Attended by Mauro Porcini, Chief Design Officer (CDO) at Samsung Electronics; Giusy Versace, Senator of the Italian Republic; Ollie Dudfield, Olympism365 Associate Director at IOC; and Domenico De Maio, Education & Culture Director of the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation, the Exhibition provided a space in which selected Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Ambassadors could directly showcase their solutions on the biggest stage.

Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is a global platform that empowers young innovators to address real-world challenges using skills in the fields of AI technology or STEM. By fostering creativity and critical thinking, the program encourages students to innovate and develop impactful solutions to local and global issues. Through hands-on projects, participants gain the skills and confidence to tackle complex problems, transforming their ideas into actionable solutions. This initiative not only nurtures the next generation of leaders but also strengthens the global community by connecting young minds across borders to share knowledge and inspire collective progress. After the work Samsung did for Solve for Tomorrow with the IOC in the lead up to Paris 2024, the program has been strengthened through the collaboration with the IOC by launching “Social Change Through Sport & Technology – Sport & Tech” as one of the global themes for Solve for Tomorrow competition 2025. 

Displayed as prototypes in their respective booths were AKQUA-Gel, an AI-based smart bandage solution that monitors wound healing in real time and supports early infection detection through sensor data developed by Arya Anilkumar, Anna Huang, Aishwarya Reddy, Subiksha Srinivasan Vidya, and Elaine Zuo; and Kroove, a Solve for Tomorrow Italy-winning community-based app developed by Davide Casciaro and Francesco Emmanuel Stringaro that promotes sporting activities.

A key principle of Solve for Tomorrow is design thinking, which involves innovators learning how to manifest their ideas as usable, tangible objects in the real world. As such, the Ambassadors also took part in a bespoke Innovation workshop led by the Olympism365 Innovation Hub, organized collaboratively by Samsung and the IOC — with the objective of preparing them for what is next in their innovation journeys.

“At Samsung, we believe that young people already have what it takes to build a better future,” said Mauro Porcini, CDO at Samsung Electronics. “Our role is to support that journey — to provide the space, the tools and the trust that allow their ideas to grow into something meaningful.”

“The solutions exhibited today were truly impressive and are a hallmark of improving communities through passion and ingenuity,” said Senator Giusy Versace. “With future leaders as innovative as the Solve for Tomorrow Ambassadors, it is clear that the world is in good hands.”

Solve for Tomorrow Ambassadors Exhibit Solutions

Each booth at the Exhibition allowed hands-on experience of a Solve for Tomorrow solution, with the students on hand to introduce the problem they identified, the solution they developed and how technology plays a role in bringing that solution to life. Guests were able to ask questions, engage with the students, and experience their ideas firsthand.

For example, at the Storm Shield experience, guests tried on the headband and a demonstrator approached them from two meters away. As they approached — indicating an obstacle — the headband vibrated, with vibrations varying depending on distance. At the MyVision Experience, guests were able to walk slowly with the cane, which recognized obstacles on the floor and vibrated to alert the user to danger.

Meanwhile, the AKQUA-Gel and Kroove booths provided in-depth, interactive explanations of the ways in which the prototype solutions provided smarter health solutions and brought communities together through sports, respectively.

At the exhibition, there were all ten solutions from the Solve for Tomorrow Ambassadors, as follows:

The Five Sport & Tech Ambassador Teams

Australia | Team Up: Ahan Khiani

An AI-based platform that connects individuals with local sports teams and communities to increase participation in recreational sports.

Indonesia | Run Sight: Anthony Feriyanto

A wearable AI solution that helps people with visual impairments safely participate in running and other physical activities by detecting lanes and obstacles.

Türkiye | Poseidon: Umut Devrim Deveci

A swimming safety system for visually impaired users that provides vibration alerts through a wristband when approaching boundaries or obstacles.

Great Britain | Curastep: Raye Woon

Smart sneakers equipped with sensors to detect early signs of blister formation in people with diabetes and encourage safe physical activity. 

United States | Storm Shield: Danielle Yang

A protective sports headband designed to shield hearing aids from moisture, impact and environmental damage during physical activity.

The Five Accessibility and Environment Ambassador Teams

China | Furen Makers: Chenyue Wang

A brainwave-controlled wheelchair designed to support people with ALS and physical disabilities in mobility, rehabilitation and sports participation.

France | Liova: Simon Cénet 

A reusable battery production kit that transforms discarded smartphone batteries into portable power banks to reduce electronic waste.

India | Paraspeak: Pranet Khetan

A cloud-based AI solution that converts unclear speech into clear pronunciation in real time for people with speech impairments. 

Türkiye | Oilsorb: irem Erden

A sustainable oil spill response solution using reusable wool-based oil absorption pads and drone technology to address marine pollution.

United States | AKQUA-Gel: Arya Anilkumar

An AI-powered smart bandage that monitors wound healing in real time and supports early infection detection through sensor data.

The Spirit of Excellence in the Pursuit of Unity

Through Solve for Tomorrow, Samsung supports the journey of expanding the potential of youth into social impact around the world. It is with this in mind that the company hosted the Solve for Tomorrow Exhibition while another global event celebrating excellence and togetherness, the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Each event represents a yearslong journey in the pursuit of excellence for the greater good, the transition of potential to real impact.

“It is energizing to witness the Solve for Tomorrow Ambassadors showcase their innovative solutions firsthand, particularly in the context of the Olympic Games Milano Cortina 2026, which placed a strong emphasis on inspiring and educating young people across Italy to encourage participation, inclusion and lifelong engagement in sport,” said Ollie Dudfield, Olympism365 Associate Director at IOC. “The work of the Ambassadors reflects our shared belief — across the IOC, Samsung and Milano Cortina 2026 — in youth engagement and in the impact sport and technology can have as catalysts for positive social change.”

“These young Solve for Tomorrow Ambassadors have put in long, difficult, hours — all in the name of benefiting their communities,” said Domenico De Maio, Education & Culture Director at the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation. “Seeing the incredible results of all that work is awe-inspiring, and the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation is proud to have been associated with this Exhibition.”

Find out more about Samsung Solve for Tomorrow at https://csr.samsung.com/en/.

The announcement was made in Milan, where the ambassador program announcement is being held in conjunction with the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. The three-day program runs from Feb. 8–10 and includes an appointment ceremony, a solution exhibition and networking activities.

Solve for Tomorrow is Samsung’s global problem-solving platform that supports young people in developing innovative STEM-based solutions to address local and global challenges. This year’s global ambassadors were selected from winning teams of Solve for Tomorrow regional competitions around the world, with the final selection being made through a joint evaluation by Samsung and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) based on the innovation, scalability and social impact of each solution. The 10 selected teams are divided into two focus areas — Sport & Tech, and Accessibility & Environment — with five teams chosen in each category.

As part of the Ambassador program, each selected team will receive funding, along with up to two years of continued support from Samsung to help transform their prototypes into commercially viable products. Five teams in the Sport & Tech category will be jointly supported by Samsung and the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

During the ceremony, two Solve for Tomorrow alumni — Danielle Yang, a Samsung Solve For Tomorrow Ambassador in Sport & Tech, and Simon Cénet of Team Liova from France — shared personal stories and insights on youth innovation and the real-world impact of their projects.

Yang, who has a hearing disability herself, explained her motivation for participating in the program, stating, “I joined Samsung Solve for Tomorrow to address the challenges I experienced in my daily life.” She added, “With the support of Samsung Electronics and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), I am truly honored and delighted to have the opportunity to share my idea with the world, even on the Olympic stage.”

“Through Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, I gained the confidence that my idea can create positive change in society,” said İrem Erden, an Ambassador from Türkiye who won a regional competition with OilSorb, a marine oil spill response solution that utilizes reusable wool-based oil absorption pads and drones. “As a selected ambassador, I will strive to inspire more generations.”

