Urban Smart Manufacturing & Innovation Challenge
The first challenge for high school students in China!
The Fab City Challenge Shenzhen is a pioneer in many aspects. It is the first Fab City Challenge spin-off hosted and organized outside of the annual event, as well as the first program of its kind for students in China. We hope this event will be the first of many in Shenzhen and worldwide, using the challenge methodology to engage innovation communities in solving local issues. We believe this initiative will showcase the impact of the Fab City Challenge methodology on local grassroots communities, leveraging global knowledge to create local solutions. This brief article offers an overview of what the Fab City Challenge Shenzhen entails.
About Fab City Challenge Shenzhen 2024
6 local challenges, 6 student teams
The Fab City Challenge Shenzhen 2024, locally known as FCC 城市智造创新挑战 (Urban Smart Manufacturing & Innovation Challenge), is an innovative hackathon developed by Litchee Lab, in collaboration with the Fab City Foundation specifically for high school students. Adapted from the original Fab City Challenge, this event offers a distinctive and immersive learning experience.
The Fab City Challenge Shenzhen emphasizes the integration of emergent technologies with local contexts, providing students with a unique platform to explore and shape their future academic and professional paths. This event not only fosters creativity and problem-solving skills but also connects young minds with the global Fab City network, encouraging them to contribute to the development of sustainable and resilient urban environments.
A challenge for Students
The Fab City Challenge Shenzhen 2024 invites high school students aged 15-18 who are enthusiastic about societal issues and future innovations. Participants have a keen interest in fields such as Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, Public Administration, Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science, Automation, Bioengineering, Interaction Design, Communication Design, Sustainable Design, and Business. This diverse participant profile provides a rich, multidisciplinary approach to addressing real-world challenges, fostering a collaborative environment where young minds explore, innovate, and shape their academic and professional futures.
Challenge partners
The Fab Island Challenge Shenzhen gathers support from local collaborators.
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Dive4love, Accessibility Research Association, Handshake 302, Wutong Island, Shekou Community Foundation, Chaihuo Makers, Shenzhen International Foundation College, Fab City Foundation
Previous challenge participants
Challenges themes
Biodiverse Cities
This challenge addresses how ordinary people can utilize low-cost technology to aid cities in maintaining biodiversity. Urbanization and human activities pose significant threats to urban biodiversity. The Baguang Nature School has responded by creating a comprehensive mangrove conservation system, leveraging the conservation of mangroves and ancient ginkgo trees to engage education, businesses, schools, and citizens. A key challenge for Baguang Nature School is promoting biodiversity and encouraging greater citizen participation in these efforts.
Local Host: Dive4love
Accessible Assistive Technology
This challenge explores how accessible assistive technology can reduce barriers for people with disabilities in using technological tools. Across the nation, over 50 million individuals with disabilities struggle with challenges in travel, employment, and electronic tool usage. Over the past decade, the Accessibility Research Association has worked with government departments, businesses, and the disabled community to create accessible tools and set industry standards to address these issues.
Local Host: Accessibility Research Association
Water Conservation
The driving question examines how technology can aid marine conservation advocacy in the oceanic city of Shenzhen. Corals need pristine water conditions to flourish, but in the Daya Bay area near Shenzhen, coral coverage has plummeted from 76.6% in 1987 to 21.9% by 2015. Over the past decade, Dive Love has focused on rescuing corals and fostering the creation of policies and public engagement in marine conservation efforts.
Local Host: Dive4love
Regenerating Neighborhood Perspectives
This challenge explores how to create a sustainable business model for operating a spiritual life community for new residents in Shenzhen. Nantou Ancient Town, a unique urban village community, is home to many newcomers who struggle with identity recognition and community connection. Handshake 302, a social innovation organization, aims to address these challenges by fostering a stronger sense of identity and social bonds among the residents.
Local Host: Handshake 302
Bio Practices of the Future
This challenge seeks to determine how to foster a lifestyle of ecological symbiosis in a city that prioritizes efficiency. Shenzhen, known for its rapid pace and "Shenzhen Speed," has become a global leader in science, technology, and business, but this has also resulted in high pressure and anxiety for its citizens. The Wutong Island Rooftop Garden team aims to change the perception of Shenzhen as solely a fast-paced city by creating a new work-life community in office parks, where nature is integrated into daily life with forests visible from windows and rooftops dedicated to farming.
Local host: Wutong Island
Empowering Social Entrepreneurship
This challenge explores how a sustainable business model can empower social enterprises that preserve urban culture. Shekou, the birthplace of China's reform and opening up, has seen the Shekou Community Foundation collaborate with various sectors since 2016 to launch the "City Walk Shekou" public service design experiment. This initiative uses guided city walks to narrate the stories of how reforms have shaped Shekou's urban landscape. The challenge lies in balancing social impact with commercial sustainability and transforming the insights from City Walk Shekou into a lasting impact.
Local host: Shekou Community Foundation
Mentors
The Fab City Challenge Shenzhen has a team of twelve mentors with diverse backgrounds to support the students during the journey of co-creation.
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Contact Lit Liao more information
Email: litliaosz@gmail.com
WeChat: fcc_bot
WeChat official account: fabcitychallenge