Singapore, 14 April 2025 – The 2025 NUS–GURU Network AI Innovation Challenge culminated in a showcase of cutting-edge innovation, with over 900 students from Singapore universities and polytechnics demonstrating the practical application of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) in solving real-world business problems.
For the first time in the competition’s 11-year history, two groups – Team AskNgo from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU), and Team Jiaye from NUS, were awarded the top prize of $20,000 each for their innovative AI solutions.
Team AskNgo created an AI-powered itinerary planner and trip companion that offers smart suggestions and real-time updates to help travellers plan and manage their journeys. The other champion team, Jiaye, developed a personalised AI productivity coach, especially for individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which leverages behavioural science and real-time feedback to enhance focus, task management, and learning. Both teams showcased how agentic AI can be harnessed to create meaningful, user-centric solutions with the potential for real-world impact.
Eight teams from the NUS, NTU, Singapore Institute of Management, and Singapore Polytechnic qualified for the finals in March 2025 and received one month of personalised mentorship from the GURU Network to refine and transform their ideas into working AI solution prototypes.
During the final round of presentations, a panel of industry experts from Google, Wiz AI, and NUS Business School evaluated the AI solutions, focusing on the identification of industry pain points, the strategic use of GenAI, and the prototype’s potential and feasibility. A total prize pool of $75,000 was awarded to the top eight teams.
“As organisers of the NUS–GURU Network AI Innovation Challenge, we are thrilled to witness the many innovative projects and solutions our participants have created to tackle real-world challenges across diverse industries,” said Professor James Pang, Co-Director of the NUS Business Analytics Centre.
“It has been inspiring to see the creativity and problem-solving capabilities of students across Singapore. We are deeply grateful to GURU Network for their generous support, which made this challenge possible and provided our participants with a remarkable platform to showcase their talents. We hope this experience will offer students valuable insights and help shape the future of AI and technology.”
Renee Wang, Founder and CEO of GURU Network, said, “As the proud sponsor of the NUS–GURU Network AI Innovation Challenge, we are excited to support and empower the bright, young minds from Singapore’s universities and polytechnics. At GURU Network, we leverage AI-driven technology to create innovative products that shape the future, and this challenge embodies our commitment to nurturing creativity and developing solutions for today’s pressing challenges. We are deeply impressed by the passion and ingenuity of the students, and we hope that this experience not only deepens their understanding of AI but also inspires them to continue pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.”
The 2025 NUS–GURU Network AI Innovation Challenge is the 11th annual competition since 2014 and is jointly organised by the NUS Business Analytics Centre and GURU Network, a global leader in mobile entertainment with a strong focus on AI. This year’s challenge is also part of NUS Business School’s 60th anniversary celebrations.
Visit https://bschool.nus.edu.sg/60th-anniversary/ to find out more.
About NUS Business School
The National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School is known for providing management thought leadership from an Asian perspective, enabling its students and corporate partners to leverage global knowledge and Asian insights.
The school has consistently received top rankings in the Asia-Pacific region by independent publications and agencies, such as The Financial Times, Economist Intelligence Unit, and QS Top MBA, in recognition of the quality of its programmes, faculty research and graduates.
The school is accredited by AACSB International (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) and EQUIS (European Quality Improvement System), endorsements that the school has met the highest standards for business education. The school is also a member of the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), Executive MBA Council, Partnership in Management (PIM) and CEMS (Community of European Management Schools).
Established in 2013, the Business Analytics Centre (BAC) is a result of a collaborative effort between NUS and IBM. The Centre is the operational hub for the acclaimed NUS Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) programme which seamlessly blends academic rigor with industrial expertise.
At NUS BAC, the MSBA programme draws on the strengths of both the NUS Business School and NUS Computing, ensuring a curriculum that integrates theoretical knowledge with real-world application. Over the past decade, BAC has built a strong network of over 100 industry partners.
To date, more than 1,000 industrial analytics and operations research projects have been completed by MSBA students in collaboration with leading corporations.
BAC is dedicated to developing future leaders in business analytics, empowering them to drive innovation and create impactful solutions across industries. For more information, visit https://msba.nus.edu.sg/.
About GURU Network
GURU Network is a global leader in mobile entertainment with a diverse portfolio that includes Castbox, the largest pure-play podcast platform, alongside a variety of innovative gaming and social apps.
With a strong focus on the emerging AI landscape, GURU Network leverages cutting-edge AI tools, and creates groundbreaking AI-native applications to shape the future of technology and entertainment.
For more information about GURU Network, please visit https://gurugame.ai/ or https://gurutool.ai/.
Media contacts:
Frank Chua Assistant Senior Manager, Corporate Communications NUS Business School Tel: +65 6601 2469 Email: frank.c@nus.edu.sg
Natalie Law Assistant Manager, Corporate Communications NUS Business School Tel: +65 6601 1206 Email: natalielaw@nus.edu.sg