Bright ideas unearthed at hackathon
Selangor water services provider attracts 149 entries in inaugural competition

A SYSTEM to monitor and predict leakages in a state’s water pipe distribution system will certainly improve the lives of many.

This solution won top prize at the first Data and Digital Hackathon 2024, a competition to unearth ideas towards revolutionising the water services industry.

Organised by Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Air Selangor), the competition saw 149 entries which were shortlisted and then divided into two phases.

The qualifying phase involved 38 entries while the final phase saw 10 teams pitch their ideas at Avante Hotel in Petaling Jaya.

Among the 10 finalists, the Fresh Air team from Universiti Malaya impressed judges the most with its HydroRise Sentinel System.

Fresh Air was awarded RM10,000 while the second and third prizes of RM5,000 and RM3,000, respectively, went to public teams called Air Force and The HackSmith.

The staff category prize of RM2,000 was bagged by team Neroz.

Air Selangor acting chief executive officer Abas Abdullah said, “The response to our inaugural Data and Digital Hackathon, which is the first by a water services provider in Malaysia, has been encouraging.

“It’s inspiring to witness the dedication and ingenuity displayed by participants.

“The hackathon was aimed at improving the lives of our 9.3 million consumers in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya by promoting innovation, collaboration, and impactful solutions.”

Air Selangor, shared Abbas, believe that these solutions may well propel the industry’s inevitable move towards digitalisation.

“We firmly believe that the involvement of the general public, who include our Hackathon participants, is invaluable.

“Their valuable insights have triggered and shaped Air Selangor’s journey towards more consumer-centric services.

“By harnessing talent and learning from diverse communities, we pave the path for pioneering solutions that will redefine water management.”

During the competition’s physical phase, participants had the chance to explore interactive exhibition booths that showcased digital initiatives by Air Selangor.

These included Analytics and Artificial Intelligence solutions, innovative Digital Enabler solutions such as mobile applications for consumers and staff, and advanced Digital Space and Digital Operations technologies like ICC and iERP solutions.

All submissions were carefully reviewed by a panel of Air Selangor’s subject matter experts and invited judges from renowned accounting firms such as Ernst & Young and PriceWaterhouseCoopers.
Air Selangor,Data and Digital Hackathon 2024
A SYSTEM to monitor and predict leakages in a state’s water pipe distribution system will certainly improve the lives of many.