As part of Samsung’s mission to defy barriers to help young people from all backgrounds find their purpose in tomorrow’s world, Solve for Tomorrow: Next Gen seeks to empower the next generation of innovators.

The national competition encourages students aged between 11 and 15 to imagine a better world and how technology can solve some of society’s biggest issues.

As part of the programme, students will take part in a 45-minute interactive video lesson. Alongside our Solve for Tomorrow: Next Gen host, Reuben Christian, Tech, Marketing and Product Design experts from Samsung will lead the lesson and take students through the Design Thinking process and different STEM careers.

Participants can then enter the competition with their written idea and sketches, as individuals or in teams of up to three, for the chance to win fantastic tech prizes for themselves, teachers and school. Every student that enters will also see their achievements recognised with a certificate to celebrate their involvement with Solve for Tomorrow: Next Gen.

This year, there is a completely new set of resources being launched that centre around inclusivity. Students are encouraged to submit their own ‘tech for good’ ideas that help to design a future where everyone belongs.

Last year, 481 teams entered the competition with a total of 18,970 students from 16% of all secondary schools in the UK and Ireland taking part in the lesson and learning about the tech industry, and specifically the theme of sustainability.

Sophie Edgerley Harris, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Samsung Electronics UK, said: “At Samsung, we aim to inspire the next generation of young students through education and tech, and also encourage them to pursue an exciting career in the tech industry.

We hope students and teachers enjoy the new resources created this year, and we are looking forward to seeing the fantastic ideas entered into the competition by this year’s group of young tech enthusiasts.”

Last year, in the 11-13 age category, 13-year-old Alek, from All Hallows Catholic School in Surrey, was chosen as the winner with his ‘Green Solutions’ knowledge sharing platform idea for farmers, which encouraged them to implement more sustainable farming practices. Filip, 11, also from All Hallows Catholic School, was the runner-up with his ‘Brilliant Buzzer’ idea – a solar-powered pollinating drone that used cameras and AI to protect endangered plants.

In 2022’s 13-15 age category, Finn and Josh, both 14, from Grange Park School in Kent, were chosen as winners with their smart bin idea, which educated users on the journey of their waste. Amelie, Megan and Laila, all aged 14 and from Clayton Hall Academy in Staffordshire, were runners-up with their ‘Smart Plug’ concept, which reduced energy consumption and prevented electricity waste.

2022 Solve for Tomorrow: Next Gen winner Alek, and runner up Filip (age 11-13 category) with Reggie Yates

The deadline for competition entries is on 23^rd June 2023, and a panel of judges from Samsung will select winners and runners-up in two age categories: 11-13 and 13-15, depending on their school year.

Members of the winning team will each receive a Samsung Galaxy Tab S8, and a VIP invitation to attend a Samsung Solve for Tomorrow event. The teacher, parent or guardian responsible for submitting the winning entry will receive a Samsung Galaxy Book2 360, and the winner’s school will get a Samsung QB65B TV screen. Each participant in the running-up team will receive a pair of Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro.

To find out more and register for Solve for Tomorrow: Next Gen 2023, please visit: https://nationalschoolspartnership.com/initiatives/samsung-next-gen-2023/

Open for applications since 25^th October 2022, the Solve for Tomorrow Competition received applications from over 680 young people across the UK and Ireland. With both team and individual applications submitting their entrepreneurial ideas which utilise technology to make a meaningful difference in one of four areas: education, sustainability, diversity, equity & inclusion and social isolation.

The selected 24 ideas spanned across a breath of real-life and lived challenges. From an app, which encourages social connection through digital disconnection (Team 15), to a digital glove, which mimics the warmth, feel and motion of a loved one to facilitate long distance connection (Team 17), the judges were hugely inspired by the creativity and innovative thinking applied. The 24 semi-finalists will take part in a comprehensive programme of workshops, coaching and 121 mentoring with Samsung colleagues and external industry experts. The programme will grant the semi-finalists with access to learning opportunities to explore progressive areas including Design Thinking and emerging digital technologies. This next stage will empower the teams to develop their initial ideas ready for submission for the next round of judging where 10 teams will be selected as finalists to present to a panel of industry experts on 25 May 2023.

Commenting on the announcement, Sophie Edgerley Harris, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Samsung Electronics UK said:

“This stage of the Solve for Tomorrow Competition is hugely exciting as we see the amazing ideas submitted by all entrants and the start of the semi-finalist’s journey. It is evident that more than ever young people are full of creativity and ambition to make a difference in the communities they live in and the networks around them. As they take their next step in the competition, we’re committed to supporting their progress and further boosting their confidence to think boldly and freely as they build on their world-class tech-for-good ideas.”

Speaking about his personal experience as a Solve for Tomorrow judge, Colin Gwynn, Head of Operations at Samsung Electronics UK remarked:

“As a judge, I love being able to see the breadth of ideas that our semi-finalists come up with, but with the incredible talent coming through this programme, decision-making is never easy. I applaud the 2023 cohort for making it through to this competitive stage and encourage all of our young people to maximise the learning and development opportunities that Solve for Tomorrow provides in abundance. The role of technology in being able to solve real world problems has never been more vital, and we have a chance to turbocharge innovation with the great minds we have engaged in this competition.”

