Realising a better future for all
Visionary tech-enabled ideas win second round of Maxis awards
THE second round of the Maxis Awards has successfully concluded as SEAD Industries (SEAD) and Viva Odyssey were named the winners for their strong environmental and social impact ideas, following Maxis’ usual rigorous review and selection process.
SEAD Industries’ and Viva Odyssey’s inspiring sustainable environment programme and innovative safety tech solution, respectively, emerged as the latest winners of the coveted awards.
Each winner will receive up to RM150,000 worth of Maxis Business solutions, expert support and financial grants to help turn their visionary ideas into reality.
“We continue to be inspired by the submissions for our Maxis Awards and are really pleased to see the innovation in this round’s winners, especially with their demonstrative impact on society.
“At the core of our brand purpose to enable people, businesses and the nation to ‘Always Be Ahead’ in a changing world, is our desire to help connect and empower more Malaysians on our Rangkaian Maxis.
“We look forward to collaborating with both SEAD and Viva Odyssey to realise their visions to bring positive impact to targeted communities,” said Maxis chief marketing officer Loh Keh Jiat.
Turning ideas into reality
SEAD is an impact enterprise that specialises in building design and environmental consultancy services.
Maxis will be helping the company bring to life their sustainable bamboo harvesting programme, which will ultimately rehabilitate over 20 hectares of former mining lands in Perak’s Batu Gajah, using digitally enabled bamboo agroforestry methods.
SEAD founders Lucas Loo and Toh Hua-jie said, “As the trend towards alternative, renewable materials ramps up, bamboo, which is found abundantly in Malaysia, can be a key agent to help combat climate change.
“Our rehabilitation programme involves planting bamboo to capture carbon and restore degraded lands in Malaysia and Internet of Things (Iot)-enabled agro-technology will be a key part of that solution.
“Together with Maxis, we will also be putting technology into the hands of bamboo farmers and harvesters, making their jobs easier, increasing their productivity and improving their livelihoods.”
Meanwhile, Viva Odyssey is a provider of safety technology and integration systems for drilling rigs and oil and gas operations.
With support from Maxis, it will be able to build an automated live-reporting and danger alert system to help prevent construction and reduce offshore accidents.
“Winning this award is very encouraging to us as it affirms that there is no idea too small or not worthy of an opportunity to grow and blossom.
“We are grateful to Maxis for believing in our vision to raise the bar in workplace personnel safety systems and cannot wait to accelerate the building of our live-reporting and danger alert system to bring this important technology to the oil and gas industry,” said Viva Odyssey founder and chief executive officer Jerryson Abraham Doss.
Seeking entrepreneurial heroes
Launched in conjunction with Hari Kebangsaan and Hari Malaysia 2021, the Maxis Awards aims to empower, recognise and support outstanding Malaysian social enterprises whose initiatives and contributions drive positive impact for fellow citizens.
Maxis will help develop, promote and support a total of 12 outstanding, entrepreneurial concepts that will bring social impact to local communities, from the ideation stage to execution and marketing. The support includes, among others:
> Maxis Business solutions required for e-commerce, IOT, cloud, voice and or/network solutions with technical expertise from Maxis
> A financial grant to help cover the operational needs of the chosen initiative
> Marketing and publicity through media and Maxis-owned channels to maximise the project’s visibility
To stand a chance to win the Maxis Awards, participating enterprises have to submit their business idea, detailing its goals, mechanics and feasibility, along with the impact that it hopes to bring to the community.
Winners are selected based on three key criteria: Value to community, freshness of the idea in reflecting a ‘new and better’ theme, as well as how it can be tech-enabled.
The third criteria, in particular, requires finalists to demonstrate how the business idea presents a purposeful, future-forward use of Maxis’ network connectivity and digital solutions.
Last October, Maxis announced its first two award winners: Project Benih by Tropical Rainforest Conservation and Research Centre and Project ERTH by Blue Bee Technologies, who topped the list with forward-thinking solutions towards nature conservation and environmental sustainability.
Following its second round, the social enterprise programme will see Maxis continuing to seek local entrepreneurial heroes and bring to life innovative projects that can help the nation and its communities to ‘Always Be Ahead’. Stay tuned for the next chapter!