Balikpapan – Institut Teknologi Kalimantan (ITK), in collaboration with PT KIDECO Jaya Agung, officially concluded the KIDECO Innovation Challenge (KIC) 2026 collaboration series through a grand closing event held on Saturday (August 9) at the Auditorium of Integrated Laboratory Building 1. The closing event served as a moment to celebrate and appreciate the entire process of mentoring, competition, and innovation, while also featuring various performances, inspiring sessions, and the announcement of the KIC 2026 winners.

The event began with a dance performance that added to the lively atmosphere, followed by a presentation showcasing the KIC journey and the KIC 2026 activity report delivered by Arti Kusuma Hidayat and Irma Fitria. The session provided an opportunity to reflect on the various processes and activities carried out throughout KIC 2026.

The next agenda featured a speech by the President Director of PT KIDECO Jaya Agung, followed by the inauguration of the ITK Board of Trustees, conducted by M. Kurnia Ariawan, S.T., MBA., AICMA. This moment marked one of the highlights of the KIC 2026 event series.

The program continued with the screening of profile videos featuring finalists from three categories. The finalist presentations became an important part of the lead-up to the main highlight of the event: the announcement of the KIC 2026 winners.

The event then continued with a speech by Institut Teknologi Kalimantan Rector, Prof. Dr. rer.nat. Agus Rubiyanto, M.Eng.Sc., followed by remarks from the Chairman of the Indonesian Mining Experts Association (PERHAPI) East Kalimantan Region, listed in the rundown as Ir. Witny Setiono.

Before entering the awarding session, participants watched testimonial videos from participants and finalists, followed by a chat session with the finalists. This session provided an opportunity to learn more about the experiences and perspectives of participants throughout the KIC 2026 competition.

The Highlight: Announcement of the KIC 2026 Winners

Entering the Awarding session, the event reached one of the most anticipated moments: the announcement of the Kideco Innovation Challenge (KIC) 2026 winners. Awards were presented across three competition categories—Essay, Prototype, and Hackathon—including both the promising and main winner categories.

In the Essay category, Team Govanova from Mulawarman University won 2nd Honorable Mention, while Team Cinta Poltek from Mulawarman University received 1st Honorable Mention. In the Prototype category, 2nd Honorable Mention went to Team Adri & Friends from Mulawarman University, while Team Balitar from Institut Teknologi Kalimantan (ITK) received 1st Honorable Mention. Meanwhile, in the Hackathon category, PKM (Persekutuan Kewer Mahasiswa) from Sekolah Tinggi Teknologi Bontang received 2nd Honorable Mention, while Evori Dreamwings from ITK received 1st Honorable Mention. 

For the main awards, Team Aoao from ITK won 3rd place, Team GreenMine from ITK won 2nd place, and Team Hemat from Tanjungpura University took 1st place in the Essay category. In the Prototype category, 3rd place went to Team Aqualitycs from ITK, 2nd place to Team Nexus Polnes from Politeknik Negeri Samarinda, and 1st place to UM Technology from Universitas Mulia. In the Hackathon category, First Time Hackathon from ITK won 3rd place, Initial D from ITK won 2nd place, and Ex Machina from ITK took 1st place. 

Following the announcement, all 1st, 2nd, and 3rd-place winners from the three categories were invited to take part in a group photo session with institutional leaders and distinguished guests. The moment served as an appreciation for the hard work and innovative efforts demonstrated by all participants throughout the competition. 

The awards session continued with presentations by the 1st-place winners in the Hackathon and Prototype categories. This session gave the winners an opportunity to introduce their solutions and ideas in greater detail and showcase the innovations that earned them top honors. 

The KIC 2026 series then proceeded to its closing session. Appreciation was extended to all winners, participants, finalists, judges, PT KIDECO Jaya Agung, Institut Teknologi Kalimantan, PERHAPI East Kalimantan, sponsors, organizing committee, and all parties who supported the successful implementation of KIC 2026. 

Through the KIC 2026 series, the collaboration between KIDECO and ITK provided more than just a competition platform. It served as a space for participants to develop ideas, test solutions, build networks, and share innovations. This spirit is expected to continue, inspiring more innovations that contribute to communities, industry, and the environment.