Team Youth was named champion for their project, Medical Training Hub, while Team Solve earned second place with their project, One Stop Fix during the closing ceremony of the first phase of the Startup673 i-Entrepreneur programme yesterday.
Both winning teams secured seed funding for their projects.
Some 14 teams from 60 i-Ready apprentices under the Ministry of Health (MoH) participated in the programme.
Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar as the guest of honour at the ceremony said Brunei Vision 2035 has created a clear pathway for the country to be visionary, competitive and noble, backed by strong and resilient economic development.
He presented prizes to the winners. The minister said, “The programme – held for the first time – is one of the government’s strategic efforts, in particular the MoH, in mobilising the entrepreneurial ecosystem and creating economic opportunities, especially among i-Ready officers.”
He added that it “is a joint initiative between the MoH, Darussalam Enterprise (DARe), Shell LiveWIRE Brunei, the Authority for Info-communications Technology Industry of Brunei Darussalam (AITI) and Brunei Innovation Lab (BIL) to develop i-Ready officers by stimulating innovation and sparking creativity through entrepreneurship skills.”
The programme also exposes challenges faced by the ministry, allowing participants to discuss and recommend ideas, initiatives and solutions, such as the waiting time, basic life support management certification and maintenance costs.
The minister said that the ideas that arose during the programme were well received by the department heads during the pitching session. Among the ideas recommended were UbatCepat (vending machine), BNTraCert application, StoKu, Ringkas, Sistem Senyum – Robotic Nursing Assistant and Medical Training Hub, as they were insightful, feasible and demonstrated the problem-solving skills of the i-Ready apprentices.
Meanwhile, Startup673 committee member Abdul Qawiem bin Haji Yacob in his remarks said, “It is important to remember that this is just the beginning. The next step is to turn ideas into prototypes, and that’s where the real work begins. But to our participants, I want to assure you that you are not alone.
“Shell LiveWIRE Brunei, DARe, AITI and BIL will continue to provide support and guidance to bring your solutions to life. Through our network of mentors, resources and funding opportunities, we are committed to guiding you as you navigate the path from ideation to impact.”
He added, “The ball is now in your court. Explore these opportunities to propel your ideas forward and seize the ones that best fit your vision. Take advantage of these services and continue collaborating.”
Following the prize presentation, the minister toured the exhibits of participating teams. – James Kon
