After months of dedication, creativity and innovation, Gauteng-based Tembisa West Secondary School was named the overall winner. Their ground-breaking energy efficiency AI system earned them first place for its potential to drive meaningful change in their school. The achievement earned the learners R100,000 prize money which will go towards purchasing STEM equipment for their school.

Umlazi Comprehensive Technical High School (KwaZulu-Natal) and Koffiefontein Combined School (Free State) took second and third place respectively for their forward-thinking ideas and practical applications of STEM to their community’s challenges. The second and third runners-up received R50,000 and R30,000 respectively to go towards purchasing STEM equipment for their schools. Each of the learners in the top three teams also received a Samsung Galaxy smartphone as part of the prizes.

The announcement followed an intense final round on 7 October 2025, where the top ten finalist schools showcased their prototypes before a panel of expert judges. Each team presented innovative solutions designed to address pressing issues in their communities. Under any of these three themes; Energy Efficient Schools, Innovative Transport Solutions or Affordable Safety Devices, the learners had to demonstrate sustainability and the transformative power of STEM when fuelled by purpose and collaboration.

The winning school chose the Energy Efficient Schools theme and came up with a smart energy solution AI system dubbed Green Jarvis. Their solution produces energy by using electromagnetic harvesting), and also monitors and reduce its usage. Green Jarvis has sensors which monitor energy usage at their school, adjusting where necessary to optimise efficiency. Housed in a dedicated server, Green Jarvis can monitor any system or tool that uses electricity, from lights to air-cons and heaters. For instance, when a room is being heated, as soon as it reaches the required temperature, the system will kick in and switch the heater off. The smart system, that has an interactive application as well as real-time metrics tracker for reporting, can also reduce the brightness of lights when needed.

“In doing our research and trying to find what we can do, we realised that a lot of energy was being used in our school and that there was room for us to be more efficient. That’s when we came up with the idea to build this system, that could be a game-changer even for other schools, especially those in underdeveloped areas where financial resources are in short supply. I’m so happy to be part of the team and very proud of our achievement,” said Ntumiseng Mafemo, team member and Grade 11 learner from Tembisa West Secondary.

“We are delighted to announce the winner of Solve for Tomorrow in South Africa, a remarkable example of how young innovators can drive meaningful change. This initiative aligns perfectly with our goals of enhancing STEM education in underserved public schools, fostering a culture of innovation, and equipping learners with the skills needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving world. By empowering these bright minds, we are not only addressing immediate challenges but also investing in a sustainable future for all. We are proud to support these inspiring individuals as they transform their innovative ideas into impactful solutions.”,” said Lefa Makgato, CSR Manager at Samsung South Africa.

Echoing this statement, Dr. Neo Mothobi, Chief Education Specialist in the Ministry at the Department of Basic Education, said the competition is a reminder of the potential that the youth of South Africa has in the fields of STEM. “The competition inspires young people to drive innovation through creativity and collaboration. It is remarkable that it inspires the youth to find solutions to real challenges in their communities. This initiative reflects what’s possible when industry and education work hand in hand and together, it shows that we can build the South Africa we all want. These learners have not only embraced STEM, they’ve shown that with the right guidance, South Africa’s youth can lead the way toward a smarter, more inclusive future.”

“Public-private partnerships, such as the one we have with Samsung, remain a major catalyst for development. They are particularly key to unlocking uniquely South African solutions to local challenges, and this competition helps push that very notion of localisation as it gives our youth an opportunity to find solutions for our issues. Information and communication technology is one of the sectors that we can use to ensure that young people are not left behind. We really need to focus our attention on investing in young people, who can be at the forefront of helping our country to grow and move forward,” said Tlali Tlali, Head of Corporate Affairs at SITA.

Now in its third year in South Africa, Solve for Tomorrow is part of Samsung’s global education initiative designed to equip young people with critical STEM skills and a mind-set for innovation. The competition has given learners the tools, mentorship and confidence to tackle local issues with global potential. SFT is a reflection of Samsung’s continued commitment to investing in youth empowerment and community-driven innovation.

