The spirit of innovation and entrepreneurial agility shone brightly as students from UTAR excelled in the Future Engineering Talents Gateway: Hackathon, held during the BEM Engineering Convention 2025 on 20 August 2025. Hosted by the Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM), this national-level event invited aspiring engineers from institutions of higher learning to tackle real-world challenges through a dynamic, start-up-themed competition.
Representing the Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science (LKC FES), two UTAR teams comprising ten undergraduate students participated in the day-long competition under the banner Engineering Start-Up Pitch: Build. Solve. Inspire. The event challenged participants to ideate, design, and present start-up proposals grounded in engineering principles and geared towards delivering measurable economic, social, or environmental impacts.
In a field teeming with talent, UTAR Team 1, consisting of Samuel Hu You Ze, Bong Qin Zhe, Chuo Chung Zhi, Chan En Kee and Song Ying Xuan, secured the prestigious Best Pitch Award, along with a RM3,000 cash prize. Their project, titled EV Car Carbon Credit Monitoring System, addressed sustainability in the context of electric vehicle usage. Meanwhile, UTAR Team 2, comprising Lim Tong Ern, Toh Wan Zhen, Siew Kar Weng, Sim Jia Xuit and Teh Shyue En, earned a Consolation Prize worth RM250 with their concept titled Smart Safety Helmet, which aimed to enhance user safety through engineering innovation.
The hackathon, tailored exclusively for engineering students, served not only as a competition but also as an educational platform designed to cultivate next-generation engineers by integrating industry insight with academic knowledge. Participants were immersed in critical thinking, teamwork and real-time problem-solving as they pitched their innovative ideas to a panel of judges drawn from academia and industry.
These accomplishments not only showcase the ingenuity and technical prowess of the students but also reflect the University’s strategic emphasis on experiential learning and industry readiness. Through initiatives like these, UTAR continues to bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world application, made possible by dedicated mentorship and robust academic support.
This success adds to UTAR’s growing portfolio of student-led achievements in national and international competitions. It reinforces the University’s commitment to producing graduates who are both technically competent and socially conscious, equipped to lead and innovate in a rapidly evolving global landscape.
Toh Wan Zhen (far left) from Team 2 receiving the Best Pitch prize on behalf of Team 1
Siew Kah Weng (far left) from Team 2 receiving the Consolation Prize on behalf of his team
Ir Ts Wong Chee Fui (sixth from left) with the two teams
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