Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation’s (APU) team Bombardino Crocodilo, comprising Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Data Analytics students, secured Second Runner-Up at the UMPSA Hackathon X: Pekan Smart City 2025 with their AI and cloud integration, boosting their portfolios for future careers in digital innovation.

Team Bombardino Crocodilo from Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) clinched the Second Runner-Up spot at the highly competitive Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) Hackathon X: Pekan Smart City 2025 with their innovation, ‘Pekan Hooked’, an interactive fishing tourism website.

Comprising Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Data Analytics students Kwan Jun Er, Tan Wai Ken, and Loh Yen Kuan, the team showcased exceptional innovation in tackling real-world challenges for urban development. 

The event was proudly co-organised by the Persatuan Mahasiswa Teknologi Komputer (PETAKOM UMPSA).

During the preliminary round, participating teams were tasked with selecting and proposing solutions based on real-world case studies provided by the organisers. 

“Our team chose the theme ‘Driving the Economy through Tourism’, which is closely aligned with the local context of Pekan, Pahang — a region known for its potential in fishing tourism,” explained Bombardino Crocodilo team leader Jun Er.

He described the initial phase as “Intensive and fast-paced”, requiring them to brainstorm ideas, design a solution concept, and prepare a pitch deck within 24-hour.

“The presentation itself was limited to a strict 5-minute virtual pitch, requiring our team to deliver a clear, concise, and impactful explanation of our solution to capture the judges’ attention in a very short timeframe.”

Following their successful navigation of the preliminary round, Bombardino Crocodilo was granted three weeks to further develop and refine their concept into a working prototype for the finale round. 

This culminated in a physical presentation where each shortlisted team had 10 minutes to pitch their solution, followed by a rigorous Q&A session with the panel of judges. 

“This gave us the opportunity to showcase not only the depth of our research and idea development but also a live demonstration of our working prototype, proving the practicality and technological feasibility of our solution,” Jun Er added. 

He highlighted the competition’s unique appeal makes this competition particularly special is its real-world relevance and the emphasis on solving actual economic and community issues through technology and innovation.

“The hackathon effectively brought together top student innovators to address pressing local challenges aligned with national interests.

Inspiring Future Innovators 

The strength of Team Bombardino Crocodilo lay in the diverse skill sets and experiences each member brought to the table. 

Kwan Jun Er, as team leader, excelled as a full-stack developer, handling both web application development and its integration with cloud services. 

Tan Wai Ken applied his expertise in artificial intelligence to develop a precise fish type classification model, seamlessly integrated using RoboFlow.

Meanwhile, Loh Yen Kuan focused on meticulous front-end development, ensuring a smooth and user-friendly interface.

“We focused on fishing tourism, a niche that is highly relevant to the Pekan, Pahang region — making our project both interesting and impactful for the local community.”

He continued that their demonstration of a working prototype with cloud integration, proving its technical feasibility, truly impressed the judges. 

“Our confidence during the presentation, coupled with the completeness of our prototype, helped to convince the judges of the practicality and innovation of our solution,” he concluded. 

These factors collectively contributed to their well-deserved success, earning them a RM1,000 cash prize, a certificate, and a RM1,999 RunCloud Certification Course.

“Winning this award is a significant milestone for APU team,” said APU Senior Lecturer Mr Amad Arshad, their mentor from the School of Computing (SoC) added, “This competition truly challenged them not only in terms of technical skills but also in theirability to apply technology to solve real-world problems.”

He described the process as “intense”, demanding quick adaptation, creative thinking, and effective collaboration under pressure. 

“It also gave them the opportunity to see how their knowledge can be translated into practical solutions that have real impact on the community, especially in areas like tourism and economic development in regions such as Pekan, Pahang.”

Mr Amad hopes this achievement will “Inspire more APU students to step out of their comfort zones, take on similar challenges, and push the boundaries of innovation.”