As part of the SUCCESS project, involving universities from Colombia, Finland, Panama, Spain and Sweden, this year’s competition featured a special international prize category. The submitted ideas were evaluated by an international jury composed of representatives from the participating universities, highlighting projects with strong international potential and innovative thinking.
The competition encouraged students to explore the global relevance of their ideas and compete for the opportunity to win an iPad while gaining international recognition for their innovative concepts.
Five projects were selected in the IDEA Competition 2026 international category. The selected participants received certificates from the SUCCESS project in recognition of their achievements in the competition.
Universidad del Cauca
Klaus Yeferson Pulgarín Pardo
Emergency Drone Mesh Network proposes the use of autonomous drones to rapidly establish a temporary communication network in areas affected by natural disasters. By creating a dynamic aerial mesh network, the system can support messaging, survivor geolocation, emergency coordination, and access to critical information when traditional telecommunications infrastructure is unavailable.
Universidad de Antioquia
Jhonny Alejandro Ortiz
Universidad de Panamá
Yerina Riddell
MÓNICA is a data intelligence platform designed to strengthen missing-person search systems. Developed in collaboration with the Early Activation Office, OAT, in Panama, the platform standardizes data collection and uses predictive analytics to support authorities in identifying patterns, generating alerts, and making informed operational decisions in real time.
Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá
Gerardo Cáceres and Oliver Marin
SARA is a personal safety system that combines embedded artificial intelligence with local voice recognition technology. Users can configure personalized keyword sequences that activate emergency protocols without requiring physical interaction or an internet connection. The system is designed to adapt to different environments through interconnected devices that can trigger alarms, notifications, or other security responses.
Mälardalen University
Muhammad Usama Khan
Grotius AI is an AI-assisted legal reasoning platform designed to support lawyers in case preparation and legal analysis. The platform helps structure facts, research, arguments, and case strategies while maintaining transparency and ensuring that legal professionals remain fully in control of the reasoning and decision-making process.
