This post is brought to you by OPPO.
For many people, the name OPPO is synonymous with smartphones. But the company is more than just a smartphone manufacturer today. It has evolved into a technology company that is conducting research and development (R&D) in numerous fields. The OPPO Research Institute was established to oversee R&D operations, primarily in the field of health and sustainability.
As such, the tagline for OPPO’s mission is “Technology for Mankind, Kindness for the World” with the goal of using the power of technology to create a better world for all. However, it takes a village to change the world. Therefore, in line with the brand proposition of “Inspiration Ahead,” the company created the OPPO Inspiration Challenge.
This startup competition challenges entrepreneurs and technology professionals to propose innovative solutions to tackle and raise awareness of the issues that affect global communities. OPPO will offer the Top 45 companies partnership opportunities like investments, productization, commercialization, and securing slots to showcase their ideas at global technology events.
During the OPPO Inspiration Challenge 2022, 536 proposals were collected from innovators around the world for the categories of ‘Accessible Technology’ and ‘Digital Health’. Out of those proposals, 18 were selected for further research with some of those proposals being showcased at OPPO INNO DAY 2022 and Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2023.
For OPPO Inspiration Challenge 2023, OPPO is challenging innovators around the world to find solutions for digital health, accessible technology, and environmental protection. With that in mind, the categories for this year’s competition are ‘Inspiration for People’ and ‘Inspiration for the Planet’.
The call for proposals took place on the 8th of May 2023 with OPPO receiving 687 applications from a total of 66 countries. OPPO invested a total of USD440,000 in their brainchild to ensure its success and to incubate the pioneering technological solutions presented by the innovators.
45 proposals were shortlisted to enter the regional demo event in Boston, United States, Shenzhen, China, and Bangkok, Thailand. Each demo event will have 15 teams from the respective region competing for the Top 5. Winners from all three regional demo events will be combined to create the Global Top 15. They will compete at the Global Final Demo Event in Singapore later this year, where 5 winners will be chosen.
The demo event in Bangkok, Thailand marks the first time the OPPO Inspiration Challenge comes to the APAC region. APAC’s best and brightest innovators compete to demonstrate the feasibility, innovation and originality, long-term potential, and social values of their proposals at Chulalongkorn University.
Competition was tough with the 15 teams bringing similar levels of innovation and creativity. In the end, here are the 5 teams and their respective proposals that were chosen to move on and join the winners of the other 2 regional demo events, at the Global Final Demo Event.
From the Inspiration for the People category:
- ERTIGO, Online Therapy Program for Preventing Myofascial Pain Syndrome And Chronic Pain, by Benew Tech, from Thailand
ERTIGO is a mobile application solution for myofascial pain syndrome and chronic pain, offering ergonomic interactive self-care animations, muscle and posture check-up with AI, gamification, and connection to physiotherapy clinics for personalised self-care plans. - EZSpeech, by Mila4AI Inc., from Uzbekistan
A software that helps people with speech disorders improve their speech without the physical presence of a therapist during treatment. - Impulse – Non-Surgical Hearing Aid, by Backyard Creators Private Limited, from India.
An externally wearable ear-device that helps those with congenital hearing loss regain the ability to hear without surgery. - Precision Psychiatry at Scale, by Mobio Interactive, from Singapore
AmDTx is an AI-powered digital therapeutic platform that provides objective data on mental wellness, which physicians use to prescribe clinically validated interventions and improve health equity, without requiring wearables or constant connectivity.
From the Inspiration for the Planet category:
- Flint Paper Battery, by Flint, from Singapore.
Flint’s paper batteries offer a sustainable and safe energy storage solution to the lithium-ion battery industry, with the benefit of being compostable, versatile, and thus addressing critical issues within the industry.
Additionally, the Impulse – Non-Surgical Hearing Aid and Flint Paper Battery proposals were presented with the Media Choice Award.
We wish all 15 finalists good luck on the global stage! The 5 teams to win the OPPO Inspiration Challenge 2023 will each receive a USD50,000 grant to turn their ideas into reality. But before that Global Final Demo Event, the global Top 15 will be invited to meet with OPPO senior executives, technology and investment experts, and industry partners.
The OPPO Inspiration Challenge is just one example of how OPPO is consistently investing in corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices. During MWC 2023, OPPO released its OPPO Climate Action Report: Climate Pledges and Low Carbon Development Strategy where the company pledged to achieve carbon neutrality across its global operations by the year 2050.
To show its commitment to achieving this goal, OPPO’s first self-built data center, the OPPO AndesBrain located in Binhaiwan Bay relies on 100% renewable energy for electricity. This is just the start as the company is continuously exploring innovative solutions to contribute to sustainable development.
Elsewhere, OPPO is making good on its promise to make technology more accessible. With Kids Space and Simple Mode on ColorOS 13, OPPO is ensuring no one gets left behind in the era of digital transformation.
If you want to follow the journey of the Global Top 15 teams and find out the winners of the OPPO Inspiration Challenge 2023, you can do so with the link here. Additionally, you can also learn more about the OPPO Inspiration Challenge by clicking the link here.
