The spotlight was firmly on Brunei as the nation proudly hosted the prestigious Asia Pacific ICT Alliance (APICTA) Awards 2024 – a milestone event brought to life by the Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications, in partnership with the Authority for Info-communications Technology Industry of Brunei Darussalam (AITI) and the InfoCom Federation Brunei (IFB).
Beyond the grandeur of the occasion, it was a moment of triumph for the nation, with local talents not only stepping onto the global stage but also claiming well-deserved accolades.
From innovative start-ups to institutions with a legacy, Brunei’s representatives – Ministry of Health, Progresif Sdn Bhd, AIquatic Enterprise, Datastream Digital Sdn Bhd (DST), Nextacloud Technologies Sdn Bhd, Ma’had Islam Brunei, Chung Hwa Middle School and Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA) – delivered standout performances.
Among them, AIquatic Enterprise stole the show, securing an impressive hat-trick of wins, underscoring the spirit of innovation thriving in the Sultanate.
In the aftermath of the celebrations, three of Brunei’s victorious teams opened up about the journeys behind their winning products, sharing heartfelt stories of pride, perseverance, and gratitude.
AI MEETS AQUACULTURE
AIquatic began as a humble research project under CREATES MTIC funding at Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB), in collaboration with the Department of Fisheries and ODE Aquaculture and Agriculture Company Sdn Bhd.
Today, it has evolved into a fully-fledged spin-off company, harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) to revolutionise the aquaculture industry.
Research Fellow at UTB Dayangku Dr Nurun Najeebah Az-Zahra binti Pengiran Dato Seri Paduka Haji Mohammad Tashim and co-founder of AIquatic Enterprise, led the way alongside her colleagues in this groundbreaking project and their journey at APICTA Awards 2024.
Joining her were Senior Assistant Professor at UTB Dr Lim Tiong Hoo, who is also a co-founder of AIquatic Enterprise, and Research Assistant at UTB Muhammad Wafiq bin Haji Abdul Zariful, who is also a fellow co-founder.
Together, this dynamic team has been instrumental in shaping AIquatic’s success and driving innovation in sustainable aquaculture solutions.
“We use AI to analyse prawn growth and monitor the breeding environment, as well as to deliver precise feeding that reduces waste, enhances growth, and minimises environmental impact,” explained Dr Nurun.
These cutting-edge solutions were crafted to address aquaculture’s most pressing challenges – improving resource efficiency while championing sustainability.
Securing a remarkable hat-trick of wins at APICTA Awards 2024, AIquatic not only showcased Brunei’s innovation on an international platform but also demonstrated the immense potential of technology-driven solutions in solving real-world problems.
“Winning a hat-trick at APICTA Awards 2024 for Brunei was an incredibly humbling and inspiring experience,” shared Dr Nurun.
“We take pride and are grateful to have competed alongside some of the brightest minds and innovative solutions in the Asia-Pacific region and see our hard work and vision being recognised on such a prestigious platform.”
Accolades aside, the event offered more than just celebration as it provided growth and connection.
“The event itself was an enriching journey. It provided us with the opportunity to connect with other innovators, industry leaders, and experts, which broadened our perspectives and gave us invaluable insights into the future of ICT and its role in sustainable development.”
Looking ahead, AIquatic has ambitious plans to expand its ecosystem of solutions.
“At the moment, our solutions are focused on giant freshwater prawns (udang galah),” Dr Nurun revealed. “But we are actively developing solutions for other species as well, including marine tilapia and barramundi, for growth detection, monitoring, and disease management.”
TECHNOLOGY THAT SAVES LIVES
Bloodkad, a revolutionary app transforming the blood donation process, has proven that technology can save lives – over 120,000 of them, to be precise.
By seamlessly connecting donors with healthcare providers, the platform has made blood donation more efficient, accessible, and engaging.
Since its launch by Nextacloud Technologies, Bloodkad has attracted 30,000 registered donors, facilitated over 40,000 bookings, completed over 50,000 health pre-screenings, and resulted in more than 40,000 successful blood donations.
“Our platform stands out by creating a seamless experience for donors and healthcare providers alike, while promoting a culture of giving,” shared Managing Director and CEO of Nextacloud Technologies Agus Muslim.
The app’s success goes beyond numbers, with 35.22 per cent of users being first-time donors and an impressive 49.78 per cent returning to donate again – proof of its growing impact and ability to foster lasting engagement.
Recognition on the international stage has further cemented Bloodkad’s success story.
“We are honoured that Bloodkad has received international recognition.
“Last October, we won the Startup Innovation Week in Seoul, South Korea, and this month, we were awarded the prestigious APICTA 2024 Awards.
“Competing and succeeding on these global stages validates the impact of our work and inspires us to continue innovating,” Agus said.
Winning these awards, he emphasised, reflects not just the team’s dedication and passion but also the power of leveraging technology to solve real-world challenges.
“We hope our journey encourages others to pursue impactful innovations.”
The future of Bloodkad is brimming with possibilities. The app will soon introduce features like gamification, a ‘Donate Buddy’ programme, and an AI assistant named Dr Oplet – all designed to engage and retain donors, particularly the younger generation.
“With these wins, we’re more motivated than ever to move forward. For Bloodkad, we have several exciting upgrades planned by Q1 next year.”
These enhancements will include personalised donor rewards, community engagement tools, advanced AI capabilities to improve donor experiences, and strengthened international security compliance with ISO 27001 certification.
Looking beyond Bloodkad, Agus revealed that Nextacloud is already exploring new digital solutions to address other pressing challenges in healthcare and community services.
“These milestones reflect our commitment to delivering impactful solutions both locally and globally, and we’re excited for what lies ahead.”
UPGRADED AND UNSTOPPABLE
Last year, the bright young minds of Year 6 at Ma’had Islam Brunei, under the guidance of their teacher Haji Muhammad Zuwaini bin Haji Aliyani, made waves with Mr Grabbish 1.0.
The innovative app, which clinched a win at the Brunei ICT Awards (BICTA) and earned a Merit Award at the 2023 APICTA Awards in Hong Kong, has now evolved into Mr Grabbish 2.0, proof to their determination to take innovation to the next level.
To qualify for APICTA Awards 2024, the team upgraded their solution, adding a QR code system to prevent unnecessary rubbish dumping and an AI-powered feature that detects and categorises rubbish – be it paper, plastic, glass bottles, or mixed waste.
Religious Education Officer Haji Muhammad Zuwaini shared, “The app is designed to provide fast, efficient, and convenient rubbish collection services.”
Currently a prototype for school-level use, Mr Grabbish 2.0 offers two user types: customers, who request rubbish collection, and Green Heroes, who manage the pickups.
Functionality is key – when bins are full, users can select the type of rubbish, upload a photo, and share their location for collection. By tackling delays in rubbish collection schedules, the app helps reduce accumulation and minimises pollution across land, water, and air – an issue that remains critical in Brunei and beyond.
This year, the upgraded app’s potential was recognised once again with another Merit Award at APICTA Awards 2024, further affirming its positive impact.
Reflecting on the experience, Haji Muhammad Zuwaini said, “Our experience participating in APICTA was truly remarkable, as we had the honour of representing our school, Ma’had Islam Brunei, and our country.
“Through this journey, we gained a deeper understanding of Brunei’s rich culture, including traditional games such as Pasang.”
Looking ahead, Haji Muhammad Zuwaini hopes the students will continue to push boundaries, striving to excel at APICTA Taiwan next year.
“Insya Allah, we will improvise and upgrade our app further and maybe develop a new app in the future.” – Lyna Mohamad
