Brunei is proud to host APICTA Awards 2024 from December 4 to 7, marking a significant opportunity to advance collaboration and innovation across the region.
The Asia Pacific ICT Alliance (APICTA) Awards extends beyond the scope of a traditional technology competition, functioning as a strategic platform to showcase innovations with global potential.
Brunei’s hosting of APICTA Awards 2024 is particularly special as it aligns with the 20th anniversary of the Brunei ICT Awards (BICTA), marking a significant milestone in the nation’s digital journey.
The Vision Beyond Recognition
Haji Hadi Iskandar bin Dato Paduka Haji Mohammad, Manager of the New Industry, Industry Development Group at AITI, and a key member of the APICTA Awards 2024 Secretariat, highlighted the broader significance of the competition. Speaking to the Bulletin, he shared: that the vision of APICTA extends beyond awarding recognition, it is to support local innovators by creating opportunities for long-term growth and enabling them to scale their innovations for global markets.
Rigorous Evaluation: Global Impact and Market Adaptation
APICTA employs a rigorous judging process that evaluates products not only on technical proficiency but also on their adaptability to diverse markets.
A panel of multidisciplinary experts, assesses the potential of each innovation to succeed across different economic contexts, including both emerging and developed markets.
This approach provides participants with valuable actionable insights into positioning their products on a global scale.
By highlighting pathways to larger markets and refining commercial strategies, the evaluation process helps participants enhance the international viability of their innovations.
Through this comprehensive assessment, innovators can better align their solutions with the demands of diverse economic environments, increasing their prospects for success.
Impact on Marketing and Economic Growth
In addition to fostering technological advancement, APICTA plays a vital role in shaping participants’ approaches to online marketing and global commercialisation.
Through the competition, participants gain valuable insights into effectively promoting their solutions and navigating the complexities of diverse economic landscapes.
More than a platform for showcasing innovations, APICTA strives to establish an ecosystem that supports both technical excellence and commercial development.
By encouraging a holistic approach to innovation, the competition serves as a gateway for businesses aiming to enter international markets and achieve sustainable economic impact.
Post-competition Support: Turning Ideas into Market-Ready Solutions
APICTA extends its support to winners well beyond the competition itself, focusing on fostering long-term development and market readiness. While the awards celebrate innovation, they also serve as a launchpad for further progress. Winners gain access to targeted development programmes designed to transform their ideas into commercially viable solutions.
By facilitating connections with industry experts, business partners, and key stakeholders, APICTA provides winners with the resources and guidance necessary to refine their products and successfully navigate the path to market entry.
BruHealth’s Global Recognition through APICTA
A notable example of APICTA’s impact is Brunei’s BruHealth app, which gained international recognition at the APICTA Awards 2022 competition in Pakistan.
Designed to support public health efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, BruHealth played a pivotal role in Brunei’s pandemic response. Its features – such as contact tracing, vaccination management, and health monitoring – distinguished it from similar platforms globally.
BruHealth’s success at APICTA underscored the role of innovation in crisis management while showcasing Brunei’s dedication to leveraging technology to improve public health.
Its global recognition exemplified how local innovations can achieve meaningful influence in international markets.
APICTA Awards 2024: Fostering Collaboration and Innovation
In addition to the competition, APICTA Awards 2024 offers a range of engaging activities designed to foster innovation and collaboration.
Among these is Hong Kong Night, which provides a platform for Hong Kong innovators to showcase their products.
This event facilitates networking, discussions, and the exploration of potential cross-border partnerships.
The event also includes key opportunities for business and cultural exchange.
A business networking session on December 7 will bring together companies from multiple countries to explore new market opportunities and develop partnerships.
Additionally, a student networking session also to be held on December 7 will introduce students’ delegation to Brunei’s rich traditions and heritage, strengthening international connections and fostering mutual understanding.
Digital Brunei Exhibition: Showcasing Brunei’s Digital Landscape
In conjunction with the Awards event, the Digital Brunei Exhibition, organised by DST as a member of the APICTA Awards 2024 Working Committee, will also take place from December 4 to 6 at the Atrium of The Mall, Gadong.
This exhibition serves as a platform for Bruneian entrepreneurs and companies to present their digital innovations to a global audience, demonstrating the country’s growing digital landscape.
