UTM Teams Bag Total Prizes Worth CN¥32,000 (US$4,429) at JITRI Cup XJTLU DC 2024, China

“Great things in business are never done by one person; they’re done by a team of great people.”

JIANGSU, Dec 15—The teams from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) demonstrated exceptional performance on December 15, 2024, at the prestigious Jiangsu Industrial Technology Research Institute (JITRI) Cup Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) Global Dream-Chasers Entrepreneurial Competition (DC 2024). This international competition attracted teams worldwide, and UTM’s participation stood out impressively among them.

Since October 2024, the teams, under the guidance of their mentors, have been diligently refining their ideas, developing prototypes, and perfecting their business strategies to compete at the highest level. Their dedication and relentless effort over the past few months have resulted in this remarkable achievement.

The Faculty of Management takes great pride in mentoring these talented students. Three esteemed lecturers from the Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship—Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zuraidah Sulaiman, Dr. Noraindah Abdullah Fahim, and Dr. Adaviah Mas’od—were invited by the Entrepreneurship & Enterprise Hub (EEH) at XJTLU Taicang, China, to serve as Guest Judges and a Session Chair. Throughout the competition, they provided valuable feedback on marketing, entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainability.

Judging Criteria for the JITRI Cup DC 2024

The innovation competition’s judging criteria focused on several key aspects to evaluate the competing projects. Judges emphasized innovation and creativity, seeking originality and unique approaches to addressing societal challenges. They assessed market potential by considering the ideas’ scalability and relevance to current demands. The business model’s viability, including its sustainability and profitability, was also a crucial factor in determining the winners.

Projects were evaluated based on their impact and social benefits, as well as their sustainability and community involvement. The strength of teamwork and the ability to execute clear strategies were critical, as was the effective integration of technology to enhance solutions. Finally, the quality of the presentation played a significant role, with teams being assessed on the clarity and persuasiveness of their business pitches.

Competition Fun Facts

• 522 total teams from 32 universities across 16 countries

• 190 submissions from UTM advanced to the First Round
  

• 25 UTM teams progressed to the Top 100 in the Second Round

• 11 UTM teams, including 5 from the Faculty of Management, 3 from Faculty of Educational Sciences and Technology (FEST), 2 from Faculty of Science, and 1 from Faculty of Civil Engineering (FKA) competed in the Top 60 Finals

• Most winners were from the Bachelor of Management (Marketing) with Honours programme showcasing its strength in fostering entrepreneurial and innovative talents

• All UTM teams opted for virtual pitching sessions due to some logistic constraints
  

Winning Teams, Projects, Members, and Faculties

Congratulations to all the teams for their creativity, innovation, and hard work, which led to these remarkable victories. Together, UTM teams secured a total of CN¥32,000 in prizes.

The 2nd place winners, Nur Raudah Zaini and Nor Afira Misran from the Faculty of Management, received a prize of CN¥10,000 (US$1,383) for their project, the RECYCLOBOT AI SORTING BIN.

For 3rd place, three teams each received a prize of CN¥5,000 (US$692). The first team, led by Navina Rathana Balakrishnan and Ho Yoke Ling, showcased their innovative SMART WATER-CONSERVING SHOWER HEAD. The second team, composed of Nurul Nazirah Bibi Kassim, Nurul Asywani Talib, and Aishah Hani Idris, impressed the judges with their SMART SOLAR POWER CHARGING PENCIL BOX, also from the Faculty of Management. Lastly, the third team, comprised of Nur Izah Azan and Nur Alya Che Nazi from the Faculty of Educational Sciences and Technology (FEST), displayed their creativity with the project BAG IT.

Excellence prizes of CN¥1,000 (US$138) were awarded to several exceptional teams. From the Faculty of Management, the innovative project TRY ON VIRTUAL FASHION: THE FUTURE OF FASHION was developed by Ilie Akmal Kamarul Zaman, Nurathirah Riduwan, Dashini Palaniaapan, and Sivaneswary Paramasivam. Another project from the same faculty, MAGIT SAFE, was created by Ng Chun Hou and Fu Yu.

In FEST, the project HYDRATION TRACKER BRACELET: HYDROMINDER was developed by Puteri Farahin Nazri and Nik Nur Izzati Ni Li. From the Faculty of Science, the SELF-IRONING WARDROBE was created by Maisarah Mustapha, Nur Alia Nadhirah Amirul Azman, and Nurul Hanis Azura Huzairi.

Moving to the next round of Excellence Prizes, the project SMART DELIVERY CABINET, developed by Heng Qian Wen, Lim Xin Ru, and Ong Zi Qing, was recognized for its creativity, representing the Faculty of Civil Engineering (FKA). Additionally, the AUTOBED NEV – a Smart Hospital Bed with GPS and Vital Sensors, created by Sofea Adlina Shamion, Nur Syahmiera Afina Mohd Zamri, and Ungku Ainul Mardiah U Zainal Abidin from FEST, also received accolades.

Finally, the WASTELESS_AIRFRIDGE, designed for revolutionizing food management with smart technology, was developed by Nursyazwina Alya Nasuha Zulkefli, Nur Nattra Hanasyafiella Medzar, Nurazika Majuleka, and Nurul Asyiqin Mansur from the Faculty of Science.

We thank the EEH at XJTLU’s Taicang campus for organizing this impactful event. We would like to thank Assistant Professor Dr. Joe Lo Ying Tuan, the EEH’s Undergraduate Director, and everyone at the XJTLU Entrepreneur College (Taicang) for their invaluable contributions, warm hospitality, and support throughout the competition.

The three UTM mentors had a memorable trip to Shanghai, Taicang, and Suzhou. They enjoyed the beauty of autumn in these vibrant cities, adding a delightful cultural dimension to this remarkable international competition.

A big thank you to all the mentors from the Faculty of Management for their invaluable guidance and support. This includes Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zuraidah Sulaiman in Sustainability Marketing, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thoo Ai Chin in Supply Chain Management, Dr. Noraindah Abdullah Fahim in Entrepreneurship, Dr. Adaviah Mas’od in Social Marketing, and Sariati Azman in Accounting. Your contributions are greatly appreciated!

Let’s maintain our commitment to excellence and empower our students to achieve new milestones in entrepreneurship, excelling and innovating in global competitions!

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