Regional winners advance to global competition to present ideas using AI to improve urban mobility
FARMINGTON, CT / ACCESS Newswire / April 2, 2025 / Four student teams from around the world are regional winners in Otis' Made to Move Communities student challenge. These winning teams will go on to compete in Otis' first global competition. In the fifth year of the annual STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) competition, more than 250 students from 28 schools proposed innovative ways for Artificial Intelligence to improve urban mobility. Otis (NYSE: OTIS) is the world's leading elevator and escalator manufacturing, installation and service company.
Over the last several months, high school students, with the guidance of Otis volunteer mentors, designed concepts leveraging AI technology to enable more inclusive mobility in their communities, and presented their ideas to Otis judges in each of the company's four regions: Americas, Asia Pacific, China and EMEA (Europe, Middle East & Africa).
Now, for the first time, the four regional winning teams will compete in a final round to determine a global challenge champion. Student teams will share how their solution to local challenges can be scaled globally, and present to a judging panel of Otis senior executives. The global winner will be announced in early May.
All schools with teams competing in the challenge receive a grant to further STEM learning. Each of the regional winner schools earned a $20,000 grant and the global champion team's school will receive a total of $35,000 in STEM grants.
"It is exciting to witness the creativity and hard work these students have displayed - embracing AI and applying STEM skills to solve local challenges in urban mobility. I look forward to hearing our student participants expand on their outstanding ideas during our first global competition. Knowing our world holds immense potential for STEM-based solutions, we truly hope that this experience has inspired these students to continue exploring STEM programs and fields, setting them on a path to become our future leaders and innovators," said Randi Tanguay, Otis Senior Vice President & Chief Communications Officer and global challenge judge.
The four regional winning teams are:
Pembroke Pines Charter High School, Florida, United States
A smartphone application that uses AI to aid individuals with visual impairments by providing a description of their surroundings to help navigate spaces.
Yamagata Higashi High School, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan
An AI-equipped mobility scooter to prevent falls and provide a safe mobility experience for the elderly.
Tianjin Farragut School, Tianjin, China
An AI-powered elevator system that optimizes multi-elevator coordination for efficient resource allocation, while integrating smart hardware to enhance travel comfort.
Üsküdar American Academy (UAA), Istanbul, Türkiye
An AI-based app that sends audio, visual, and vibrating notifications to smartphones and smartwatches, helping individuals with hearing impairment recognize emergency alerts, audible hazards and warnings in their environment.
About the Made to Move Communities challenge
Launched in 2020, the Made to Move Communities challenge engages young minds to explore real-world urbanization challenges and develop innovative solutions with the potential to create more connected communities and improve mobility for all. This initiative brings together students, educators, and Otis colleagues as mentors with the goals of advancing STEM and leadership skills to help build the next generation of talent, ensure future workforce readiness, and sustain innovation.
Each year, the program focuses on a different theme that aligns with global priorities, such as sustainability, accessibility or technology. Students are encouraged to think critically and creatively, applying STEM principles to address mobility-related issues. Through workshops, mentorship, and collaboration, participants gain valuable insights and skills that prepare them for future careers while making a positive impact on society. Participating schools also receive grants at the conclusion of the program to support ongoing STEM education.
To date, the Made to Move Communities program has reached more than 1,000 student participants globally, involved more than 950 Otis volunteer mentors, and delivered nearly 100 grants totaling over $1 million to support ongoing STEM education at participating schools around the world.
To learn more about the Made to Move Communities challenge, visit www.otis.com/mtmc.
About Otis
Otis gives people freedom to connect and thrive in a taller, faster, smarter world. The global leader in the manufacture, installation and servicing of elevators and escalators, we move 2.4 billion people a day and maintain approximately 2.4 million customer units worldwide - the industry's largest Service portfolio. You'll find us in the world's most iconic structures, as well as residential and commercial buildings, transportation hubs and everywhere people are on the move. Headquartered in Connecticut, USA, Otis is 72,000 people strong, including 44,000 field professionals, all committed to manufacturing, installing and maintaining products to meet the diverse needs of our customers and passengers in more than 200 countries and territories. To learn more, visit www.otis.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook @OtisElevatorCo.
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