A team of seven students from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and Xiamen University Malaysia (XMUM) won two Silver Awards for their AI-powered oil palm harvesting innovation, ElaeiSync, at the DIGITEX 2026 and Southeast Asia Contest of the China International College Students’ Innovation Competition (SEA CICSIC) 2026. ElaeiSync aims to improve yield and reduce labor shortages in the palm oil industry by detecting ripe fruit bunches and automating selective harvesting. The team’s achievement showcases UTM students’ capability to compete on a Southeast Asian stage and deliver technology that matters to communities and industries.