ITB i-Teams: The First Cambridge i-Teams Program in Indonesia is Successfully Held

Bandung, lpik.itb.ac.id – Technology has become the backbone of a nation's progress in the era of globalization and the 4.0 industrial revolution. In Indonesia, utilizing technological potential is the main focus in increasing competitiveness and economic progress. However, campus research often faces obstacles in finding solutions that are appropriate for the market.

To resolve these obstacles, Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) proudly presents the ITB i-Teams Program, an initiative focusing on knowledge transfer and the commercialization of university inventions. This program is inspired by the success of the Cambridge i-Teams Program from the University of Cambridge, which has brought a positive impact on the commercialization of university inventions and social innovation.

i-Teams has become a breakthrough in how academic research impacts society. They have successfully brought innovations from the laboratory to the market for more than a decade. With this history of success, i-Teams expanded its initiative worldwide, including in the ASEAN region, through the ASEAN i-Teams program. In Indonesia, ITB became the pioneer in implementing this program, collaborating with the Cambridge i-Teams team and the Centre for Global Equality (CGE) to introduce it to universities in the country.

The ITB i-Teams program ran for eight weeks, starting from February 5, 2024, to March 25, 2024. This program consists of a series of engaging weekly workshops and classes, designed to provide crucial insights to students regarding communication mastery, interview skills, and navigating the complexities of commercialization. Team meetings with mentors became a dynamic forum where students could develop concepts and discuss their practical implementation.

Within the dynamic landscape of ITB, the focus of the ITB i-Teams Program is on two fields: health technology and artificial intelligence (AI). This program selected three research projects for its first year, two from ITB and one from Cambridge University. Through cross-disciplinary collaboration, students are invited to sharpen their innovative ideas and connect with relevant industry experts. Melalui kolaborasi lintas disiplin, mahasiswa diajak untuk mempertajam ide-ide inovatif dan menghubungkan dengan pakar industri terkait.

At the closing ceremony on March 25, 2024, presentation teams from each project showcased their results. This ceremony was attended by teams of inventors, mentors, representatives from Cambridge i-Teams, the Centre for Global Equality, BRIN, as well as deans and heads of study programs from faculties at ITB.

Ernawati Giri Rachman, an inventor who heads one of the case projects in ITB i-Teams, stated that the ITB i-Teams program is very useful for inventors to find the right research direction according to market needs and to expand industrial networks.

Through LPIK ITB, this program will be implemented for two years. It is hoped that this program can attract more interest from students and expand the scope of research. With the implementation of the i-Teams Program at ITB, it is expected that ITB can become a pioneer in duplicating this program to other universities throughout Indonesia, as well as become one of the main driving forces in advancing innovation and entrepreneurship in the country.