From Pixels To Petals: App Designed To Inspire Next Generation Of Gardeners Among Winners Of Samsung Solve For Tomorrow Competition

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. has announced the winners of its sixth annual Solve for Tomorrow competition, which aims to uncover the most promising tech inventions from young people, by asking students aged 11–18 to come up with ideas that help solve real-world problems.

This year’s competition entries showcased the passion young people have for future innovation and their drive to design a better world – exploring how technology can solve the issues they care about the most, while tackling broader societal challenges.

Darcy-Ella, Flo, Indy, and Rosie of team The Plant Enforcers were announced as the winners in the 11 – 14 age category. The team, from Norfolk, England, designed an app for a greener future that encourages young people to explore nature and start their own gardens. It helps users discover and learn about plant species and earn points to care for a virtual pet.

Meanwhile, in the 14 – 16 age category, Nell of team AsthmaSense, hailing from County Limerick, Ireland, was announced in first place. AsthmaSense is an early-warning system that predicts the risk of an asthma attack by monitoring local air quality. The device links to an app and alerts users so they can take action before an attack develops.

The 16 – 18 age category saw Devansh of team The Green Cross take first place. Devansh, from London, England, designed a handheld medical device that scans wound sites to monitor their healing. It supports more accurate remote wound assessment, helping clinicians make better treatment decisions while reducing the need for follow up appointments.

Entries this year ranged from an adaptive operating system that ‘grows’ with young people to help keep them safer online, to drones that sense pollutants to identify illegal dumping sites.

In addition to these winners, Sophie from The PAI Project won the People’s Choice Award. Voted for by nearly 1,000 people on Samsung UK’s social channels, Sophie designed an app that uses satellite imaging and predictive AI to help protect marine habitats and resources from illegal fishing.

Nine finalist teams were shortlisted by a panel of Samsung and industry experts who reviewed submissions from 2,185 eligible applicants across the country. 984 teams took part in a programme of design thinking, market research and a newly introduced physical prototyping workshop. Throughout the process, they also received mentoring, support and guidance from Samsung colleagues to help bring their ideas to life.

The programme follows statistics released that show over 200,000* UK teens identify as founders, representing a seismic shift in how young people approach the world of work today. Young innovators are turning to tech to tackle real-world problems, with 15% of teen entrepreneurs citing this as their primary inspiration.

Yet, 90% of UK teens say they face barriers preventing them from growing or starting their own business, inhibiting their ability to turn their ambition into a force for societal good. The Solve for Tomorrow programme exists to prove that young people from all walks of life can come up with ideas that can make a difference in the world through the use of technology.

Finalist teams were invited to Samsung KX to showcase their ideas and formally pitch to a panel of judges formed of leaders from Samsung and its partners ,Tech She Can, Design Council, D&T Association and Internet Matters. This was followed by the annual Solve for Tomorrow awards ceremony, where the winners were crowned.

Speaking about this year’s Solve for Tomorrow competition, Soohyun Jessie Park, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Samsung Electronics UK, said: “Solve for Tomorrow continues to empower young people to reflect on what truly matters to them, whilst simultaneously channelling their passion into tangible action. We speak to young people every day as part of the programme, and their drive and passion to make the world a better place through technology is awe-inspiring. The standard of entries continues to climb, and we can’t wait to see where our winners go next and the impact their inventions have on society.”

The Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy Mete Coban said: “It was a pleasure to attend the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow awards in London and meet young people with such inspiring ideas. From building a greener future, to making sport more inclusive and helping young people stay safe online, their innovative ideas show the powerful role young people play in shaping a better future for all of us.

“Technology is part of everyday life and a positive driver of change, with a vital role to play in London’s journey to net zero – helping ensure no one is left behind or disproportionately affected by climate change, as we build a fairer, greener city for everyone.”

Devansh, from The Green Cross (16-18s winner), said: “It was a really eye-opening experience – I got to talk to so many people about how I could design something to make their life better. I had no experience in med tech before, but with the people around me I really wanted to solve a problem that mattered. I’ve learned how to present, how to sell an idea, and to put myself out there – things I hadn’t done before. My advice to anyone thinking of entering next year: just go for it. As long as you have a genuine passion for it, you are good enough. It’s a really fulfilling experience, and if it doesn’t work out, it’s okay – it’s a learning process.”

Mr Noonan, Devansh’s teacher, said: “When they get the opportunity to work on problems like the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition have provided them with, all of a sudden they can see the value of their ideas. They can see the types of problems that they’re solving, the benefit that it can bring to society, but they can also see how all of a sudden their creativity and their innovation can be modelled on those heroes that they have.

“So I think that’s the first degree, they can see that pathway to emulating some of their heroes. And then the second thing is just that confidence to know that they can solve problems. They might have the skill set in terms of the technical knowledge or being able to sketch or draw or plan or map out, but to be actually able to put that skill set to use, to have the mindset, the creativity, I think the resilience to be able to solve problems and stick with the process, have been really, really transformative through this.

“For young people today, I think it gives them great confidence to know that they can solve the problems that we face every day in our lives. The world is such a challenging place, and young people sometimes feel helpless, but being able to engage with a competition like Samsung Solve for Tomorrow shows them how they can make a difference.”

More details on how to enter the next Solve for Tomorrow competition will be announced later this year.

For more information on Solve for Tomorrow visit: https://www.samsung.com/uk/solvefortomorrow/

*Teen founder estimates were calculated by applying a 5-6% variable to ONS population data for 14-18-year-olds, sourced from Statista (2022).