Dassault Systèmes announced the winners of its 2026 AAKRUTI international student design competition at 3DEXPERIENCE World in Houston. AAKRUTI invited teams to develop sustainable solutions to challenges in healthcare, mobility and green energy by using technology, creativity and engineering skills. The winning team - Team UJ Wom+n in Tech, from University of Johannesburg, South Africa - was recognized for Latch, a pedal-powered breast pump with a universal bottle-fitting system, designed to help mothers express milk comfortably and conveniently anywhere; without electricity or proprietary components.
Twelve teams from universities in India, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Mexico, South Africa, Spain, Turkey and the U.K. used the 3DEXPERIENCE platform and SOLIDWORKS applications to develop a product in one of four categories - sustainable products for human wellness, sustainable mobility, sustainable habitat/city infrastructure, and green energy generation, transmission and storage. Teams presented their finished projects in the “EDU Zone” of 3DEXPERIENCE World’s 3DEXPERIENCE Playground, for an opportunity to win cash prizes totaling $10,000. All participants receive a one-year SOLIDWORK license.
“The word ‘aakruti’ means the form, figure or shape of anything. It reflects the spirit of this competition and supports our dedication to equipping students with in-demand workforce skills. Our 3DEXPERIENCE Edu department, our SOLIDWORKS SkillForce initiative, and student-oriented programs and competitions like AAKRUTI empower the next generation of innovators to thrive in their future careers,” said Suchit Jain, Vice President, Strategy, Dassault Systèmes.
Dassault Systèmes’ AAKRUTI competition, launched in India in 2011, is the largest of its kind, having expanded to more than 37 countries, embarking more than 55,000 design, engineering and technology students on a challenge to apply their skills toward projects that can help drive a more sustainable future. Dassault Systèmes hosted the final of this year’s AAKRUTI during 3DEXPERIENCE World, its annual event gathering thousands of 3DEXPERIENCE platform and SOLIDWORKS users, to enable the students to showcase their innovations and skills before the world’s largest design and engineering community.
Other finalists receiving awards:
- First runner-up : Team Bou, University of Johannesburg, South Africa. Project: Dr. Bou, a child-friendly device that uses cooling and gentle vibration to reduce pain and anxiety during injections.
- Second runner-up: Team BELGER, Gazi University, Turkey. Project: selective cancer treatment based on resonance due to the cavitation of low-energy intensity ultrasound. A targeted cancer treatment that uses ultrasonic resonance to destroy cancer cells based on their unique biomechanical frequency, while simultaneously activating the body’s immune response.
- Best all girls team: Team Shady Business, Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore. Project: TalkingTiles, a smart tactile communication kit that gives people with aphasia a voice through 3D-printed tiles and instant audio feedback.
- Encouragement award: Team InnoForge from Vishwakarma Institute of Technology, India. Project: Filtron, a smart, eco-friendly bake cooling and dust control system that boosts braking efficiency while reducing harmful particulate pollution for cleaner, safer mobility.
