Some 1,200 young innovators from 15 countries exhibited their work at the 2019 Indonesia Inventors Day, being held from October 9 to 12, in Taman Mini Indonesia Indah complex, Jakarta. The inventors were from Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, The Philippines, and China, in addition to Korea, Japan, Egypt, India, and Sri Lanka. Inventors from Poland, Saudi Arabia, Croatia, Canada and the United States, also exhibited their works in the fields of technology, science, agriculture, education, among others, as stated by President of the Indonesian Invention and Innovation Promotion Association (INNOPA), Erricha Insan Pratisi in Jakarta, Wednesday.

Participants, as young as elementary school-level students, exhibited 250 innovative works in two series of activities, including the 6th International Young Inventors Award (IYIA) and The 2nd World Invention Technology Expo (Wintex).

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The event provided a platform to local innovators to not only create but also expand their products and gain patents for them until they are ready to be commercialized, she continued.

"Our innovative works should not only be for show, but it should also be useful for the people," she said.

That way, the Indonesian paradigm as a consumptive country can shift into the country of creators, with an abundance of innovative products that can compete at the international level.

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There are differences in product highlights at every level, she further said. For elementary to high- school levels, the emphasis is on research, while for the university-level, the emphasis lay on the application of the work.

The event could present the creativity among the youth from several countries in solving problems in their communities, the lead judge for the IYIA and Wintex, Prof Suharno Harso Supangkat, said.

"This is an event to measure the extent to which our innovation stands against others, but also, together, we solve problems in cooperation. Hopefully, this innovation can be commercialized," Suharno said.

There are several criteria that are considered by the judges, including the value of commercialization, ideas and patents. (ANTARA)