As the winners celebrate their success, their journeys mark just the beginning of what promises to be a legacy of ideas that inspire progress, ignite change and shape a better tomorrow for all.

Samsung and the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) have joined hands to launch the 2024 Solve For Tomorrow Competition, aimed at bringing the best out of public schools and learners. The competition has attracted a large number of entries from schools across the country, with the Top 20 schools now officially announced. This is an opportunity for these schools to showcase their innovation and creativity in solving real-world problems.

In the State of the Nation Address (SONA) this year, it was mentioned that the power of collaboration in overcoming challenges can lead to significant achievements. The country has made progress in the last three decades, thanks to the spirit of partnership. The Solve For Tomorrow competition is a testament to the impact of public-private partnerships and when these sectors come together, remarkable results can be attained.

Launched in Africa in 2023, this unique competition provides an opportunity for grade 10 and 11 learners from public schools in underserved communities to apply Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education to address the challenges faced by their respective communities, while fostering creative thinking, problem-solving skills, and teamwork among learners. Its goal is to nurture socially innovative ideas, with a specific emphasis on environmental challenges.

Lenhle Khoza, B-BBEE and Transformation Manager at Samsung said: “As a global electronics giant that has, in the past 30-years consistently been supporting the country’s transformation agenda, we are well aware of the great importance of education through technology. This global Solve For Tomorrow initiative which uses STEM as the critical component of empowerment is helping us, together with our valued partners, to continue our quest of equipping young people from local public schools with critical skills and knowledge that they will need to not only build a better local economy, but also the world at large.”

Since its inception last year, the competition has helped learners grow and develop invaluable skills for success in the present and future. In conjunction with SITA, 51 pre-selected schools were piloted nationally. This competition is an excellent way for learners to gain a deeper understanding of STEM and display their scientific talents.

Tlali Tlali Head of Corporate Affairs at SITA said: “We understand the importance of collaborations and are very excited about the future prospects of our continued partnership with Samsung. As SITA, we remain committed to leveraging IT to support the delivery of e-Government services to all citizens and we are always keen to be part of impactful programmes such as the Solve For Tomorrow competition that allow us to effect positive change in both our youth and communities at large.”

The programme is designed to proceed through a phased approach. In the entry phase, schools across the nation are encouraged to participate in the competition. In phase one, the preliminary stage of the competition, the Top 20 schools with the best entries for 2024 are announced, and they will proceed to the next phase. These schools will have the opportunity to address an environmental challenge and come up with concrete innovations to assist in the betterment of society. They will be supported by assigned Samsung employee-mentors throughout the process.

In the second phase of the program, Samsung will provide resources to the learners while mentors guide them. During this phase, the learners will be required to conduct research, develop and submit their paper prototypes for the challenges identified in the preliminary phase. To support the teams from the Top 20 schools for 2024, they will attend Design Thinking workshops in their respective regions. Additionally, the selected schools’ teams will be sponsored with a Samsung tablet and data to assist them in research and communication with their mentors. This is a critical stage of the program, and with Samsung’s support, the learners will have the resources they need to succeed.

The Design Thinking workshops aim to teach learners valuable skills on how to approach their work, think critically, and act like designers. The workshops will provide a cognitive and structured process for human-centred, creative problem-solving and encourage learners to build strong teams. Additionally, learners will learn how to conduct research to develop workable solutions that can address environmental issues in their communities.

The Top 20 Finalists will be required to submit paper prototypes of their solutions, which will be evaluated by judges to determine the Top 10 schools that will proceed to the next phase. The Top 10 teams will receive funding to develop physical prototypes of their solutions and present them to a panel of judges in the final stage of the competition.

The Top Three schools with the winning prototypes will win cash prizes of up to R100,000 each, which will go towards STEM equipment based on the unique needs of each school. Additionally, Samsung has decided to reward each learner in the Top three teams from schools with a Samsung device. The ultimate goal is for the winning schools to be like Mbilwi High School from Limpopo, which was the winner in 2023.

The Top 20 schools that have been selected include: