AI-Based Energy Management Project Wins CleanTech Innovation Challenge 2022

In the Cleantech Innovation Challenge 2022, the participants incorporated the latest technologies, such as artificial intelligence and cloud computing, in their pitches focusing on energy and environment management, load forecasting, demand control, and energy theft. The CleanTech Innovation Challenge 2022 hosted its final awards ceremony at the National Incubation Center (IT), Islamabad. The Cleantech Innovation Challenge 2022 is a one-of-a-kind initiative that invited pitches and ideas to help build a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly future. The thematic areas of this year’s competition included load forecasting, predictive maintenance, demand management, energy theft, and customer and consumption insights. The winners presented their ideas to the audience at the event. The E-Triangle team won the first prize for using artificial intelligence and cloud computing to upgrade conventional energy management systems. The second prize went to Greenovation — Pakistan’s first plastic waste-to-energy recycling start-up. RSA came third for using remote sensing to evaluate the air quality index. The prize distribution ceremony was attended by the Federal Secretary of Information, Technology, and Telecommunications (MoITT), Mohsin Mushtaq; MoITT officials; Ignite board members; startups, and other stakeholders. Secretary Mushtaq spoke to the participants of the challenge and said, “The idea of seeking innovative solutions from diversified subject experts was to establish a supportive concoction which focused on problem-solving of modern-day challenges from energy consumption to climate restoration,” CEO Ignite, Asim Shahryar, commented, “It is integral for us to find out contemporary solutions to problems which will affect our environment. This CleanTech Innovation Challenge was an opportunity to foresee the problems and to come up with solutions which can be environment friendly”. He also unveiled Ignite’s new research and innovation framework, through which grants will be provided to challenge innovation projects and technology transition projects via a merit-based evaluation process. Shahryar added that Ignite will be launching more competitions in cybersecurity, robotics, and health tech in the next financial year. The challenge received a total of 322 submissions, out of which 57 teams made it to the second round. These 57 teams competed against each other, and the final 13 were allowed to present their ideas to the jury, from which the top three winners were selected. A participant remarked that “CleanTech Innovation Challenge is first of its kind competition which will support us to take our idea further.”