More Than Just a Competition: YESIST12 2026 Challenges Young Innovators to Create Real Impact
An innovation competition may end when the winners are announced. However, for Universitas Nusa Mandiri (UNM), the story of IEEE YESIST12 2026 should only truly begin after the competition stage concludes.
This message was delivered by the Rector of Universitas Nusa Mandiri, Prof. Dr Dwiza Riana, while welcoming participants and guests to IEEE YESIST12 2026 in Indonesia, held at the BSI Convention Centre, Bekasi, on Friday (2/10/2026). UNM is serving as the host for the YESIST12 event in Indonesia this year.
According to Prof. Dwiza, YESIST1<0xA0>12 should not be viewed merely as an arena to find who is most superior in producing innovation. Beyond that, the activity serves as a global space that brings together the younger generation, technology, innovation, and social responsibility.
“YESIST12 is far more than just a competition. It is a global platform where the younger generation, technology, innovation, and social responsibility unite,” said Prof. Dwiza on Friday.
Through practical-based learning, international collaboration, skill development, team building, product development, and entrepreneurship, YESIST12 encourages young people to take ideas out of their heads and test them into something usable.
For Prof. Dwiza, the critical point is not stopping at the birth of an idea. The next challenge is how that idea evolves into a solution that ultimately benefits society.
This perspective also places universities in a broader role. Campuses, she noted, should not merely be places for the transfer of knowledge. Higher education needs to help shape a generation capable of identifying problems, seeking solutions, building innovations, and working across borders.
“This mission aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the responsibility of universities to prepare our younger generation for the future,” she said.
She assessed that Indonesia possesses sufficiently strong capital to take a larger role in the technology-based social innovation ecosystem. This includes a large youth population, a continuously growing digital ecosystem, diverse social issues, and a higher education community that can serve as a growth space for innovation.
However, there is one question that she believes is far more important than what happens during YESIST12 2026: “What will continue after YESIST12 2026?”
That question touches upon the long-term aspect of a competition. Can the international collaborations formed during the event continue? Will students from various countries continue to develop ideas together? Can the resulting prototypes evolve into real products? And can universities, alongside industry, bring these innovations to address societal issues?
These questions serve as a challenge for the young innovators present at YESIST12 2026.
Prof. Dwiza reminded participants not to make the competition their sole objective. Meeting participants from other countries, exchanging ideas, the learning process, and the opportunity to build networks are all vital parts of the experience they take home.
“Use this opportunity not only to compete, but also to connect with others, exchange ideas, learn from one another, challenge yourselves, and most importantly, create something meaningful,” she stated.
She also noted that innovation does not always have to be large-scale to be considered impactful. A technology capable of helping one community, solving one meaningful problem, or improving one person’s life, in her view, is already the beginning of change.
“Your innovation does not have to change the whole world overnight. If your technology can improve one community, solve one meaningful problem, or improve even just one person’s life, you have begun to create a real impact,” she said.
UNM’s involvement in YESIST12 2026 is part of the university’s commitment to international collaboration and youth innovation. On this occasion, Prof. Dwiza also expressed her appreciation to Universitas Bina Sarana Informatika and the Bina Sarana Informatika Foundation for providing the campus and facilities for the hosting of IEEE YESIST12 2026.
She also appreciated the support of the Indonesia Nusa Mandiri Foundation and the collaboration of various parties involved in the activity.
As emphasised by Prof. Dwiza, innovation does not grow in isolation. It requires space to be tested, others to discuss with, and collaboration to move further.
“Great innovation does not grow in isolation. Great innovation grows through collaboration,” she asserted.
Ultimately, YESIST12 2026 is not just about who brings home an award. There is a longer story about how young people from various backgrounds meet, test ideas, find problems they wish to solve, and then attempt to bring technology closer to human needs.
Perhaps the measure of success for an innovation competition is not how many trophies are produced at the end of the event, but how many ideas remain alive once the stage has closed.
Together, the spirit of YESIST12 2026 is directed towards transforming ideas into innovation, and then bringing that innovation to create a real impact.