by Becky Davis, Consulting Director, Sopra Steria Next
Recently, I had the incredible honour of serving as the Lead Judge for the Best Innovation Award at the TeenTech Awards, Years 7-11 category.
The TeenTech Awards bring together some of the brightest and most passionate young innovators. What stood out to me the most was the boundless energy, technical ability, and deep product knowledge displayed by these students.
I left the day filled with admiration and inspiration from the young people I met. Their enthusiasm was infectious, and it was evident that they are not just future technologists but current trailblazers in their own right.
I loved their focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI), sustainability, and health and that this community is not driven by profit but by the genuine desire to make the world a better place. Their commitment to addressing real-world problems with creativity and compassion was evident in every project.
There was a running theme in all the conversations I had; low-cost, high-value solutions that aimed to benefit humanity, society, their peers. It was a refreshing reminder of what true innovation looks like, unhindered by the constraints of the commercial world we often find ourselves in today.
The winners in my category? It was a tough call. But a clear winner did emerge: Morpho. An innovative, technical solution that reimagines how we may decorate our homes, offices and shopping spaces in the future; an immersive, sustainable and personalised replacement for paint and wall coverings. Two amazing young women who connected the disciplines of physics, maths and computer science to create a new technology, undergoing a personal journey of self-education in python and circuit boards and product development. I loved it!
Being able to connect back into community is such a privilege and highlight of my job. Sopra Steria supports every single employee in our UK Buisness to give back to our community with three days volunteering a year. After a day of volunteering at the awards, I finished my week feeling inspired, energised, and alive! I look forward to seeing how these young innovators will continue to grow and impact the world in the years to come.
Here’s to the future—a future that is undoubtedly bright with the creativity and ingenuity of these young minds leading the way.