Congratulations to Winners and Finalists in the 2022 Challenge Season!

Here are the top competitors in the 2022-23 academic year NFTE World Series of Innovation.

Citi Foundation Future of Work Challenge - 2022

The Challenge: Design a solution that empowers or prepares young people with the tools for the future of work.

Winners

• First Place: Cubifold, advances SDG 8 by designing modular and portable workstations to increase access to professional work and educational tools. Developed by a team in Florida. See their video here.
• Second Place: Speech2Sign, advances SDG 8 by developing novel software that converts speech from short videos, songs, movies, and audio and converting it into Signed Exact English or American Sign Language by leveraging natural language processing and machine learning to increase the inclusivity of the hard-of-hearing community in schools. Developed by 16-year-old Nehal Singh from Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science in Texas. See their video here.
• Third Place: Certifi, advances SDG 8 by developing a mobile app and website that provides access to various job certifications and lessons for young people. Developed by 17-year-old Shaomin Kee from Lambert High School in Georgia. See their video here.

Finalists

• Blossomer, advances SDG 8 by creating a website that links Asian American youth to explore immersive career path opportunities. Developed by 17-year-old Claire Chen, 16-year-old Amy Pham, and 18-year-old William Su from Piedmont Hills High School in California. See their video here.
• Fision, advances SDG 8 by designing a digital application that allow students to access video workshops and educational resources from professionals specializing in various sectors in exchange for digital rewards. Developed by 14-year-old Charmaine Chua, 16-year-old Olivia Gao, and 14-year-old Julian Kwon from Monta Vista High School in California. See their video here.
• Health Forward, advances SDG 8 by providing hands-on workshops for youth pursuing careers in healthcare in under resourced communities. Developed by 16-year-old Ruchir Banerjee, 15-year-old Prisha Balan, and 16-year-old Shridhula Srinivasan from Monta Vista High School in California. See their video here.
• Uncharted Explorer, advances SDG 8 by designing an augmented reality (AR) gaming experience that allows youth to envision the future workplace while developing skills. Developed by 19-year-old Robin Ye from Singapore. See their video here.
• VReal Academy, advances SDG 8 by utilizing virtual reality software to create interactive tutorials. Developed by 16-year-old Juan Varela from Coral Gables Senior High School in Florida. See their video here.
• W.A.G. Device, advances SDG 8 by designing workplace augmentation glasses that improve the workplace experience by streamlining information sharing. Developed by 17-year-old Aidan Blount from Kempsville High School in Virginia.
• YoungAmbition, advances SDG 8 by curating an online platform that offers young people career coaching and skillset training to promote successful career paths. Developed by 17-year-old Maria Armenciu and 16-year-old Nikhil Srivastava from New Providence High School in New Jersey. See their video here.