Sustainable Innovation in Sport & Tech

Held under the theme “Sport & Tech,” the aim of Samsung’s 2026 Ambassador program is to empower youth to drive sustainable innovation through the intersection of sports, technology and leadership. The official appointment ceremony took place at Samsung House in Milan and was attended by approximately 80 global stakeholders, including IOC President Kirsty Coventry; Jae Youl Kim, IOC Executive Board Member and President of Samsung Global Research; Olympism 365 Commission Chair Auvita Rapilla; Olympism 365 Commission Member Nawal El Moutawakel; Won-Jin Lee, President and Head of Global Marketing at Samsung Electronics; and Simon Sung, President and CEO Samsung Electronics Europe.

Commitment moment in the appointment ceremony underscored the shared commitment of Samsung and the IOC to jointly nurturing future talent and empowering young people to help shape a better world. This commitment was brought to life through a stage performance in which the composite logos of both organizations were brought together by unfolding and overlapping the Galaxy Z TriFold, completing the visual composition. The act of opening the Galaxy Z TriFold symbolically represented the expansion of ideas and potential, as well as the shared belief of Samsung and the IOC in opening new possibilities as young people step forward to lead the future.

“The projects are truly inspiring: full of creativity, imagination, and passion to make a real difference. You’re using technology to shape a future that is more inclusive, more sustainable, healthier and more active,” said IOC President Coventry. “I am especially excited to see the first-ever Sport & Tech winners — combining sport, technology, and problem-solving in ways that can truly change lives.”

“Through Solve for Tomorrow and our collaboration with the IOC, we are creating environments where young people can discover their strengths, express their ideas, and contribute meaningfully to society,” said Global Marketing Head Lee. “We are not only supporting innovation but also nurturing future leaders who will carry forward the values of excellence, respect, friendship — and creativity.”

Solution Exhibition and Innovation Workshop

On Feb. 9, the ambassador teams will showcase the solutions they developed at Smart City Lab in Milan and attend an innovation-themed workshop led by the IOC’s Olympism365 Innovation Hub that will equip the ambassadors with the skills to be an innovator of sustainable development in the world of sports. The exhibition will be attended by representatives from the IOC, the Milano Cortina 2026 Organizing Committee and various Italian government agencies.

On Feb. 10, the ambassadors will take part in a series of on-site programs and official activities, as well as a visit to the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Village. Through these experiences, Samsung is supporting the ambassadors in deepening their understanding of sports, technology and the meaning of the Olympic Games and the Olympic spirit.

Details regarding the 10 newly selected Solve for Tomorrow Ambassador teams and their projects are as follows: 

The Five Sport & Tech Ambassador Teams

Australia | TeamUp: Ahan Khiani

An AI-based platform that connects individuals with local sports teams and communities to increase participation in recreational sports.  

Indonesia | Run Sight: Anthony Edbert Feriyanto

A wearable AI solution that helps people with visual impairments safely participate in running and other physical activities by detecting lanes and obstacles.

Türkiye | Poseidon: Umut Devrim Deveci

A swimming safety system for visually impaired users that provides vibration alerts through a wristband when approaching boundaries or obstacles.  

Great Britain | Curastep: Raye Woon

 Smart sneakers equipped with sensors to detect early signs of blister formation in people with diabetes and encourage safe physical activity.   

United States | Storm Shield: Danielle Yang

A protective sports headband designed to shield hearing aids from moisture, impact and environmental damage during physical activity.

The Five Accessibility and Environment Ambassador Teams

China | Furen Makers: Chenyue Wang 

A brainwave-controlled wheelchair designed to support people with ALS and physical disabilities in mobility, rehabilitation and sports participation. 

France | Liova: Simon Cénet

A reusable battery production kit that transforms discarded smartphone batteries into portable power banks to reduce electronic waste.

India | Paraspeak: Pranet Khetan

A cloud-based AI solution that converts unclear speech into clear pronunciation in real time for people with speech impairments.  

Türkiye | Oilsorb: İrem Erden

A sustainable oil spill response solution using reusable wool-based oil absorption pads and drone technology to address marine pollution.

United States | AKQUA-Gel: Arya Anilkumar

An AI-powered smart bandage that monitors wound healing in real time and supports early infection detection through sensor data. 

Ahead of this year’s International Day of the Girl Child, Samsung Newsroom highlights the impact of these programs and spotlights young women forging meaningful careers in technology.

India: From Beginner to Hackathon Winner

Growing up in Bangalore, Vaishnavi Kambar had no exposure to coding and never imagined joining a hackathon. After developing her skills at SIC and gaining experience as an intern, she went on to win HackToFuture 3.0. How does someone go from knowing little about programming to claiming victory so quickly? For Kambar, the answer wasn’t a single breakthrough but steady support and collaboration at SIC. There, she advanced her technical abilities and gained the confidence to perform at a high level.

Early in the program, Kambar worried her mentor might grow frustrated with her questions. Instead, she found patience and guidance. She credits this empathy as the foundation that encouraged her to keep learning and to speak up when in doubt.

For Kambar, SIC was a turning point. She learned to present ideas, work in teams and solve problems under pressure — experiences that reshaped how she sees herself. Now, she urges other young women interested in technology or innovation to approach the journey with courage and an open mind.

“Just take the plunge, even if you feel like you don’t belong. I started with no coding knowledge and a biology background,” said Kambar. “At times I felt like an outsider, but I kept going, one step at a time. Each time I pushed through the fear, I grew stronger.”

Armenia: From Learner to Leader

In Armenia, Hasmik Kettsyan discovered SIC as a place to grow. Although she already had coding experience, she often felt isolated in tech settings as the only girl in the room. At SIC, encouragement and trust created an environment where she could apply coding theory to real-world problems — a key step in finding purpose in her work.

“Different perspectives lead to better solutions, and the field gets stronger when more people are involved,” said Kettsyan, now a tech professional who encourages more young women to enter the field. “Find people who support you and keep pushing yourself. Your ideas matter more than you might realize.”

Inspired by her time at SIC, Kettsyan is now paying it forward. Soon after completing the program, she organized a technology summer camp for younger students in her community and began writing a book on innovation that she hopes to publish. For her, inspiring others has become one of the most rewarding parts of the SIC experience — and it continues to drive her to give back.

China: Learning Through Challenge

Ziyun Xu, a recent graduate of New York University Shanghai, is headed to Yale University to pursue her dream of protecting the environment. As a high school freshman in 2019, she wasn’t sure how to begin research. That changed when she joined Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, where she quickly learned the rigors of the process and advanced rapidly as a young scientist.

At one point, Xu revised her project seven times in just three days — each requiring a complete rethink of her approach — while also reviewing 280 sources to strengthen her paper. The experience laid the foundation for more advanced work that later took her research beyond the lab.

In Guangxi, Xu and her teammates worked in the countryside to design better-ventilated cattle sheds for local families, improve silage feed and use fermented cow dung to raise earthworms. Although farmers were initially skeptical, they grew to appreciate the team’s efforts. “The owner of the cattle farm sincerely thanked us for everything we had done,” she recalled.

Xu credits Solve for Tomorrow as the stepping stone to her dream, providing girls an outlet to explore science while serving their communities. She has since carried that spirit forward — mentoring younger students and presenting her findings at global conferences. “Every girl should believe that an idea from her youth might change some corner of the world,” she said.

Germany: Expanding Opportunities for Girls in STEM Around the World

For girls interested in STEM careers worldwide, Solve for Tomorrow and SIC have built a legacy of empowerment and community impact. As a global leader in youth education, Samsung also runs initiatives such as Girls’DAI. At the April 2025 event hosted by Samsung Electronics Germany, 36 girls toured the Samsung Space at the company’s headquarters in Eschborn — exploring three levels of AI technology, experiencing Galaxy AI firsthand and learning about responsible and creative uses of AI.

