Many of us go through our daily routines without thinking much about them. For young individuals with Down syndrome, executive functioning differences can make some everyday tasks more challenging to navigate. These individuals often require constant reminders and support from caregivers to complete their everyday routines, placing additional pressure on family members and caregivers to guide them through the demands of daily life.

For Team BuddyBot from Edgefield Secondary School, the newly-crowned Grand Prize winner of the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow 2025 competition, technology is the key to unlocking greater autonomy for these individuals. Their winning solution, BuddyBot, is a game-changing smart assistant designed to help young people with Down syndrome build independence in their daily routines, while alleviating the burden on caregivers to provide continuous guidance and support.

“Our goal is to help young individuals with Down syndrome develop greater independence when managing their daily routines, while reducing the demands on their caregivers. BuddyBot offers users guided, step-by-step instructions, promoting autonomy and confidence in everyday activities. Designed with accessibility, empathy and inclusion in mind, we hope that it will make lives easier for families with children that have special needs,” said Shannon Ong from Team BuddyBot.

A Smart Assistant for Everyday Routines

Key features of the BuddyBot Companion (left) and the BuddyBot Caregiver App (right)

BuddyBot consists of the BuddyBot Companion – a portable, compact device for users and the BuddyBot Caregiver App. Caregivers can customise the daily routines and break down each task — such as brushing teeth, washing hands and getting dressed — into simple steps using the app. The BuddyBot companion device then delivers instructions through visual prompts and voice guidance to users, guiding them through each task to complete their routines with confidence.

Beyond breaking down the steps into easily digestible instructions, BuddyBot harnesses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to analyse users’ past actions to uncover patterns — such as skipped steps or longer time spent on tasks — and identifies areas where additional support is needed. It also compares the data from the user’s everyday behaviours against the designated routine to provide further suggestions for improvement. This enables BuddyBot to optimise routines and provide timely reminders to help users foster greater independence over time.

Inspiring Youths to Champion Social Change Through Innovation and Technology

Highlights of the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow 2025 Grand Finale

Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Singapore is an annual competition designed to ignite the passion for championing social change among youths. Now into its ninth year, the competition received 90 entries from over 260 secondary school students addressing four key themes: Environmental Sustainability, Sport, Health and Technology, Inclusivity and Social Harmony, and Digital Readiness and Security, presenting innovative solutions that can help build a better and more secure future for Singapore.

As the Grand Prize winner of this year’s competition, Team BuddyBot received $7,000 in cash, $10,000 worth of Samsung products, and a sponsored trip to Samsung’s headquarters and innovation facilities in South Korea. During the trip, Team BuddyBot visited the Samsung Innovation Museum and saw how Samsung’s innovations – from its earliest cathode ray tube (CRT) TVs to the advanced mobile devices of today – solved real-world problems and achieved global impact. They also visited the eX Home, a fully-furnished smart home with over 300 interconnected devices that seamlessly integrate technology into consumers’ everyday lives using Samsung SmartThings. The experience taught them that true innovation is not just about creating cool gadgets, but about connecting vision and fundamental discoveries with societal needs to create tangible long-term impact.

Team BuddyBot receiving their prize from Leonard Tan Bahroocha, Director of Product and Innovation,

Samsung Southeast Asia and Oceania (left), and visiting Samsung’s headquarters in South Korea (right)

“Participating in the Solve for Tomorrow competition has truly expanded our horizons. The trip to Samsung’s innovation facilities in South Korean was an eye-opening experiencing that taught us how innovation that combines vision, fundamental values and the desire to solve real-world problems can create long-lasting impact. Seeing Samsung’s remarkable innovation journey, as well as the passion and inventiveness of other teams, spurs us on to continue our innovation journey. I believe we can achieve so much more if we set our minds to it, and with the right support, mentorship and partners, we can create the change that we want to see in our future” said Bella Teo from Team BuddyBot.

For more information about the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition, visit the website.

