2024 IEEE CTU Challenge Prize Winners
winning proposal presentations WILL BE PROVIDED SHORTLY
Best Overall
MegaEdu: Fostering Last Mile school connectivity in Brazil’s most vulnerable communities
Presenter
Luiza Barbosa
Award: USD 5,000
Sponsored by: IEEE Foundation
FIRST PLACE
Technical Proof of Concept 1st Place
Connectivity for the Santiago River Basin
Presenter
Juan Paco
Award: USD 3,500
Sponsored by: IEEE Foundation
Advancing universal school connectivity though AI-enabled school mapping
Presenter
Isabelle Tingzon
Award: USD 2,500
Sponsored by: IEEE Foundation
Community Enablement
Proof of Concept 1st Place
Soldati Conectada Communitu Network A solution to connect the unnconected in urban contexts
Presenter
Nicolas Petrungaro
Award: USD 3,500
Sponsored by: IEEE Foundation
Community Enablement Concept 1st Place
Getting Lika Connected : Povezano Polje
Presenter
Vesna Manojlovic
Award: USD 2,500
Sponsored by: IEEE Foundation
Business Model
Proof of Concept 1st Place
Tanzania Digital Inclusion Project
Presenter
Nazar Nicholas
Award: USD 3,500
Sponsored by: IEEE Foundation
Business Model Concept 1st Place
Spectrum of Hope: Leveraging TV White Space for Digital Inclusion
Presenter
Jacob Kebaso
Award: USD 2,500
Sponsored by: IEEE Foundation
Second Place
Technical Proof of Concept 2nd Place
Inclusive Innovation: Harnessing Localized Insights to Transform Global Development with Large Language Models
Presenter
Lindsey Moore
Award: USD 1,500
Sponsored by: IEEE Foundation
Solar-Powered Street Lights with Charging Ports and Wi-Fi Hotspots
Presenter
Subodha Charles
Award: USD 1,000
Sponsored by: IEEE Foundation
Community Enablement
Proof of Concept 2nd Place
Empowering Indigenous Communities in Rural Guatemala with Digital Inclusion through a Solar-powered Community Infrastructure
Presenter
Mario Aleman
Award: USD 1,500
Sponsored by: IEEE Foundation
Community Enablement Concept 2nd Place
Improving the teaching and learning experience of educators and learners with blindness in Malawi through sustainable provision of reliable and affordable internet connectivity and assistive technology.
Presenter
Tawachi Nyasulu
Award: USD 1,000
Sponsored by: IEEE Foundation
Business Model
Proof of Concept 2nd Place
Open6GNet’s Mobile Networks Democratization Initiative
Presenter
Mathias Santos de Brito
Award: USD 1,500
Sponsored by: IEEE Foundation
Business Model Concept 2nd Place
Addressing Agri-Business Challenges by using Internet of Things Technologies in Rural Areas in Bostwana
Presenter
Sajid Sheikh
Award: USD 1,000
Sponsored by: IEEE Foundation
HONORABLE MENTION
Technical Proof of Concept Honorable Mention
Deployment of a community network in Gandiol, Senegal
Presenter
Sergio Giménez
Technical Concept Honorable Mention
Enhanced IoT Connectivity in Underserved Areas Using LEO Satellite Networks
Presenter
Anna Talgat
Community Enablement Proof of Concept Honorable Mention
Mbele Pamoja Initative
Presenter
Mark Moriama
Business Model Proof of Concept Honorable Mention
Pocket Cyber Cafe: Internet for Education
Presenter
Alex Okuonzi
Honorable Mention Gender Inclusion
Women’s Empowerment through Digital Health and Financial Literacy (WE-DHFL) project
Presenter
Kolawole Akinjiola
Sponsored by: IEEE Women in Engineering
Honorable Mention Gender Inclusion
Tanzania Digital Inclusion Project
Presenter
Nazar Nicholas
Sponsored by: IEEE Women in Engineering
Honorable Mention Gender Inclusion
Activating Smart Village, Bridge Digital Divide: Empowering women, youths, and special interest groups through Internet Connectivity and Access in Ugunja. (KijiTech)
Presenter
Stephen Kennedy Omolo
Sponsored by: IEEE Women in Engineering