Accenture Campus Innovation Challenge: Winning with Smart Waste Management
Accenture has selected the team from the University of Liechtenstein with its idea of Smart Waste Management as this year's winner of the Accenture Campus Innovation Challenge case study competition. The team is working on the Internet of Things, or rather on the stimulation of sensors. The team developed a global solution to improve waste collection.
Accenture had called on Bachelor and Master students from Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Liechtenstein to take part in this case study competition. The goal was to develop an innovative solution for the Internet of Things for a freely selectable German-speaking industrial company. The comprehensive solution concept, including a detailed business case, tipped the scales in favour of the team from Liechtenstein at the final on 8 July at Accenture's office in Kronberg near Frankfurt.
Campus Innovation Challenge
In total, over 75 student teams participated in this year's Campus Innovation Challenge. The task was to design a concrete Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solution for an existing problem of a German-speaking industrial company, which would make the company more innovative, more competitive and thus more profitable in the digital age. In addition to their professors, the participants were also supported by Accenture employees who assisted them with tips and practical experience in regular meetings.
Six teams from Switzerland, Germany, Liechtenstein and Austria qualified for the final on 7 and 8 July in the previous regional finals, having already won one of the 25 university preliminary rounds.
Idea of the winning team
The winning team's idea was to equip public trash cans with sensors and to network them using a cloud solution. If the trash cans are connected in the Internet of Things, they no longer have to be emptied on a regular basis, even though they may only be half full. Instead, each bin uses a sensor to report when it needs to be emptied. The "Smart Waste Management" project thus reduces the effort and costs involved in waste collection. The six students are now flying to London for a weekend and will visit Accenture's Innovation Center there.
The team from the Technical University of Munich took second place with the topic "First Aid". As part of the project, it developed its own prototype in the form of a Bluetooth wristband and an app. Another idea was an app for the online purchase of perishable foodstuffs, with which customers can check compliance with the cold chain and suppliers can thus increase confidence in this distribution channel. Another team scored points with a web application for the automated optimization of machine occupancy in production.
Machine builders interact with power suppliers
Thanks to the application, machine manufacturers no longer sell their products, but can offer a total price for the operating hours worked, including the electricity required. The machine manufacturer obtains this via an electricity partner who provides a variable tariff.
The finalists' projects were judged on July 7 and 8 by a panel of Accenture business leaders based on the criteria: Innovative strength, cost-effectiveness, feasibility, completeness, comprehensibility, scalability and persuasiveness.
"Through the competition, participants gain valuable insights into the day-to-day work of a consultant and also develop a feeling for the challenges of an IT or management consultant," says Thomas D. Meyer, Country Managing Director of Accenture Switzerland. In addition, many lecturers use the competition as the basis for a seminar, so that students not only benefit from the project experience, but can also receive credit points for their participation.
