2024 IEEE CTU Challenge Prize Winners

winning proposal presentations WILL BE PROVIDED SHORTLY

Best Overall

Best Overall Proof of Concept

MegaEdu: Fostering Last Mile school connectivity in Brazil’s most vulnerable communities

Presenter

Luiza Barbosa

Award: USD 5,000
Sponsored by: IEEE Foundation

Best Overall Concept

Mosos Africa

Presenter

EnovateLab Foundation

Award: USD 4,000
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

Technical Concept 1st Place

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

Technical Concept 2nd Place

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

Community Enablement Concept Honorable Mention

OppNets in the Darien Gap

Presenter

Aris Castillo

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