Real Problems need Innovative Ideas, Students told
Tertiary students taking part in the ANZ Pacific Innovation Challenge need to form innovative ideas that deal with real problems.
They were told to identify an issue that real people face and find a solution that will help solve that problem while forming innovative ideas.
Pacific Financial Inclusion Programme (PFIP) programme manager Mark Flamming said: “There should be evidence that there is enough people that have this problem who will think that the application is worth their time and money.” Earlier this month, ANZ launched its ANZ Pacific Innovation Challenge with the aim to collaborate students and industries. Twelve teams are confirmed to be participating with a total of 50 students from USP, FNU and UniFji. Participants were also encouraged to consider discussing and partnering with government departments, organisations and mobile service providers.
Vodafone Head of E-Commerce and Corporate Affairs Shalendra Prasad said, “There is a fundamental idea that old people cannot use technology.
“However, most of the people using our eticketing system are pensioners.
“When it is a need, people will make an effort to learn and if people are willing to pay then there is a market.
“Sometimes you have to hold the consumer’s hand and explain to them how to use the product.”
One of the participating team representatives, Shaheen Bibi said her team are working on a cash power machine that will target people in the rural areas.
“When there is a power outage, people in the interior or rural areas can buy recharge and enter their pin which will allow them to use energy from the cash power machine during a power outage,” said Ms Bibi.
The challenge for her team was trying to determine the number of people who may be affected and whether the idea would actually work.