RAWALPINDI: A team of students from Pakistan’s Institute of Space Technology (IST), Islamabad, has won the Best AI Use Award at the 2025 Asia-Pacific (APAC) Solution Challenge, a prestigious global tech competition supported by Google and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The competition featured more than 750 teams from 12 countries across the Asia-Pacific region, with the top 10 finalists including teams from South Korea, Japan, Singapore, the Philippines, and Indonesia.
Team GeoGemma, consisting of Ahmed Iqbal, Hanzila Bin Younas, Khalil Ur Rehman, and Abdullah Asif, developed a groundbreaking solution that uses satellite imagery and artificial intelligence through the Gemini API to provide early warning alerts and risk assessments for disaster-prone areas. Their innovative use of geospatial technology holds the potential to save lives by improving disaster preparedness.
In addition, Team i+1 from NUCES FAST also secured a spot among the Top 10 finalists with their AI-powered document classifier, designed to make complex texts more accessible for neurodivergent individuals, promoting inclusivity and access to knowledge.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to the Philippines, Dr. Asima Rabbani, hosted both teams at her official residence to celebrate their achievements. She commended the academic mentors, institutions, and organizers for their support, emphasizing that these accomplishments highlight Pakistan’s growing potential in the global AI and innovation ecosystem.
