Southeast Asian Students Shine at Apple’s Swift Student Challenge

Three talented students from Southeast Asia have been recognised as Distinguished Winners in this year’s prestigious Swift Student Challenge. This annual competition, held by Apple, invites young developers from around the world to showcase their coding creativity using the Swift programming language. Notably, the students impressed judges with their innovative app playground submissions, which addressed both personal experiences and broader societal needs. As a result, they have earned an exclusive invitation to Apple Park.

There, they will participate in a specially tailored program. Additionally, they will have the opportunity to attend the highly anticipated Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC).

Southeast Asian Distinguished Winners

The Distinguished Winners from Southeast Asia are:

Indri Ramadhanti (Indonesia)

Indri’s app playground, Memoire, is a deeply personal project inspired by her grandmother’s memory loss. This application serves as a digital repository for cherished memories. Specifically, it allows users to store stories, photos, and sounds in an easily accessible format. Furthermore, with interactive features like memory quizzes and visual exercises, Memoire offers more than just an archive. Ultimately, it actively strengthens emotional bonds between generations as a daily companion. “I want to help people, especially the older generation, to still feel close to their past,” shared Indri, who is now starting her career as a software engineer in Japan. “That way, beautiful memories don’t just disappear.” She hopes to further develop Memoire to support individuals with dementia and their families. This marks Indri’s first participation in the Swift Student Challenge.

Sherly Pangestu (Indonesia)

Sherly brings a cheerful and educational approach with her app, Plant Heroes. The application teaches children about plant growth by drawing parallels to human development. In addition, it uses vibrant visuals, interactive games, and engaging stories to capture kids’ attention. As a result, Plant Heroes helps children learn about life cycles, self-care, and environmental protection in a fun and accessible way. “For me, learning doesn’t have to be boring. I want children to know that they can grow strong, like a well-cared-for tree,” said Sherly. She sees this achievement as a starting point for her aspirations to create more applications focused on accessibility and health solutions. Sherly previously contributed to the development of Chamelure, a home therapy application for children with Amblyopia, during her time at the Apple Developer Academy.

Jatin Rakesh (Singapore)

Driven by the impact of short-form content on attention spans, particularly among young students like his 15-year-old sister, Jatin developed Attention Tractor. Starting his coding journey at just 11, Jatin believes in technology’s power to solve problems. He created an interactive app playground, drawing from his research into attention spans, to help users worldwide improve their concentration, something he believes is deeply connected to emotional well-being and stress reduction. This win marks Jatin’s success after three attempts in the challenge.

Invitation to Apple Park and WWDC

These three distinguished winners will join 47 other exceptional students from around the globe at Apple Park for a unique experience that includes tailored programming and attendance at WWDC, offering them a platform to connect with fellow creators and learn from Apple experts.

Global Recognition for Young Developers

This year’s Swift Student Challenge had 350 winning submissions. These came from 38 different countries and regions. The results highlight the diverse talent and innovative spirit of young developers. According to Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations, “This year’s winners show exceptional skill in transforming meaningful ideas into app playgrounds that are innovative, impactful, and thoughtfully built — and we’re excited to support their journey as they continue building apps that will help shape the future.”

Impact and Future Aspirations

The recognition of Indri, Sherly, and Jatin underscores the burgeoning talent and potential within the Southeast Asian tech community. Their projects demonstrate a commitment to using technology for positive impact, addressing real-world challenges with creativity and empathy. Additionally, you can check out the other winners of Apple’s Switch Student Challenge here.