Key Stakeholders Driving APICTA Awards 2024
APICTA 2024 is driven by a coalition of key stakeholders dedicated to maximising the event’s impact and ensuring its success. These include:
The Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications (MTIC): As a co-organiser, MTIC plays an integral role in coordinating the event, aligning it with Brunei’s strategic objectives for technological advancement and economic development.
The Authority for Info-communications Technology Industry of Brunei Darussalam (AITI): AITI leads Brunei’s involvement in APICTA by supporting local technology development and fostering the growth of the nation’s digital economy.
InfoCom Federation Brunei (IFB): Serving as an industry partner, IFB provides essential support to Bruneian innovators, ensuring they are equipped to showcase their products on the international stage and connect with regional resources and expertise.
Together with industry experts, mentors and business partners, these stakeholders play a pivotal role in positioning APICTA as a platform that drives innovation and economic progress across the region.
APICTA: Bridging Innovation and Global Markets
APICTA offers a crucial platform for companies and individuals to gain international exposure, forge new partnerships, and push the boundaries of innovation.
With support from key stakeholders, the competition generates a ripple effect, empowering participants to scale their solutions and achieve a global impact.
Through APICTA, Brunei is positioned to further contribute to the technological progress and economic development of the Asia-Pacific region.
The upcoming APICTA Awards 2024 is poised to be a landmark event, celebrating innovation while acting as a catalyst for future collaborations and unlocking new opportunities for businesses and entrepreneurs across the region.
APICTA represents the ICT communities of 17 member economies in the Asia-Pacific region. Its primary aim is to promote technological innovation and the development of ICT solutions through its annual awards programme.
APICTA’s vision is to be the leading alliance for the Asia-Pacific economies, driving collaboration, talent development, entrepreneurship, and the advancement of information and communications technology across the region.
Its mission is to provide a platform that recognises and catalyses indigenous ICT innovations, fostering economic and workforce development, trade relations and technological collaboration in the region.
The APICTA awards recognise excellence across 35 categories, divided into five main head categories:
The Consumer Category
Includes projects, products, and services that target or empower consumer choice and engagement across markets such as retail, media, entertainment, tourism, and banking.
The Inclusion and Community Services Category
Focuses on solutions that break down barriers for community participation, enhance quality of life, and improve education, health, and well-being, including services for rural or remote areas.
The Industrial Category
This category awards solutions that deliver automation and improve processes across industries such as agriculture, energy, manufacturing, and logistics.
The Business Services Category Recognises innovations that enhance productivity and competitiveness across sectors like finance, HR, legal, and architecture.
The Public Sector and Government Category
Honours ICT solutions that improve government service delivery, particularly those focusing on digitisation and efficiency.
In addition to the main categories, there are other awards, such as the Students Category, which recognises outstanding ICT projects by students at different educational levels.
The Cross Categories Awards
Include the ‘Research and Development Project of the Year’ and the ‘Start-up of the Year’, which honour innovations in early-stage products or research.
The Technology Awards
For advancements in areas such as Business Data Analytics, the Internet of Things (IoT), and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Each member economy can submit a maximum of 35 entries across the five head categories, with up to three nominations for each of the Cross-Category Awards and the Technology Awards.
For the Student Category, up to three entries can be submitted per stream, including Junior, Senior, and Tertiary Students Project levels.
The APICTA awards mechanism involves a three-part process: the nominated participants, the judging panel, and the judging process.
Nominated participants must be organisations or institutions recognised through local ICT competitions and nominated by their respective economies.
The judging panel consists of experts with at least 10 years of experience in ICT, and they follow specific judging criteria for each category.
The judging process includes a 25-minute presentation, which consists of a demo and a question-and-answer session.
The scores are calculated and reviewed by the Chief Judge and Advisory Judges to ensure fairness and credibility.
APICTA also features the People’s Choice Award, where the public can vote for their favourite entries in selected categories, such as Senior Student and Tertiary Student projects. Entries with the highest votes in each category win the People’s Choice Award.
Brunei Darussalam’s second hosting of the APICTA Awards, following its 2012 debut, reaffirms its dedication to innovation and global collaboration.
The APICTA Awards 2024 is set to be a landmark event, uniting talent and visionaries from across the region to celebrate and advance ICT excellence. – Fadley Faisal
