Advancing Industry 4.0 and AI Talent through Ericsson Hackathon 2024
Jakarta, December 2024
Event Period: October–December 2024
Venue: Center for Indonesia Digital Industry (PIDI 4.0)
In alignment with its mission to support the development of Industry 4.0 and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Indonesia, the Smart Industry – Industrial Engineering program of Swiss German University (SGU), proudly joined as one of the strategic partners of the Ericsson Hackathon 2024. The initiative was a collaborative effort between Ericsson, the Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin) through PIDI 4.0, the Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi), Innovation & Learning Centers, KORIKA, and SGU.
The hackathon was officially launched in mid-October 2024 via a press conference, as a strategic step to foster innovation in the Indonesian manufacturing sector through the adoption of 5G technology and Generative AI.
Thought Leadership from DARSI: Judge & Mentor Involvement
Dr. Tanika D. Sofianti, Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering at SGU and Founder of Dian Arsa Inovasi (DARSI), was invited to serve as both a jury member and mentor during the program. Her involvement reflects SGU’s and DARSI’s commitment to cultivating expertise and thought leadership in industrial transformation.
“Technology implementation in Industrial Engineering must go beyond trends—it must deliver value,” said Dr. Tanika. “Tech investment is not just about acquiring tools, but also about upskilling and reskilling human resources, and ensuring strong change management.”
She emphasized that the three most critical challenges in adopting Industry 4.0 technologies are:
- Investment in workforce upskilling and reskilling
- Change management
- Sustainability integration
Hackathon Highlights: From Mentorship to Innovation Showcase
The Ericsson Hackathon 2024 drew strong participation, with 23 registered teams, of which 10 finalists were selected. On 19 November, mentoring sessions were conducted online, featuring guidance from experts including:
- Dr. Tanika D. Sofianti (Swiss German University / DARSI)
- Carlos Karo Karo (Innovation & Learning Center, McKinsey)
- Alexander Ludi (Director of AI Venture, KORIKA)
The competition challenged participants to propose innovative solutions using Generative AI and 5G to improve industrial productivity.
Winners and Outstanding Innovations
Final judging was based on three key criteria: originality, technical excellence, and project profitability.
The winning teams were:
1st Place – Team Molca
Developed a Digital Twin system powered by IoT and 3D modeling to create a virtual replica of a factory environment. Integrated with Generative AI, the system features a Bahasa Indonesia voice interface that acts as a smart assistant for factory monitoring.
2nd Place – Team Mentos
3rd Place – Team Open Machine
Industry and Government Reflections
At the closing ceremony on 10 December 2024, held at the PIDI 4.0 facility in Jakarta, Mr. Krishna Patil, Head of Ericsson Indonesia, praised the participants:
“Ericsson is proud to support such outstanding innovation. This event reaffirms our commitment to transforming manufacturing through 5G and AI technologies.”
Drs. Masrokhan, Head of BPSDMI, Ministry of Industry, added: “This strategic collaboration will continue to spark impactful transformation programs and workforce development. Ericsson Hackathon 2024 has opened major opportunities for young talent to harness AI and 5G to drive industrial productivity.”
DARSI’s Role in Industry Readiness
DARSI’s participation in this event supports its broader mission of preparing industry and academia for the future of intelligent systems. Through strategic engagement, mentorship, and thought leadership, DARSI is proud to contribute to shaping a smarter and more sustainable industrial ecosystem in Indonesia.
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