vFORUM 2019: VMware Shines the Spotlight on Technology as a Force for Good to Inspire a new Generation of Inclusive Innovators
Winning team from Ngee Ann Polytechnic puts up compelling demonstration of “APSNLive”, a web platform to enable Singapore’s special needs community
Singapore – November 15, 2019 – VMware, Inc. (NYSE: VMW), a leading innovator in enterprise software, today announced the successful conclusion of its inaugural Ideas Hackathon at vFORUM Singapore 2019 where the winning idea was presented to the public for the first time. Built by a student team from Ngee Ann Polytechnic, “APSNLive” is a first-of-its-kind web platform that is built specially to serve the beneficiaries of the Association for Persons with Special Needs (APSN), a social service agency providing special education for persons with mild intellectual disability (IQ 50-70). This represents a significant milestone in Singapore’s journey towards building a more digitally-enabled and inclusive workforce for all.
With an idea of building a social and support platform to address the needs of APSN alumni, the team from Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s School of Infocomm Technology emerged as the winner during the first phase of the VMware Ideas Hackathon. The team then spent the next six months building and improving on “APSNLive”, a web platform that enables APSN alumni to connect, upskill and get access to employment, legal and medical services.
“The core purpose of any form of technology is to help us solve problems and improve lives. At VMware, we believe in giving back to society and using tech as a force for good. The Ideas Hackathon has been a great showcase for this. The winning applications have demonstrated how technology can better the lives of the APSN alumni, and in turn, encourage them to embrace technology as part of their everyday life. This has in turn contributed to building a more inclusive society and workplace for under-served communities,” said Sanjay K. Deshmukh, vice president and managing director, Southeast Asia and Korea, VMware.
“We are deeply honored to have partnered with APSN in the first ever edition of the Ideas Hackathon, and are grateful for the time and effort put in by all participating teams, VMware mentors as well as teachers and students from APSN. This is just the start of a long Tech for Good journey, but we hope the first-ever Ideas Hackathon has succeeded in inspiring a new generation of inclusive innovators here in Singapore, and inculcated in them the beauty of technology being a force for the greater good of society,” he added.
The web platform is optimized for a seamless mobile experience and will be deployed across the APSN community.
“Currently, there is a significant gap to involve community stakeholders to build an inclusive society, and make it easier for APSN Alumni Services to connect with alumni beneficiaries. The APSNLive web platform bridges the gap. With the help of VMware, APSN hopes to build a more effective and efficient way of embracing technology for the special needs community in Singapore,” Dr Christopher Tay, CEO, APSN.
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