“Our Girls’DAI has shown how much potential lies in the next generation — bold questions, creative ideas and an open view of technology. Anyone who wants to shape AI needs these perspectives,” said Katharina Strohmeier, Project Manager of Corporate Citizenship at Samsung Electronics Germany. “Girls bring these perspectives, and that makes the future smarter, fairer and more diverse.”

Whether by supporting girls to become accomplished researchers or by offering hands-on exposure to the latest technology, Samsung is committed to opening educational opportunities for the next generation worldwide.

Learn more about Samsung’s CSR initiatives in the links below.

Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is a global STEM competition that empowers students to develop creative, real-world solutions to community challenges while building skills, confidence and connections that prepare them to lead and inspire change.

Samsung Innovation Campus is a global education program that equips youth — including underrepresented groups — with advanced IT skills in areas like AI, big data and IoT, along with hands-on training and mentorship to pursue careers, startups and social impact in the digital era.

From June 3 to 5, as a Worldwide Mobile and Computing Equipment Partner of Olympic & Paralympic, Samsung participated in the first Olympism365 Summit: Sport For A Better World at the IOC headquarters to showcase its Solve for Tomorrow vision of empowering youth through education and technology — highlighting stories from around the world that demonstrate how the program is helping young people tackle real-world challenges in their communities.

Over three days, the event brought together more than 250 representatives from 100 organizations — across the Olympic Movement, United Nations agencies, development and financing institutions, civil society, for-purpose business, safe sport community and IOC Young Leaders working together — to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through sport.

▲ IOC President Thomas Bach delivers a keynote at the IOC Youth Summit.

Held as part of the Olympism365 Summit, the IOC Youth Summit provided a platform for IOC Young Leaders to contribute their perspectives, collaborate on innovative solutions and help shape the future of sport for development — offering a vital contribution to the Olympism365 strategy focused on building a better world through sport.

During the summit, Ramneek Kaur Ahluwalia, the 2022 winner of the United Kingdom’s Solve for Tomorrow program, spoke about how the experience shaped her personal growth.

“What started off as a challenging lived experience of being isolated, vulnerable and stereotyped when using a white cane, quickly fueled the evolution of award-winning MyVision,” she said. “Thanks to the amazing Samsung Solve for Tomorrow mentors who helped me utilize the design thinking process and technical expertise to create a truly life-changing device.”

She shared her journey developing MyVision, a smart assistive device designed to help people with congenital visual impairments. Drawing from her own experience with visual impairment, Ramneek described how Solve for Tomorrow helped her to grow — and outlined her ongoing efforts to expand her dream realized through Solve for Tomorrow into broader educational and career opportunities for others with similar challenges.

▲ Ramneek Kaur Ahluwalia shares her journey with IOC Young Leaders.

The event also provided opportunities to engage with IOC officials and other Young Leaders from around the world. Ramneek met with Sherief Kholeif, a United Kingdom-based IOC Young Leader, to discuss sports programs for marginalized youth in Scotland and exchanged ideas with participants on the social impact of combining sport and technology.

Building on its participation in the Olympism365 Summit and the IOC Youth Summit, Samsung plans to strengthen its collaboration with the IOC by designating “Social Change Through Sport & Technology” as one of the global themes for Solve for Tomorrow 2025. In doing so, the company will continue to support young people worldwide in developing creative, practical ideas to drive positive change in their communities.

“It was a pleasure to meet Ramneek, one of Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow ambassadors at the IOC Youth Summit,” said Kholeif. “Her innovative and thoughtful ideas are inspiring. It is encouraging to see Samsung paving the way for young students around the world who believe in creating a more accessible and inclusive future through innovation. I hope the Solve for Tomorrow program continues to create meaningful opportunities for my fellow Young Leaders, and that together we can make a difference by combining technology and sport.”

▲ (From left) Sherief Kholeif and Ramneek Kaur Ahluwalia

Notably, the “Social Change Through Sport & Technology” theme was selected through a public vote held during the Olympic Games in Paris last year. The theme reflects growing global concerns around sustainability and sport, encouraging young people to develop innovative solutions that demonstrate the positive social and environmental impact of sport.

▲ Ramneek Kaur Ahluwalia joins IOC Young Leaders for a group photo.

Sustainability and Social Change Explored by Youth Around the World

Launched in the United States in 2010, Solve for Tomorrow is a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education competition that has reached more than 2.9 million students across 68 countries over the past 15 years. The program encourages students to propose creative solutions to social issues in their local communities, helping them build essential critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Starting in 2025 with the introduction of global themes, Solve for Tomorrow will go one step further to evolve into a platform for youth to collaborate and address universal problems that transcend local boundaries.

This year’s global themes are “Environmental Sustainability via Technology” and “Social Change Through Sport & Technology with International Olympic Committee.”

“Environmental issues are among the most difficult challenges facing humanity today,” said Soojin Kim, Head of the Corporate Sustainability Center at Samsung Electronics. “We are pleased to join youth around the world on this journey to overcome these issues with technology.”

▲ A poster celebrating the 15th anniversary of Solve for Tomorrow and introducing the global themes

Global Themes Selected Through ‘Together for Tomorrow’ Olympic Partnership

As the Worldwide smartphone Partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Games last year, IOC and Samsung partnered to launch ‘Together for Tomorrow, Enabling People’ — a digital community created to complement Solve for Tomorrow. The platform aims to engage young people from across the globe with the Olympic Movement and harness the transformative power of technology and sport to drive meaningful change.

During the Olympic Games Paris 2024, 10 students from the winning teams of the previous year’s Solve for Tomorrow program served as ambassadors for “Together for Tomorrow, Enabling People.”

The theme “Social Change Through Sport & Technology” was voted on by the public in the Together for Tomorrow, Enabling People community. Samsung and IOC plan to appoint individuals who exemplify this theme as global ambassadors and collaborate with them to develop solutions.

“We are delighted to work with our Worldwide Olympic Partner Samsung on the creation of this new sport-driven theme,” said Ollie Dudfield, Associate Director of Olympism 365 at IOC. “It’s an exciting step forward in line with the ambitions of IOC’s Olympism 365 strategy — empowering young people around the world to think boldly about how sport and technology can drive positive change.’’

Leveraging Samsung’s Expertise To Strengthen Support for Participants

Samsung is leveraging its unique resources and expertise to strengthen Solve for Tomorrow. By integrating the Samsung Design Thinking methodology into the program, the company hopes to encourage the development of practical, user-centered solutions. Samsung also plans to expand employee mentoring to help participants further refine their ideas with guidance from experts with real-world experience.

IOC Young Leaders Programme will also have a role to play in helping students understand how sport and technology can mix to generate innovative solutions to social challenges. “Through Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, I’ve learned that even a small idea can spark big change,” said Solve for Tomorrow US ambassador Ngan Huu Kim Le.

“Working alongside friends from around the world motivates me to keep seeking creative solutions for a better future.”

Solve for Tomorrow 2025 recently kicked off in Vietnam and India, and will soon be launched in Indonesia, Türkiye, Singapore and other countries. Spanning months from the qualifiers to the finals, the program will award winning teams, depending on the country, with project incubation funding and support for establishing STEM labs.

“Samsung Solve for Tomorrow has been Samsung’s flagship corporate citizenship initiative for the past 15 years,” said Eddie Cho, Executive Vice President and Head of Corporate Citizenship Office at Samsung Electronics. “We look forward to strengthening the role of the global platform to nurture even more young people into the leaders of tomorrow.”

