On 25 April 2009, two teams from the Diploma in Financial Business Informatics, at Temasek Polytechnic School of Informatics & IT, clinched the first and second runners up awards at the “InnovateIT 2009” competition, part of the National Infocomm Competition. Jointly organised by iDA Singapore and School of Information Systems, SMU, this competition aimed to promote the innovative use of IT by Singaporeans to be more energy efficient and embrace sustainable development to improve business value by transforming an innovative idea into a business opportunity.  

On the day of the competition, a tweak to the business scenario was released and teams were required to adapt their proposals, both technically and financially, to the tourism industry.  

Clinching the first runner-up award was “The Movers and Shakers”, consisting of students Tan Ser Han, Danial Hakim B Mohd Said and Tan Sin Yee Cindy. The team’s innovation, entitled, “Project Lightning”, uses IT to harness lightning and solar power simultaneously in order to generate electricity.

On the other hand, Team “OYA!” comprising of Elson Ong Yi Qiang, Leng Ker Ching Genevieve and Wee Wei Tian Ronald came up with the innovative “OYA!” box to remotely control household appliances and monitor electricity consumption through the use of mobile devices, GSM technology and IT systems.  

The teams were elated after wining their prizes at the end of an eventful day. More importantly, they believed that the days of using IT to harness alternative energies as well as intelligently monitor and control household appliances would be a reality soon; where IT, as an enabler, can enrich the lives of people.