Indonesian Students Win Gold in Korea, GlucoStrip Innovation Captures World Attention

Starting from a concern about high sugar consumption rates that trigger the threat of diabetes, a group of Indonesian high school students has successfully created an innovative medical breakthrough on the international stage. Through a work entitled ‘GlucoStrip’, Virty Kiraina Rowi and her team managed to capture the world’s attention and bring home a Gold Award at the World Invention Creativity Olympic (WICO) 2026 in South Korea. This brilliant achievement on the world stage was successfully carved out by the talented teenager, affectionately known as Kirei, along with her teammates: Indira Aulia Ramadhani, Maylaffathiya Alya Mumtaz, Rumaisha Nagib, and Shaffaira Zahra Adityazka. The high-achieving high school student team succeeded in conquering the elite-category international scientific competition which took place on 16-18 July 2026. The value of this year’s competition felt far more prestigious because it was directly aligned with the global Asia LOHAS exhibition, which is based on an environmentally friendly concept. WICO is not a minor competition. Organised by the Korea University Invention Association (KUIA) and supported by the South Korean parliament, this annual event serves as a barometer of student creativity worldwide. WICO challenges young innovators to present fresh ideas, new strategies, and innovative products capable of answering global challenges. At the 2026 event, the competition was extremely tight, as hundreds of young inventors from dozens of countries arrived bringing their best technology and ideas. They were tested by an international panel of judges consisting of experts, academics, and global industry practitioners. The integration between the WICO competition and the Asia LOHAS (Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability) movement added a new dimension to this year’s assessment standardisation. Through ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) parameters, the judging panel did not only seek purely cutting-edge technological breakthroughs. More than that, every innovation result was required to have utility value that is sensitive to social aspects, supports a healthy lifestyle, and is safe for the earth’s future ecosystem.