▲ The 15th annual Samsung Solve for Tomorrow U.S. Pitch & Reveal Event took place in Samsung DC on April 28. (From left) U.S. National Winner Charter School of Wilmington from Delaware with Yoonie Joung, President of Samsung Electronics North America; Solve for Tomorrow U.S. ambassador Ngan Huu Kim Le

▲ The India Opening Ceremony took place in IIT Delhi on April 29. (From left) Shubham Mukherjee, Head of CSR & Corp Communication, Samsung SWA; Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Electronics & IT; JB Park, President & CEO, Samsung SWA; Shombi Sharp, United Nations Resident Coordinator in India; Prof. Rangan Banerjee, Director, IIT Delhi; Dr. Sapna Poti, Senior Director, Office of Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government

▲ The opening ceremony of Solve for Tomorrow 2025 Vietnam was held in Hanoi on March 28

Samsung Electronics, a Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Smartphone Partner, hosted an event with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on July 31 in Paris to launch and promote a new digital community for people including the Olympic and Paralympic Games fans called “Together for Tomorrow, Enabling People.”

The event was held at SPOT24, a multi-use exhibition space in Paris dedicated to Paris 2024, and was attended by IOC President Thomas Bach, MD of the IOC’s Television & Marketing Services Anne-Sophie Voumard, Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Andrew Parsons, President and Head of Global Marketing Office at Samsung Electronics YH Lee, President of Samsung Electronics Europe Office Il-kyung Sung and Luc Abalo, a former gold-medal-winning French handball player and accomplished visual artist and participant in the Olympian Artists programme led by the Olympic Museum for Paris 2024.

A former Team Korea volleyball player, Yeon Koung Kim, Team GB Skateboarder Andy Macdonald, Australian Para-athlete Madison de Rozario and UK contents creator and The Rapping Science Teacher, Matt Green are going to take part in this project as global ambassadors and to actively share content for Together for Tomorrow, Enabling People via social media.

The “Together for Tomorrow, Enabling People” project was developed by Samsung and the IOC to help Olympic and Paralympic fans around the world experience and engage with the Olympic Movement. The program is especially focused on younger generations, with the new community designed around the goal of helping youth participants “solve, move and create in the spirit of the Olympic values.”

“Together for Tomorrow, Enabling People” introduces three new community-oriented initiatives. Solve Challenge integrates sport and Olympism with Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow program, a youth-focused social contribution program that empowers young people to design innovative solutions using sport and tech to address key social challenges aligned with the priorities of the IOC’s Olympism365. Move Challenge encourages fans of the Games around the globe to get up and walk more using Samsung’s smart mobile phone. Create Challenge lets participants get creative in an innovative digital artists’ community through Samsung’s smart device and S pen.

At the launch event, 10 teams that excelled in Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow program were announced as “Together for Tomorrow, Enabling People” ambassadors. Throughout the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024, the ambassadors will showcase the solutions they’ve created to address social challenges and work to engage Olympic fans around the world. They will also collaborate with the IOC Young Leader — as well as diverse initiatives fostered by the IOC — to address solutions including the promotion of sustainable development.

During the “Together for Tomorrow, Enabling People” event, the ambassadors shared their Solve for Tomorrow projects designed to address real-world problems. A variety of innovative solutions were presented, ranging from help for people to overcome visual disabilities to new ways to promote worker safety.

“Samsung Solve for Tomorrow empowers high school students with the courage to change the world,” said Ngan Huu Kim Le, a member of the U.S. team that developed an insect-based environmental cleanup solution. “It’s an honor to take part and have a chance to present our solution to help build a brighter future for our planet here at Paris 2024 with prominent athletes from around the world.”

“I am impressed by the opportunities that Samsung Solve for Tomorrow has given to hundreds of thousands of young people to develop as future leaders,” said IOC President Thomas Bach. “They will be our innovators of tomorrow, and I look forward to seeing them tackle various challenges facing our world. We’re pleased to join with our Worldwide Partner Samsung to continue to work together to identify and support talented young people at the intersection of sport and technology through the “Together for Tomorrow, Enabling People” initiative.”

“This project — creating a program in which young people can directly participate and experience Olympic values — is a wonderful outcome from our long-standing collaboration with the IOC,” said YH Lee, President and Head of Global Marketing Office at Samsung Electronics. “We will continue to support young people to take on bold and meaningful challenges toward a brighter future.”

For more information about “Together for Tomorrow, Enabling People”, please visit https://olympics.com/togetherfortomorrow

In order to support the younger generations and their goals, Samsung Electronics launched its Solve for Tomorrow program in 2010, a program helping young people utilize STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) related skills to solve societal problems. The program began in the U.S. and has since expanded to 50 countries, with a total of 2 million students having participated.

Deniz Hatiboglu, Solve for Tomorrow program manager at Samsung Electronics America, paid a visit to Princeton High School in New Jersey, to commemorate the program’s 13th anniversary. As one of the winning teams in the 2021-2022 contest for their innovative food waste disposal project using insects, the team has continued to refine their ideas a year later.

Watch the video below to learn more about the Solve for Tomorrow program and the youth contributing to sustainable solutions.

With its global corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs, Samsung Electronics empowers, engages and stimulates the imaginations of the young people striving to become the problem solvers of tomorrow. Samsung Solve for Tomorrow provides education opportunities and solutions implementation based on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). The Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC), meanwhile, helps design and nurture innovation capabilities in young people by training them in core information & communications technology (ICT) skills.

The programs have expanded to 33 countries around the world and have included 2.1 million talented participants so far. Today, the Samsung Newsroom is taking a closer look at these different global initiatives to see how Samsung Electronics is fulfilling its corporate social responsibilities across the world and to celebrate the young people participating in International Youth Day.

▲ Together for Tomorrow! Enabling People is Samsung Electronics’ vision for empowering tomorrow’s thinkers and leaders.

Malaysia: Innovating Plastic Alternatives for a Healthier Ocean

In Malaysia, three students learned how ocean pollution from plastic waste threatens the lives of coastal and marine species. They conducted a study to develop plastic alternatives using one of the most easily accessible materials in a country with a long coastline: seaweed. After joining Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, the students learned that STEM is a critical tool in approaching problems and realizing their solutions to them. Building on what they learned throughout the program, they are continuing their study on reducing marine pollution with the hope of contributing to a sustainable future.

Germany: Cutting-Edge Technology Paving the Way for Tomorrow’s Start-ups

Nada Seada, who participated in Samsung Solve for Tomorrow in Germany, designed a new gadget called Ingrid which gives older people more opportunities to connect with others and each other. Exacerbated by the pandemic Loneliness and social isolation are serious problems for our aging society. Ingrid was devised by upcycling an old VR device.

“Samsung Solve for Tomorrow helped me to grow my ideas from seed to fruit and provided me with opportunities to get valuable feedback from mentors and friends,” said Nada.

Katharina Porenta Elisabeth Scholz developed something called an EP-Checkup, which facilitates communication between healthcare professionals and the families of patients. Katharina’s invention was motivated by an experience she had when her grandfather was hospitalized with heart disease. She recalled the anxious hours she spent waiting for updates on his condition. Drawing on this nervousness — and hoping other people might be able to avoid it in the future — was what inspired her efforts.

“I participated in bootcamps, coaching sessions and seminars, and was lucky enough to learn cutting-edge technologies from expert mentors. Now I want to make my own start-up,” she said.

Peru: Innovating for the Benefit of Communities in Different Regions

In Peru, the top Samsung Solve for Tomorrow 2021 prize went to a team that developed an insulated thermal box that could heat water using solar energy. The thermal box heats water then keeps it warm, which is useful in the cool regions where the yearly average temperature ranges from 5 to 15°C. The young innovators’ hope was that the box might be produced by combining traditional Peruvian organic methods with modern scientific approaches and that their invention might serve regions all over Peru.

Brazil: New Methodologies for the Purification of Water

The Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology, located in the northeastern area of Brazil, is an excellent model of how STEM-based approaches can prove invaluable in public education. A team from this institution committed itself to developing a water purifying system using solar radiation and, thanks to both the social utility and the sheer originality of the idea, the team won second prize at the 8^th Brazil Samsung Solve for Tomorrow.

