Moving Forward ‘Online’ with Innovation Challenge 2020
Last May 2020, NASA launched a special edition of a hackathon entitled Space Apps COVID-19 Challenge that encourages participants to propose solutions to challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The challenges focused on: 1) learning about the virus and its spread using space-based data; 2) local response/change and solutions; 3) impacts of COVID-19 on the Earth system/Earth system response; and 4) economic opportunity, impact, and recovery during and following COVID-19.
To support the hackathon, Innovation Challenge 2020, recognized innovators and innovative efforts in fighting COVID-19 through the use of NASA and other space data and participation is exclusive to Philippine teams who participated at the Space Apps COVID-19 Challenge last May 2020.
The call for applications ended on June 9, 2020 and shortlisted teams were announced on June 16, 2020. The successful applicants were given two (2) weeks to complete and refine their project proposals with a free pitching workshop on July 01, 2020 led by Mr. Lance Boyd, Senior Experiential Leadership Education Specialist, Professional Development Program, East-West Center, Hawaii, USA. This was followed by the final pitching competition on July 03, 2020 where the winning team will be selected. Judges were: Mr. Federico Gonzalez, Executive Director, DLSU Animo Labs; Dr. Dominic Ligot, Founder, Principal Consultant and CTO, Cirrolytix Research Services; and Dr. Renzo Guinto, Chief Planetary Doctor, PH Lab.
Four (4) teams successfully made it to the pitching competition: 1) ACCTS that proposed an advanced system that automates contact tracing with the team composed of Heinrich Tulan, Jeric Navarro, Kerwin Felix Reyes, Jed Micko Mewag and Jilmer Hipolito; 2) Malintala that proposed Lulan, an Emergency Routing Application developed by the team composed of Donna Beatrix Marabe, Phoebe Emmanuelle Amatorio, Joeimarie Carmela Bueno, Manuel Carlo Macaraig and Ardy Laurent Emmanuel Tagle; 3) Patriot Liam Makers which focused on a sensor-induced air purifier designed by the team members: Jose Aims Rocina, Maryli Rosas, Ivan James Fermanejo and Lassanah Keita; and 4) Phi-6 that developed a COVID-19 hotspot prediction system with the team composed of the following members: Daniel Paulo Tipan, Angelo Ashtin Valera and Paulito Mandia.
This year’s winning team for the Innovation Challenge 2020 is Malintala and their team will get a chance to be incubated at Animo Labs Technology Business Incubator (TBI).