3 winning teams. The criteria assessed included innovation, technical service, and each project's potential to make a difference in the world.

Some examples of technology that made it to the top 10 include:

• Tools to help dementia patients find their way home.
• Hearing aids for elderly deaf parents to care for their babies.
• A platform providing a safe place for women.
• Tools to help blind students understand teachers more easily.
• And many more.

 

In addition to the criteria assessed by the judges, Google also gave the public the opportunity to vote for their favorite teams. Thus, the People's Choice became one of the assessed criteria.

Through evaluation and voting, here are the three winners of the GDSC Solution Challenge 2023:

1. Wonder Reader from the Indonesian team: A tool that allows visually impaired users to understand lessons more easily and simply.
2. Buzzbusters from the Bolivian team: A mosquito-borne disease detection and prevention tool.
3. Headhome from the Singaporean team: An app that helps dementia patients find their way home.

 

These three winners are considered capable of making a difference in the world and providing solutions to one of the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The GDSC Solution Challenge 2023 event is evidence of the tremendous potential of today's young generation. By embracing technology and using it for good, these innovators have demonstrated a spirit of change and progress in the world.