Guiding the Wave

While 80+ participants dove deep into solving ocean challenges, they weren’t alone. Ocean Hackathon Kuala Lumpur 2023 was powered by an incredible community of tutors, speakers, and juries who supported every step of the journey.

Tutors from All Walks of Expertise

Throughout the weekend, teams were guided by tutors from diverse fields — marine science, data analytics, tech, and more. Their advice, feedback, and encouragement helped participants refine their ideas and avoid dead ends. Whether it was validating a concept, or polishing a pitch — they were always ready to lend a hand.

Speed Learning That Sparked Action

We also hosted a series of Speed Learning Sessions, where guest speakers delivered short, high-impact talks to inspire and educate. Topics ranged from Ocean Data by Dr. Wee Cheah, Citizen Science by Alexandra Villarroel-Parada, and Pitching & Business Model by Dr. Daniel Loy Hui Siang, to Intellectual Property by Imaduddin Suhaimi. These bite-sized sessions offered fresh insights exactly when teams needed them most — covering everything from ocean data tools and rapid prototyping to effective storytelling and pitching strategies.

On Day 3, each team had just a few minutes to present their solutions to a panel of distinguished jury members, representing academia, industry, education, and international cooperation. The panel included Emmanuelle Marchand (Counsellor for Cooperation and Cultural Affairs), Patricia Reynaud (Principal of the French School in Kuala Lumpur), Alvin Chelliah (Reef Check Malaysia), Professor Dato' Dr. Aileen Tan Shau Hwai (Director of CEAMAS), and Pauline Goh (ICDM). They evaluated each pitch based on innovation, impact, feasibility, and relevance to ocean sustainability — making for a challenging but rewarding selection process.

It wasn’t easy — the ideas were strong, the passion was real, and the competition was tight. But one winning team was ultimately chosen to represent Kuala Lumpur in the Ocean Hackathon International Finals in Brest, France.

The Jury That Made the Final Call

This community made the event not just a hackathon — but a movement.

To everyone who contributed: thank you for helping push ocean innovation forward. 🌍💙