For the past seven years, the Shell NXplorers Malaysia Incubator and Sustainability Programme has been sparking curiosity and fostering innovation in young minds across Malaysia. Previously known as #MyGeekMovement, the social investment initiative aims to provide early exposure that is hoped to influence students to take an early interest in STEM fields like engineering, information technology and automation. In doing this, the scheme aims to raise the number of STEM graduates, in turn helping to meet national targets and aspirations.
The programme has directly impacted over 1,000 secondary students across 3 states (plus another 2,000 indirectly) throughout the years with learning content and tools that complement the existing school co-curricular structure. This has enabled students across Malaysia to collaborate in designing innovative, technology-based solutions for real-world issues related to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. This year, 441 teams participated and 26 were selected to represent their schools at their respective state-level finals taking place throughout October. Six winners were announced, and their projects were submitted for the 2023-2024 Shell NXplorers Awards in early December.
The Sarawak final saw The Sentinels from SMK Bintulu announced as the champion team, for their project DespAir. Their solution was an affordable, energy-efficient air purifier with a user-friendly app that alerts users to rising pollution levels and promotes healthier environments. Team Cassano from SMK Baru Bintulu were 1st Runner-Up and also proceeded to the 2023-2024 Shell NXplorers Awards. Their project, AFFAL, was a community app to help local residents compare grocery prices to find the best deals in their area.
The Solvers from SMK Bandar Puncak Jalil were announced the Champions at the Peninsular Malaysia Final. They created EASYPASS, a mobile application that enabled streamlined access for road users, gaining immediate access to toll roads by capturing their vehicle’s license plate.
In second place were The Elemental Innovators from SMK Aminuddin Baki, with their Smart Pantry project. Their system monitored and maintained optimal conditions for food storage, including temperature and humidity to ensure food quality and safety.
The winners of the Sabah Final were Triple Vision from SMK Pekan Telipok with EnviroCan. Their smart waste bin was designed for public areas, with key features including an automatic lid opener, a trash level indicator, a lid locking mechanism and a tilting sense system. Lastly, XO_LEIUNE from SM La Salle were chosen as 1st Runner-Up. They created EcoSwitch 2.0, a ‘kill switch’ that turned off unused devices automatically to improve energy efficiency.
Sabah Final Champions Triple Vision with their EnviroCan project.
Congratulations to all the teams for collaborating to create such innovative solutions and helping create a brighter, more sustainable future.
