EduSpaze, Singapore’s leading EdTech accelerator, has partnered with the Temasek Foundation to introduce the first "Temasek Foundation Education Challenge: Empowering Teachers through EdTech". This new initiative aims to uncover and support innovative solutions designed to evolve the roles of educators, enhance teaching effectiveness, and introduce novel models to reach underserved communities.
The challenge will shortlist ten pioneering EdTech startups as finalists, who will compete in the finals event scheduled for November 6, 2024, during EduTech Asia, the largest conference and exhibition for educators and EdTech providers in Asia. The top three winners will receive grants totaling up to USD 68,800 (RM 298,000), with the leading winner awarded a trip to London, UK, to attend an industry boot camp and the Bett London exhibition in January 2025.
All finalists will gain access to up to USD 382,700 (RM 1.6 million) in cloud credits, courtesy of the Challenge’s Tech for Good partner, Amazon Web Services, to support the development of startups addressing key educational challenges.
Alex Ng, managing director of EduSpaze, emphasized the transformative potential of technology in education, stating, "This collaboration with Temasek Foundation is a significant step in our mission to drive innovation in the EdTech sector. We look forward to seeing how these solutions will impact education across Singapore and Southeast Asia".
The challenge focuses on three critical areas: evolving the role of educators, improving teaching effectiveness, and reaching underserved communities. Solutions should aim to redesign teachers’ roles with tools like AR/VR/MR, enhance professional development and teaching methods, and provide affordable educational services to new market segments.
Tan Shin Gee, senior director of Temasek Foundation, highlighted the importance of the initiative, noting, "We are committed to supporting innovations that enhance teaching and learning. This challenge aims to foster a more adaptable learning environment through improved instructional quality and innovative models".
Ashley Tan, International Head of Social Impact & Sustainability at Amazon Web Services, added, “AWS is dedicated to expanding access to education and technology. We are excited to support this challenge and help scale innovative solutions that empower educators and learners alike”.
Nominations for the challenge are now open and will close on September 30, 2024. Innovators with solutions ready for piloting that can enhance education for learners aged 10-25 in Southeast Asia are encouraged to apply.
