TCS’ goIT Monthly Challenge for September Invites Students Aged 6–17 To Improve Cities & Communities

With congestion, pollution and not enough resources, today’s cities face significant challenges. Despite that, they are still growing. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 11 addresses issues such as population growth, resource management and consumption as it seeks to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. This month, TCS and partner, global analytics software leader FICO, are calling on students aged 6-17 to answer that call through the goIT Monthly Challenge for September, Thriving Cities. The competition offers students the chance to compete for recognition and prizes when they submit their ideas for ensuring cities are places where people can prosper and thrive.

According to the World Bank, about 56% of the world’s population – 4.4 billion inhabitants – live in cities, a trend expected to continue through 2050. At that point, the World Bank says urban population will have doubled, with nearly 7 of 10 people living in cities. This accelerated growth will increase demand for affordable housing, basic services, jobs, transport systems and viable infrastructure. It also makes life difficult for residents.

“TCS has a deep concern about urban dysfunction because it most negatively affects people experiencing poverty,” said John DiChiara, Global lead – TCS goIT program. “Since the world needs all the good ideas young people can bring, participating with goIT in the search for solutions will be time well spent. We appreciate FICO’s partnership on this important program.”

“At FICO, we're passionate about using data and analytics to solve some of the world's toughest challenges,” said Irshad Raihan, Vice President of product marketing and corporate communications at FICO. “We are proud to support young visionaries through the TCS goIT Monthly Challenge and look forward to seeing the creative solutions that contribute to building more equitable communities.”

Students are encouraged to generate and present ideas for digital innovations that can make cities more liveable, sustainable and successful at serving their residents. Among many other possibilities, participants could explore strategies to improve financial literacy, employment, inclusivity or safety, or to ensure resiliency in the face of a natural disaster. All entries should demonstrate support for the UN’s SDG 11 and will be judged by industry professionals. Participating students (individuals or teams) in the virtual challenge will compete for prizes, mentoring, future recognition, and more.

The submission deadline is September 30, 2024.

To learn more about the goIT Monthly Challenge and to enter, visit on.tcs.com/goIT-ENG.

About TCS goIT Digital Innovation and Career Readiness Program 

TCS’ Go Innovate Together program (goIT) is TCS’ flagship STEM education program. Focusing on digital innovation and career readiness, goIT engages students from diverse backgrounds with Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) subjects and computer science, design thinking and digital innovation. The program offers an industry-developed, customizable curriculum that teaches students the 21^st century skills necessary for a career in technology. Lessons cover topics including design thinking, rapid prototyping, artificial intelligence, machine learning and more.

Since the launch of the goIT Monthly Challenge in 2020, thousands of students across the globe have used key principles from goIT to design tech-based solutions and submit pitch videos based on a Monthly Challenge theme. Each month, TCS co-hosts the event with a Sustainable Development Goal ambassador, globally minded nonprofit or a TCS client. The Challenge has engaged a growing number of teachers and students every month, exploring topics ranging from gender equality and systemic racism to protecting life under water.

Visit the goIT Monthly Challenge competition website to learn how to enter — or get your students involved — with this or upcoming challenges: https://on.tcs.com/goIT-ENG.

About Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)

Tata Consultancy Services is an IT services, consulting and business solutions organization that has been partnering with many of the world’s largest businesses in their transformation journeys for over 56 years. Its consulting-led, cognitive powered, portfolio of business, technology and engineering services and solutions is delivered through its unique Location Independent Agile™ delivery model, recognized as a benchmark of excellence in software development.

A part of the Tata group, India's largest multinational business group, TCS has over 601,000 of the world’s best-trained consultants in 55 countries. The company generated consolidated revenues of US $29 billion in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, and is listed on the BSE and the NSE in India. TCS' proactive stance on climate change and award-winning work with communities across the world have earned it a place in leading sustainability indices such as the MSCI Global Sustainability Index and the FTSE4Good Emerging Index. For more information, visit www.tcs.com

About FICO 

FICO (NYSE: FICO) powers decisions that help people and businesses around the world prosper. Founded in 1956, the company is a pioneer in the use of predictive analytics and data science to improve operational decisions. FICO holds more than 200 US and foreign patents on technologies that increase profitability, customer satisfaction and growth for businesses in financial services, insurance, telecommunications, health care, retail and many other industries. Using FICO solutions, businesses in more than 100 countries do everything from protecting 4 billion payment cards from fraud, to improving financial inclusion, to increasing supply chain resiliency. The FICO® Score, used by 90% of top US lenders, is the standard measure of consumer credit risk in the US and has been made available in over 40 other countries, improving risk management, credit access and transparency.

Learn more at https://www.fico.com/en .

Join the conversation at https://x.com/FICO_corp & https://www.fico.com/blogs/

For FICO news and media resources, visit https://www.fico.com/en/newsroom.

FICO is a registered trademark of Fair Isaac Corporation in the U.S. and other countries.