22nd April 2024 – On 20 April 2024, the TechRookies team was successfully ranked in the Top 10 Winners of the Varsity Hackathon 2024 (VHack 2024) organized by the USM Computer Science Association, in collaboration with the Malaysian Securities Commission. This event takes place at Dewan Pembangunan Siswa 1, Kompleks Cahaya Siswa (DPS 1, KOMCA SISWA, USM), from 8 am to 6:30 pm. In the final, there were 15 top finalists competing, and this team managed to secure a place in the top 10 after the final performance. They also won a cash prize of RM500, and this place in the Top 10 was among more than 900 participants, 250 teams representing more than 20 nationalities from around the world.
The team consists of 4 members, namely Randy Ooi Yong (Polymer Engineering), Adrian Tan An Xian (Materials Engineering), Charmaine Lim Xin Chi (Materials Engineering), and Celine Choo Kai Ying (Pharmacy), who are all from the University of Science Malaysia. They are 3rd year students.
The team has selected 5 case studies related to SDG2: Greening and Crop Management. They have developed the latest mobile application known as PlantPal, a mobile application that empowers beginners to master plant management with ease. Through PlantPal, the team strives to democratize access to agricultural knowledge and best practices, making growing crops accessible to all. They are committed to fostering a nurturing ecosystem that encourages learning, sharing, and collective growth in their dynamic community. Additionally, they aim to promote environmentally friendly and resource-efficient farming methods that prioritize environmental management, harnessing the power of innovation to simplify complex processes. The team dreams of enabling users to grow as urban farmers, hobby farmers, or small-scale farmers, while developing a deep appreciation for the relationship between humans, plants, and the planet, inspiring a holistic approach to food production and consumption.