“STEM is a very effective way to explore technologies that students are not given as much exposure to in the conventional education system,” said Mr. Raymond Lima Júnior, the team’s coach and chemistry teacher. “The program has the capacity to bring positive changes to public institutional education by showing the communities it is involved with the important values it holds.”

Canada: Environmental Innovation Unlocked Through Unexpected Materials

Students from Mount Allison University won the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow challenge hosted by Samsung Canada. The team tried to address the orange peel waste problem in their university’s local area. Over the course of Project Enviroot, as they called it, the students developed an environmentally-conscious, non-toxic alternative adhesive product made using orange peels dried in Samsung ovens. The adhesive alternative is now widely used in soft boards across the campus.

“It was such a meaningful opportunity to interact with other student environmentalists and community activists,” the young environmental enthusiasts said.

Indonesia: Harnessing Technology To Help the Visually Impaired

The SIC held in Indonesia was not exclusive to students majoring in STEM.

“I am not a programming major, so SIC was a great challenge for me,” said a student who learned how to develop independent IT solutions at SIC.

This student developed something they called Eyeroom solutions. This technology — implemented through theories picked up during the bootcamp – enables the elderly and the visually impaired to distinguish between their prescription drugs.

“I learned so many things from my mentors and friends at SIC. I studied things that I had never encountered before and now my dream is to someday develop solutions to achieve a better future.”

Armenia: Climbing the Programming Ladder

SIC Armenia delivered lectures to students from all around Armenia at United World College (UWC) Dilijan, one of 18 such colleges worldwide. The SIC program included lessons in ICT skills and capacity building classes for students searching for jobs.

“After taking classes at SIC, I am determined to begin my career in the programming sector,” said Narek, an undergraduate student who participated in the program. “I hope I will be able to contribute to the future of our country by designing drone software or artificial intelligence negotiation systems for the industry. SIC is an excellent opportunity for both improving your technical ability and sampling a variety of new classes and practices.”

Korea: Samsung Smart Schools Helping Dreams Come True

A school of only 50 students in Chungyang, Korea, makes up for its small size in its digital capabilities: Samsung Smart School is an active tool for the school in providing digital classrooms. Teachers and parents of Chungsong Elementary School have long been thinking of ways to maximize the potential of the children and minimize the educational gap between urban and rural districts. Together they found the answer to this important yet complex question with Samsung Smart School.

“I got interested in rockets and how they work when I happened to see them in action on my tablet PC,” said Myung-Gu Kang, a 6^th grader from Chungsong Elementary School. “Now I am interested in other areas of science too and I study these other subjects diligently,” Myung-Gu explained that he can search for information using the tablet PC any time he runs into a question, and that the bigger display size of Samsung Flip makes study more fun and enjoyable than ever.

India: Samsung Smart Schools Closing the Gap in Marginalized Communities

Since January this year, Samsung India has been supporting 10 schools with Samsung Smart School, which provides state-of-the-art educational environments utilizing digital devices and technologies. Aarohi Kumari, a student from one of these 10 schools — Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya — dreams of becoming a doctor. Aarohi’s father makes living as a driver in Varanasi.

“My background gives me no advantages over the other students, but my father always gives me hope,” Aarohi said. “Samsung Smart School let me experience digital education and helped my studying of my favorite subject become more enjoyable. I hope to qualify as a doctor in the future and make my father proud.”

“I was delighted to see scenes of young people unleashing their full potential through this cutting-edge educational environment,” said Shilaja Pathania, who is in charge of Samsung India’s CSR activities. “We intend to create more educational opportunities for young people who have been marginalized in education and care, so that they can acquire knowledge and cultivate the skills they need to become the next generation of leaders.”

▲ Samsung Electronics regional offices are spreading their efforts in CSR to young people around the world.

Samsung Electronics’ Together for Tomorrow! Enabling People vision is committed to providing education to young people around the world to empower the leaders of tomorrow. More stories on Samsung Electronics’ CSR efforts are available at Samsung Electronics’ CSR webpage (csr.samsung.com).

Samsung Solve for Tomorrow and the Samsung Innovation Campus not only help students across the world – including in the U.K., Vietnam and Turkey – gain more advantages in terms of job opportunities and career paths, but they also combine the efforts of participants in order to harness their skills and solve social issues. Samsung Newsroom heard from some of the young people who are creating a better future through Samsung’s programs.

Alec Conway’s Project Dignity Digital Lockers Help the Homeless Reintegrate Into Society

Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is an education program in which young people utilize their knowledge of science, technology, engineering and math to solve regional issues and further develop their problem-solving skills. The program, which began in the U.S. in 2010, is now present in more than 30 countries. It is comprised of three steps: identifying an issue, coming up with a solution and making that idea a reality. Samsung employees act as mentors for participating teams, providing them with support throughout the process. The winning team is chosen based on contestants’ presentations and the final products.

Through Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, Alec Conway from the U.K. not only developed a novel idea, but also grew his idea into a business proposition. While traveling around Europe, he observed many homeless people carrying their possessions around. He realized that having a place to store their possessions would offer them more independence and opportunities. With this idea, he created Project Dignity and entered the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow program.

Alec designed a type of digital locker that not only offers a secure storage solution for homeless people, but also provides them with vital information such as maps, accommodations and details on food accessibility through a digital screen that’s built into the locker. Each locker also works as a PO box, providing the user with a permanent address with which they can receive support regarding employment, healthcare and tasks like opening a bank account. While participating in Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, Alec received advice from Samsung employee mentors, and eventually took home the top prize. Alec is now working closely with Digital Catapult, a technology innovation center in the U.K., and is exploring partnerships to develop a functioning prototype of his digital locker.

Vietnamese Students’ IoT Device Trap Pests Using Solar Energy

Samsung Solve for Tomorrow offers an opportunity for students like Le Hang, Tuong Vy and Tuyet Nhi of Vietnam to unleash their potential and creativity using science and technology. The trio won Vietnam’s second edition of Samsung Solve for Tomorrow by developing equipment that allows local farmers to enhance productivity by streamlining how they trap pests.

The idea came to the students after they noticed just how often farmers have to enter hazardous zones to eliminate pests. They thought that if a device could take over pest control, the farmers would be able to work under much safer conditions. This led the students to start developing an IoT device that could trap pests in organic vegetable fields using solar energy.

Receiving robust mentoring and support from Samsung Solve for Tomorrow’s online sessions, they designed what they called “Equipment for trapping pests in organic vegetable fields using solar energy.” The team integrated IoT to ensure that the device would operate seamlessly even when it was far away. They credit Samsung Solve for Tomorrow for helping them overcome various obstacles and for teaching them a lot about the importance of teamwork during the problem-solving process, and about thinking critically.

Meet Batuhan, Who Grew Thanks to the Samsung Innovation Campus While Also Participating in the UN Sustainable Development Goals Project

The Samsung Innovation Campus offers various types of ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) education to help unemployed young people competitiveness in the job market. The program offers a total of 240 hours of education in key ICT areas. Students can not only learn about technologies such as AI and IoT, but they can also develop crucial employability skills to help create better opportunities for themselves. As of 2020, approximately 160,000 students have graduated from the Samsung Innovation Campus, and the program is available in 20 regions around the world.

In the face of a job crisis that has left 25 percent of Turkish youth unemployed, Batuhan successfully landed a job in the IT industry after finding his dream at the Samsung Innovation Campus. A 2019 graduate of Istanbul Technical University, Batuhan had been interested in IT, but didn’t stand out in the field. Participating in the Samsung Innovation Campus program offered an opportunity for him to learn practical skills and know-how from field experts, and receive helpful career advice from his mentors.

In particular, Batuhan worked with other participants to plan and execute an environmental project in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He utilized everything he had learned in the program, which ultimately helped him broaden his perspective. “The Samsung Innovation Campus was an opportunity for me to challenge myself in a new way,” said Batuhan. “I learned that the hours of learning and hard work were all worth it in the end. If you wish to work in this field, I recommend the Samsung Innovation Campus.”

