Maktab Sains Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan clinched Winner Award for DualFarm AI. - AITI
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Brunei Darussalam has once again made its mark on the regional technology stage, securing three accolades at the recent 24th Asia Pacific ICT Alliance (Apicta) Awards 2025 held in Kaohsiung, Chinese Taipei, from Dec 4 to 8.
Competing against 206 teams from 12 economies, Brunei’s six national representatives – winners of the Brunei ICT Awards (BICTA) 2025 – demonstrated strong innovation and technical capability across seven categories.
The delegation returned home with one Winner Award and two Merit Awards.
The Winner Award was clinched by Maktab Sains Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan for DualFarm AI, an innovative smart-agriculture solution that allows crops to grow while simultaneously generating clean electricity through earth-battery technology embedded in each plant bed.
Two teams earned Merit Awards – Sekolah Rendah Lambak Kanan Jalan 49 (C3) for The Bright Buddies 49, an inclusive educational game designed to support children with autism in building literacy, cognitive ability and comprehension through structured, interactive play; and Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB) for PsychoBoard, a compact all-in-one electronics training board integrating microcontrollers, sensors and interface components to support hands-on learning in ICT and engineering.
The Brunei delegation, led by Pengiran Sarimah Abdul Latiff, chairwoman of InfoCom Federation Brunei (IFB) and Brunei’s executive committee member for Apicta, was welcomed home at Brunei International Airport by senior officials.
Among those present were Minister of Transport and Infocommunications Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Shamhary Mustapha, acting and deputy permanent secretaries from MTIC, the Chief Executive of AITI, senior officials from the Ministry of Education, and members of IFB.
Throughout the competition, participants underwent intensive pitching and judging sessions conducted by international ICT experts, academics and government representatives.
Meanwhile, Brunei’s industry finalists – SPI Sdn Bhd with its Direct-to-Satellite IoT Platform, and WilkGames with Tikus Tales – also showcased their products during the TechBridge Expo & Matchmaking Day on Dec 6.
Brunei has been a consistent participant in Apicta since 2008. This year’s achievements, officials noted, reaffirm the nation’s commitment to nurturing ICT talent and advancing innovation in support of its digital-economy aspirations.
The awards are also expected to strengthen the recipients’ profiles and contribute to broader sector growth.
The Apicta Awards programme aims to promote ICT development, highlight innovation and enhance collaboration among 14 member economies across the Asia-Pacific region. – Borneo Bulletin/ANN