This year the competition has expanded its prize offering, crowning two winners within each age category (16-18yrs and 18-25yrs). The winning teams for Solve for Tomorrow, will be announced at the final pitch event on 25^th May 2023, and will be awarded £10,000, plus 3 months of dedicated mentoring support from Start-up Discovery School. Two runners up for each age category in the competition will receive £1,000 and benefit from continued support from Start-Up Discovery School.

To find out more about the Solve for Tomorrow 2023 Competition, visit: https://www.samsung.com/uk/solvefortomorrow/

John Constable’s ‘The Hay Wain’, John Everett Millais’ ‘Ophelia’ and Lowry’s ‘Coming Home from the Mill’ are amongst a series of artworks reimagined by acclaimed digital artist Quentin Devine to mark the launch of Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow Competition which encourages young people to help solve societal and global problems using technology.

The pictures were selected following a survey commissioned by Samsung of 2,000 young adults in the UK aged 16-25 to ascertain the top ten issues they are most concerned about in 2022.  The study revealed that the top issue young people are concerned about is global warming (61%), followed by the cost-of-living crisis (55%) and racial in-equality (49%)*.

Digital artist Quentin Devine was commissioned by Samsung to take some of the issues concerning the Gen-Z audience to reimagine historical artworks as if they had been drawn today, representing the modern world.

‘The Hay Wain’ (1821) has been updated as if Constable had painted the picture in the summer of 2022 when Britain and Europe witnessed record temperatures. The once lush riverside scene is rendered barren surrounded by scorched earth in a new version which clearly warns of the dangers of Global warming

Sir John Everett Millais’ ‘Ophelia’ (1851-2) is reworked to reflect the pollution of Britain’s rivers, streams and waterways which dominated the UK news cycle this summer.

Richard Wilson’s ‘The Thames near Marble Hill, Twickenham’ (1762) illustrates the devastating impact that fly tipping can have – as shopping trolleys, mattresses and assorted household junk is added to the scene.

Seurat’s ‘A Sunday on La Grande Jatte’ (1884) meanwhile, illustrates the epidemic of loneliness which has come to light following Covid-19 pandemic, the crowds reduced to a lone person sat head bowed in quiet contemplation.

Finally, Lowry’s acclaimed ‘Coming Home from the Mill’ (1928) is reconfigured to show a single worker reflecting the change in working patterns and again highlighting the issue of isolation.

The research revealed that 85% of 16–25-year-olds believe that as a generation they care more about the planet than any generation before them with 94% believing that they are more open to talk about subjects that were previously considered as taboo.

The Gen Z audience also believe that subjects such as loneliness and social isolation (33%), cost of living (31%) and disability discrimination (29%) are not talked about openly enough in society.

The artworks are being displayed until the 17^th November at Samsung KX – the brand’s flagship store in Kings Cross.

Sophie Edgerley Harris, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Samsung Electronics UK commented:

“The artworks that Quentin Devine has created aim to illustrate in a unique way the societal topics that young people in the UK today are most motivated to positively contribute to. By reimagining some of these scenes using digital artistry, we hope more people will be inspired to enter their tech-for-good idea into this year’s Solve for Tomorrow Competition.

Previous winners Alec and Ramneek devised innovative approaches; with smart lockers supporting people experiencing homelessness and a tech-forward mobility aid to help people who are visually impaired. We can’t wait to see the ideas of our 2023 competition entrants.”

Digital artist Quentin Devine said: “Reinventing the classics with a modern twist was a huge challenge but something of a labour of love- as many of the issues highlighted are close to my heart. The pictures highlighting Britain’s past and present, but there is a lot we can do about the future and that is why projects like ‘Solve for Tomorrow’ are so important.”

Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow Competition is a global initiative that challenges young people, between the ages of 16 – 25, to use technology in creative ways to help improve social issues.

Successful entrants will take part in a series of workshops and one-to-one mentoring with Samsung experts across a 6-month programme to support the evolution of an idea into a reality. Two winning teams will receive a further three months of support from Samsung UK and Startup Discovery School, to help them realise the scope of their ideas, in addition to a £10,000 cash prize.

The Solve for Tomorrow 2023 Competition is now open. For more information on how to enter visit https://www.samsung.com/uk/solvefortomorrow/.

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*The top 10 issues young adults in the UK are concerned about:

1. Global Warming / rising temperatures (61%)
2. Cost of living (55%)
3. Racism / racial inequality (49%)
4. Energy Crisis (41%)
5. Water Pollution (38%)
6. Loneliness / Isolation (32%)
7. Mental Health Awareness (28%)
8. Poverty (28%
9. Littering / Fly Tipping (25%)
10. Disability Discrimination (23%)