‘I Should Pay Forward What I’ve Learned’: Meet Passakorn, the Mentee Who Became a Mentor

Graduates of Samsung Innovation Campus often return to the program as mentors in order to pay forward the help they had received. Passakorn is one of those students. Having participated in SIC during its first year in Thailand, he has returned to serve as a mentor. He first got into programming to develop computer games, and received systematic education at the Samsung Innovation Campus. He and his teammates successfully completed the SIC program with their AI-based smart home solutions project.

By utilizing what he learned at the Samsung Innovation Campus, Passakorn was accepted into the robotics and AI engineering program at King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang. He became a mentor himself to share the special experience that he enjoyed at the Samsung Innovation Campus with more people. He wants students to go through education and training just like he did, and create solutions by collaborating with one another. “Thank you, Samsung Innovation Campus, for opening the door for me to come with my own innovative smart home solutions,” said Passakorn. “I hope to become a driving force for the new generation – the leaders of the future – to achieve innovative and creative feats.”

Technology for All: Meet Carmen, Who’s Lowering Barriers to Medical Support

Technology can create something novel that didn’t exist before, but it can also lower barriers for marginalized communities to access essential services. The idea of helping communities in need is what inspired Carmen, from Italy, to harness technology to make medical support accessible to all.

While in high school, Carmen spent some time teaching English at a rural primary school in Thailand. While there, she noticed that some people with disabilities were not able to receive the medical care that they required. This sparked an interest in robotic medical technology and in building prosthetic limbs and artificial organs.

Carmen joined the Samsung Innovation Campus while majoring in electronic engineering in college. SIC has not only allowed Carmen to acquire technical skills in areas such as AI, IoT and machine learning, but has also helped her strengthen her resilience and emotional intelligence, which are attributes that can separate an extraordinary engineer from the pack.

Carmen is especially interested in IoT, and was thrilled to study applications for IoT in the medical field and learn about the latest smart biosensors. Coming from an engineering background, understanding computer science topics was sometimes a challenge for Carmen. SIC participants, however, tend to come from a diverse range of academic fields and routinely help one another out when it comes to their area of expertise.

“The Samsung Innovation Campus has empowered the world’s youth by providing them with education and technical skills to develop capabilities that will be needed to solve important social issues,” said Carmen. “What I’ve learned here is helping me achieve my goal of creating prosthetic limbs and artificial organs for the disadvantaged. I will keep pushing myself forward to realize my dream and apply my skills and knowledge to make an impact.”

Guided by its CSR vision, “Together for Tomorrow! Enabling People,” Samsung Electronics provides educational opportunities to nurture the talent that will be needed to create a brighter future. Head to Samsung’s corporate citizenship website for more stories on how the company’s programs are helping bright young minds build a better tomorrow.

Well aware of the great importance of education, Samsung Electronics works to equip young people with the skills and knowledge they will need to build a better world. Firm in its belief that every young person deserves a quality education regardless of their background, gender, ability, or personal circumstances, Samsung has empowered a countless number of young people to slowly but steadily contribute to positive changes in their societies.

To celebrate the United Nations’ International Youth Day on August 12, Samsung has gathered stories of young students from different countries who are creating a better future for all by participating in Samsung’s corporate citizenship programs. Read on to hear about their experiences.

But what exactly does this look like? In order to provide a sneak peek into these global citizenship efforts, Samsung has recently released its ‘Journey to a Better Future’ video series, which features the stories of Samsung employees across the globe in charge of the company’s corporate citizenship programs that focus on providing education for future generations.

Turning Dreams Into Reality to Find Solutions for Society

The Journey to a Better Future series presents experiences from Samsung’s corporate citizenship managers around the world, as well as real testimonies from the students who have participated in their programs.

From Samsung Russia, Sergey Pevnev and Anna Kolganova share their favorite memories from throughout their citizenship careers; Pevnev reminisces about the amazement in the young students’ eyes during the live-streamed lesson he organized featuring Russian astronauts in space, while Kolganova shares her story of launching Samsung Innovation Campus with the same determined mindset of the athletes competing in the Sochi Winter Olympics being held at the same time.

Additionally, students from Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC) in Italy share how much closer they are to realizing their dreams of becoming tech experts following the Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) and programming education they received through the program, and students from the U.K. who participated in Samsung Solve for Tomorrow discuss with their mentors how they developed creative problem-solving skills in the process of realizing their solutions for society during the program.

The stories of the students of Samsung’s education-focused corporate citizenship programs around the world, as well as the managers and mentors who are helping them realize their dreams, will continue to be shared on Samsung’s corporate citizenship website, Samsung Global Newsroom and across social media.

Take a look at some of those stories in the video below.

Enabling People for a Better Future

Under the CSR vision “Together for Tomorrow! Enabling People”, Samsung operates a range of educational programs around the world to create more inclusive, quality learning experiences for young people from all walks of life and to empower future generations to achieve their full potential.

Samsung’s leading global corporate citizenship programs for youth education include Samsung Solve for Tomorrow and Samsung Innovation Campus. Samsung Solve for Tomorrow encourages students to use their STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) knowledge to create solutions that can solve societal problems and fosters their creative problem-solving skills.

Furthermore, Samsung Innovation Campus concentrates on developing the young generation’s employment capabilities through ICT education. From 2012 through 2020, Samsung’s global employees have devoted a total of 9.07 million hours to corporate citizenship activities, and around 21.5 million people have participated in Samsung’s youth education programs.

Samsung’s corporate citizenship programs are aligned with Goal 4 of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”. Samsung cooperates closely with the world’s governments, policy makers and institutions to provide diverse and equal opportunities for young people. Samsung will continue to devote both the technologies and the resources in order to bring high-quality educational experiences to young people in every corner of the world.

Launched in the US in 2010, Samsung Solve for Tomorrow has become one of Samsung’s flagship educational programs, and has sparked creativity in 1.8 million students from across 23 countries during its eleven-year run.

Students participating in the program are afforded the chance to get involved in a range of educational experiences as they work to crystalize their ideas. Initiatives such as Design Thinking training (which is offered to participating teachers and students) and mentorships with Samsung employees are designed to nurture creative problem-solving, cooperation and communication skills among students.

The students’ innovative solutions often earn recognition on the global stage as well. For example, students from Dougherty Valley High School in California garnered attention from the Global Climate Action Summit after they designed a device that detects early-stage wildfires.

And Solve for Tomorrow is set to expand even further this year to reach students across more than 30 countries. The program, which used to be known by different names in different regions, is now globally standardized under a single brand name and has undergone changes to provide a more refined curriculum to every student. As even more countries join up, Samsung Solve for Tomorrow in Europe and Latin America have been receiving applications since March while programs in other regions are preparing to launch according to local academic calendars. To find out more, check out Samsung’s Global Corporate Citizenship Website and the Solve for Tomorrow website for your region.

Under Samsung’s guiding CSR vision of ‘Together for Tomorrow! Enabling People,’ Solve for Tomorrow and many other youth education programs are operating in a broad range of regions. Going forward, Samsung will continue to provide quality education for future generations to help them unleash their full potential and find innovative solutions to benefit the world.

To encourage interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) areas among students, Samsung has been running Solve for Tomorrow in more than 20 countries since its inception in 2010. Originally launched in the United States, this program supports students as they independently seek to identify and address social issues in their communities, while also learning how science and technology can be harnessed for the betterment of society.

Samsung Newsroom went to find out about some of the major issues that students have sought to tackle through the program this year.

Medellin, the second largest city in Colombia, is known as the ‘city of eternal spring’ for its warm weather. However, this beautiful city has recently been suffering from severe air pollution. That is because Colombia consumes more than 1,000 tons of coal annually, emitting a tremendous amount of CO2 that affects not only Colombia, but the whole world.