Samsung Solve for Tomorrow 2025, the highly-anticipated youth innovation competition, is back for its ninth edition in Singapore! As the nation gears up to celebrate SG60 in the coming weeks, this year’s Solve for Tomorrow provides a platform for youths to step out and build a more secure future for Singapore. By inspiring youths in Singapore to address key societal issues via innovation and technology, they are empowered to transform creative ideas into impactful solutions for the good of society.

“At Samsung, we believe that youth and their application of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) knowledge is the key to building a better future. By providing a platform for them to unleash their creativity and passion, Solve for Tomorrow aims to be the catalyst that inspires meaningful change and positive action among our youths,” said Jeffrey Hahn, President, Samsung Electronics Singapore. “With this year being a milestone SG60 year, Solve for Tomorrow is calling for youths to join us in building a more secure future for Singapore. As youths put real action into their ideas to influence positive change, we believe that they will find their place in our society and become the change that they want to see in their future.”

Karan Gopu Pillai, the leader of Team redbluegold, the grand prize winner of the Solve for Tomorrow 2024 competition, shares his experience: “We are grateful for the Solve for Tomorrow experience, as it gave us the platform to turn our ideas into real-world solutions, to make a difference to the people we care about in our society. With the support of the organising team and mentorship from Samsung’s Product and Innovation team, we not only pushed through the challenges we faced but also gained new insights and skills that will help us to face our future with confidence.”

This year’s competition is organised in support of the national Digital for Life movement, which mobilises partners from the private, people and public sectors to help Singaporeans embrace digital as a lifelong pursuit and enrich lives through digital technology. Solve for Tomorrow 2025 also provides the opportunity for youths to develop interdisciplinary skills like critical thinking, problem-solving capabilities, as well as to expand their Science, Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) knowledge, and to elevate their potential while preparing them for the workforce.

Building a More Secure Future for Singapore this SG60

Samsung has identified four key themes for this year’s competition, to encourage submissions that can build a more secure future for Singapore as we celebrate SG60. Participants can develop their ideas around these themes:

	1.      Environmental Sustainability Climate change is one of the most critical challenges of our time, and everyone has a role to play in shaping a more sustainable future. Whether it’s conserving energy, reducing resource consumption, or improving recycling efforts, small actions can lead to big differences over time.
	2.      Sport, Health and Technology Health is the foundation for a fulfilling and productive life, and sport and technology are key enablers that can support and enhance overall health. By making it easier for one to stay active, manage stress levels and prevent illnesses, one can also create lasting and positive change for others.
	3.      Inclusivity and Social Harmony Inclusivity and social harmony are key to a healthy and sustainable future. From creating solutions that remove barriers for people with disabilities, to fostering social inclusion for disadvantaged communities, let us build a Singapore where everyone feels at home, regardless of their backgrounds.
	4.      Digital Readiness and Security Digital readiness and security are growing in importance, as advances in technology unlock new opportunities. For society to move forward collectively while leaving no one behind, it is critical to enhance digital literacy and security while shaping a safer digital environment for all.

Call for Entries Open from Now till 31 August 2025

From now till 31 August 2025, students can submit their entries for the competition by forming groups of two to four and submitting their innovative ideas or solutions on the Solve for Tomorrow 2025 website.

• Eligibility: Full-time students aged 12 to 18 years old, enrolled in a secondary school in Singapore, including:
  • Secondary 1 to Secondary 5 students if they are enrolled in the following schools:
    • Government schools (including autonomous schools)
    • Government-aided schools (including autonomous schools)
    • Independent schools
    • Specialised independent schools (SIS)
    • Specialised schools
    • Special education (SPED) schools

• • Secondary 1 to Secondary 4 students if they are enrolled in IP (Integrated Programme) secondary schools with 6-year IP programmes.

Prizes

The top three teams will receive the following prizes:

• First Prize Winning Team
  • S$10,000 worth of Samsung products
  • S$7,000 cash prize
  • A trip to Samsung’s headquarters and innovation facilities in South Korea
• Second Prize
  • S$6,000 worth of Samsung products
  • S$4,000 cash prize
• Third Prize
  • S$3,000 worth of Samsung products
  • S$2,000 cash prize

For more information visit the Solve for Tomorrow 2025 website or reach out to the organising team at samsungsolvefortomorrow@infom.asia.