Ana, Santiago, Juan and Camilo, students from the science and innovation-specialized Colegio Loyola school in Medellin, singled coal out as the main culprit for air pollution and began searching for an eco-friendly energy source that could replace it. As they searched, the prospect of using leftover coffee grounds caught their attention. Colombia is the third largest coffee producer in the world, and thus has abundant quantities of coffee grounds available. A kilogram of coffee grounds contains energy equivalent to 18MJ,¹ while coal contains between 18 and 25MJ.

The students launched their project under the name ‘Ciscombustible’ and threw themselves into the work. They researched, designed prototypes, developed and tested products and even created 3D frames to find out the optimal physical form for the fuel.

By bringing together their knowledge in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields, their problem-solving skills and their desire to help their community, the students were able to successfully create their coffee ground fuel. This innovative achievement resulted in them clinching first place in Solve for Tomorrow in Colombia.

“According to our research, it is expected that CO2 emissions from coal will account for 60 percent of total emissions by 2030,” related one of the students from the Ciscombustible team. “Our goal is to see the fuel source we have developed reduce CO2 emissions by 10 percent. We will maintain our passion for this work and continue moving forward until we realize our goal of protecting our environment!”

Access to clean water is essential when it comes to maintaining good health and preventing disease. However, getting clean water proves a difficult task in some areas of Paraguay where water sources are contaminated with pollutants and salt.

“There must be a way to provide clean water so that people can drink without having to worry.” This was the thinking of Paraguayan students, Jazmín and Diego. These two Solve for Tomorrow participants came up with a portable desalination device equipped with a solar panel and named it ‘MBARETICS’. This device, named after the Spanish word for ‘ICT’ and the Guarani word for ‘strong’, effectively eliminates impurities when filtering polluted water. As it does not require any electricity and can be carried around easily, the solution has been deemed particularly useful for those living in rural areas.

“Experts from local businesses and Asunción University provided us with useful advice during development,” said Jazmín. “The development process was challenging as we had to proceed with the project remotely due to the current health crisis. But it was still worthwhile in the end, as we were able to develop a solution that is meaningful to our community.”

Sokwei and Kai Lin, students from the Republic Polytechnic University in Singapore, believe that addressing climate change and enabling environmental sustainability are issues of the utmost urgency. As they looked into the causes of global warming, the pair discovered that huge amounts of chemicals are used and discharged into the air when leather is produced from animal hides.

As they searched for a solution that would ensure quality as well as ethical and sustainable production, the pair discovered that food waste could be the answer. As Singapore produced more than 740,000 tons of food waste in 2019 alone, the students realized that it would be doubly good for the environment if the waste could be re-used for their purposes. After months of experimentation, they finally developed ‘SUSKIN,’ a 100% vegan leather made from food waste.

Since the two majored in consumer behavior studies rather than science, they faced many obstacles while seeking the right material and conducting experiments. Eventually, and despite a series of setbacks, they were finally able to create a vegan leather that was both durable and ethical.

The team credited Solve for Tomorrow for teaching them a variety of new things, and enhancing their problem-solving skills. They also mentioned that the program sparked an interest in social issues, and showed them how to tackle difficult tasks by themselves. Going forward, they plan to continue creating high-quality sustainable materials.

The students that participate in Solve for Tomorrow embark on challenging journeys to make the world a better place for everyone. Visit Samsung’s Corporate Citizenship website to find out more about how Samsung is supporting students through Solve for Tomorrow and its range of other programs.

¹ MegaJoules. 43.1MJ corresponds to one cubic meter of city gas.

In order to help those children who are bravely challenging themselves to forge a better path in their local communities, the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow initiative has been lending its support. Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, launched in 2010, is a creativity contest designed to raise awareness of STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) topics that encourage students to address their community’s societal issues with innovative, STEM-based solutions. Since 2010, more than 1.69 million students and teachers from over 20 countries around the world have participated in Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, helping to turn ideas into actions through the power of creative solutions.

After that one fateful day in 2018, what innovative solutions to road safety were those middle school students able to devise after meeting with transportation safety experts and receiving programming training? Check out the video below to learn more about the story of the students at Holly Grove Middle School, who, along with Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, are making the world a little safer.

Kusum, a Nepalese student, recites a poem she wrote to her friends about overcoming difficulties and pursuing your dreams. She says her experience at the Samsung Employee Volunteer Program-run design school opened up paths that she “had never dreamed of”

The Journey to Better Educational Opportunities

‘People’ have always been central to Samsung’s philosophy. Alongside the priority that is ‘people’, nurturing talent and harnessing innovation and collaboration to build a better world are other values that Samsung holds dear.

Samsung understands the importance of economic development for emerging nations. However, it also knows that once a country starts benefitting from that development, it is important to ensure that as many people as possible benefit from the new opportunities that are generated as a result.

Since the 1990s, Samsung has been investing in programs to support children from low income families through the Samsung Welfare Foundation. This foundation supports youths – the leaders of tomorrow – while establishing an environment in which women can continue to work, safe in the knowledge that their children are being taken care of. It has facilitated access to quality education for children, and provided young people in need of financial support with self-reliance funds to allow them to focus on their education.

Samsung, which promotes organizational public welfare programs through the Samsung Welfare Foundation and Samsung Life Public Welfare Foundation, created an organization dedicated to Corporate Citizenship in October 1994 to help it invest more in CSR activities. Since then, Samsung has implemented a range of programs to promote social welfare in domestic and international communities, and brought social welfare experts onboard to help streamline its efforts. In 2007, Samsung established ‘Happy Together’ as the objective statement for its CSR activities, with ‘hope’, ‘harmony’ and ‘humanity’ as the main keywords for its vision. It proceeded to launch a number of activities to instill hope in young people, such as its financial support program for children, study room program, and scholarship program.

Visual Identities of some of Samsung’s CSR initiatives: ‘Light of Love, Sharing Star’ (1995) and ‘Together for Tomorrow! Enabling People’ (2019)

Based on its enthusiasm for social responsibility, Samsung has devoted itself to nurturing the technology leaders of tomorrow by sponsoring apprenticeship contests both domestically and internationally. In 2012, Samsung launched its Dream Class program, an extracurricular academic program for middle school students, and in the process demonstrated its will to focus more on youth education.

Samsung has also been launching educational programs around the world that take the diverse range of environments seen in different communities into account. For example, Samsung supported Vietnamese schools by replacing their old desks and chairs and provided Thai, Indian, Filipino and other Southeast Asian youths the opportunity to experience advanced digital technology via the ‘Samsung Digital Hope’ program. The company has also nurtured potential track and field athletes in Kenya through the ‘Dream Tree’ project.

Realizing Potential – From Elementary Students to Job Seekers

In February 2019, Samsung announced its new CSR vision, ‘Together for Tomorrow! Enabling People’, the goal of which is to empower future generations to achieve their full potential, pioneer positive social change and build a better world for all. Samsung understands that it has a responsibility to foster the development of the future leaders who will help their communities overcome the challenges brought about in the rapidly changing 21st century.

To build a future where all young people can realize their full potential, regardless of their circumstances, Samsung launched its Corporate Citizenship website and took action on its goals by shifting its Corporate Citizenship focus towards domestic and overseas youth education programs. Let’s look at how Samsung’s Corporate Citizenship activities are aiming to provide youth with the chances to receive quality education and benefit from new experiences.

Participants in the 2019 US Samsung Solve for Tomorrow program (Above). The Samsung Solve for Tomorrow US online program for 2020 (Below)

Watching your own original idea being realized is a priceless experience. Thus, ‘Samsung Solve for Tomorrow’, a creativity contest in which young people come up with their own creative solutions to address real life issues, allows young people to do just this. This program aims to enhance the problem-solving abilities of youths to induce positive social transformation.

The ‘Samsung Innovation Campus’ program offers training to young people seeking employment. Based on the success of the previously run ‘Samsung Tech Institute’ initiative, Innovation Campus was launched in October 2019 to provide young people with opportunities to learn about core technologies and help them advance into high-potential industries via global ICT training programs. Domestic programs that play a similar role exist in select markets as well.

Seema, who got a job as an engineer after attending the Samsung Technical School, has become a beacon of hope for others in India, where many women still do not receive an education

‘Samsung Smart School’ is a series of initiatives that utilize Samsung devices and content to provide quality digital education to students around the world with insufficient educational prospects and poor information accessibility. As of the end of 2019, more than 3.8 million students have benefited from the program.

By harnessing a wide range of channels and means, Samsung is constantly providing precious learning opportunities to the young people of the world through its diverse array of Corporate Citizenship programs.

Together for Tomorrow! Enabling People

The future will only be bright as long as the young people of today are equipped to lead us into it. Thus, Samsung dreams of a future in which the youth of the world are empowered to build a better world where we can all thrive together.

Today, on United Nations International Youth Day, let’s all reflect on the reasons for this day and unite under Samsung’s vision of ‘Together for Tomorrow!’

The winning schools of Ashland Middle School in Ashland, Ky., Cavallini Middle School in Upper Saddle River, N.J. and Thomas Jefferson Middle School in Winston-Salem, N.C. provided unique solutions to critical issues affecting our nation – opioid addiction, sports concussion detection and natural disasters. These schools were chosen as the three national grand prize winners after pitching their projects to a panel of judges in New York City. These students and teachers succeeded through intense rounds of the contest, winning hundreds of thousands in technology along the way. First selected as one of 255 state finalists (5 per state) in November, then one of 51 state winners (including Washington, D.C.) in December, and then one of 10 national finalists in March, these three schools ultimately progressed to achieve the title of 2018 national grand prize winners.

“Each year that passes with the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest, we are more impressed and awe-struck with the creative, strategic talent that our students and teachers possess,” said Ann Woo, Senior Director of Corporate Citizenship, Samsung Electronics America. “Our hope has always been to inspire confidence in today’s youth and provide the tools they need to pursue a career in STEAM. The national winners this year are testament to the possibility and promise of the next generation to answer some of today’s real issues. We are proud to bring awareness to their inspiring work.”

The Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest was created in 2010 to encourage innovation while addressing the technology gap in classrooms across the country. Each year, the competition inspires more active, hands-on teaching and learning among schools nationwide. Since 2001, Samsung has provided more than $60 million in technology to public schools in the United States. Over the past eight years, Samsung has received more than 17,000 entries for the competition, empowering youth to problem-solve and create with the support of their teachers, peers, schools and communities at-large.

The three national winners will receive $150,000* in Samsung technology products such as LED TVs, laptops and tablets for use in the classroom. This year’s winners include:

Ashland Middle School in Ashland, Ky.

Because local first responders called to the scene of a drug overdose are only armed with rubber gloves and tongs, the students of Ashland Middle School developed a solution to safely pick up and dispose of hypodermic needles. The students created a device that could be used by first responders and local authorities to pick up dangerous used needles and other drug paraphernalia.

“Technology is a great tool, but if you’re not using it to help people, it’s just a toy,” said Isaac Campbell, a student from the Ashland Middle School team.

View their project video here:

Cavallini Middle School in Upper Saddle River, N.J.

Reported concussions reached upwards of 3 million in 2017, and it’s estimated that half of all concussions are unreported or undetected. After a classmate suffered a concussion during football season last year, students at Cavallini Middle school developed sensors to be worn on football helmets to accurately and quickly identify potential concussions and help prevent any further brain damage through early detection.

“Our sensor, powered by a lithium-ion battery, uses two accelerometers along with a processor to calculate concussions through hits to the body. This data is collected in the app and sent to the coach on the sidelines,” explained Jake Carlin, a student from the Cavallini Middle School team.

View their project video here:

Thomas Jefferson Middle School in Winston-Salem, N.C.

After learning that strong summer storms are the primary cause of flooding in the U.S., Thomas Jefferson Middle School students developed a water sensor system that deploys water barriers when rising water levels reach 6 inches.

“Our Assistant Fire Chief let us know that, sadly, many communities do not have enough barriers to cover their flood prone zones, so they have to send out first responders to close streets when they should be out saving lives,” said Jake Gruver, a student from the Thomas Jefferson Middle School team.

Once the barriers are deployed, the system uses Wi-Fi to send a signal to emergency personnel. The information is then sent to the mobile map app, Waze, and the North Carolina Department of Transportation to alert drivers of the conditions.

View their project video here:

To learn more about the contest and the 2018 Top 10 national finalists, please visit: www.samsung.com/solve and smsng.news/SFT2018Top10.

*Estimated Retail Value

For the first time in six years, Samsung has the honor of having two Solve for Tomorrow (SFT) Contest winners participate in the annual White House Science Fair. These students from Horizon Middle School in Aurora, Colorado, and Mission Valley ROP/James Logan High School in Freemont, California, will be among the lucky students representing 40 other schools across the country.

Both schools are among the five national winners of the 2016 Solve for Tomorrow Contest.

During today’s event, Horizon Middle School students from Aurora, Colorado will present their design for comfortable, cost-effective prosthetic enhancements to aid veteran amputees in their community. The Mission Valley/James Logan High School students will display their solution to a transportation problem in the form of a fully-functional solar-powered electric vehicle charging station prototype.

In the sixth and final year of the science fair under the Obama Administration, students will showcase their ingenuity and knowledge of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) subjects through their innovative projects and experiments designed to address some of the nation’s greatest challenges.

Beginning in 2010, the White House Science Fair has honored American student inventors by inviting them to showcase their amazing projects and discoveries that span everything and anything you can imagine from robots to rockets to protective polymers and catapults.

Each of the 51 schools, chosen from more than 4,100 entries, receive $20,000* in Samsung technology – including a Samsung GALAXY Camera, ATIV Book 9 laptop and Adobe Elements software – to create a 2-minute video about their project that addresses the contest challenge: Show how STEM can help improve your community.

“We couldn’t be more excited about this year’s state winners,” said Ann Woo, who directs Corporate Citizenship for Samsung Electronics America. “The breadth of project topics ranging from eliminating pedestrian fatalities in urban areas to designing a mobile shelter to keep the traditions of a community with a nomadic heritage alive and everything in between – all through the application of science and technology truly speak to Samsung’s roots in creating innovations that matter, the kind that improve people’s lives in tangible ways. We look forward to helping these students and teachers build greater STEM competency both in and out of their classrooms to empower them further.”

Those with the best videos advance to the next phase of the contest to become the 15 national finalists and win $40,000* for their school. As a national finalist, each school presents their projects to a live panel of judges and invited guests in March. How they perform is factored into the selection criteria for the five national winners who received $120,000* for their school. Three of the five national winners are selected by a panel of judges, one by Samsung employees and one by online voters.

“It’s a learning opportunity that encourages customized teaching, students to excel in their areas of interest, and present and defend their work to experts and media,” said Tom Larsen, who led his class of Galena High School STEM Academy freshman in Reno, Nevada, to become a national winner last year. “I couldn’t have imagined the impact this would have on me personally, my students, our program, school and community. This was a school year none of us will ever forget.”

The Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest launched in 2010 to engage students in active, hands-on STEM learning as a response to trailing STEM skills among U.S. students. Since 2004, Samsung has invested more than $17 million* in technology to more than 1,200 public schools across the United States.

This year’s 51 state winners of the Solve for Tomorrow Contest are:

For more information about Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, please visit samsung.com/solve.

For more information about Samsung’s Corporate Citizenship efforts, please visit samsung.com/citizenship.

*Estimated Retail Value