UNAIR NEWS – Two students from Universitas Airlangga’s Faculty of Science and Technology (FST), Ridhwan Fadly Saputra and Marvel Jeremia Putra Tjahyadi, have created an innovative solution aimed at optimizing the national food supply chain. Their project earned them First Place and the Best Essay Award at the 2025 NextUp (New Era Experience To Unleash Potential) competition, hosted by the Faculty of Engineering at Hasanuddin University.
The competition initially attracted 75 teams who submitted their innovative ideas in essay format. After a rigorous evaluation and selection process, 10 teams advanced to the final round. There, they delivered live presentations—or “pitching” sessions—to a panel of judges. Saputra and Tjahyadi emerged as the overall winners and received their awards on Sunday (July 13, 2025).
Innovative supply chain optimization
The UNAIR team’s essay proposed a forward-thinking approach to improving supply chain management in Indonesia’s food industry. Leveraging digital twin technology, their concept enhances efficiency in system control, monitoring, and decision-making through real-time, visual data representation.
“This technology delivers significant gains in efficiency by enabling real-time visualization for control, monitoring, and decision-making,” Saputra explained on behalf of his team.
Beyond improving operational efficiency, the implementation of digital twin technology aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 9, which emphasizes infrastructure development, inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and innovation. Their system enhances the efficiency and transparency of food industry infrastructure through real-time, data-driven digital platforms.
Saputra further noted that their technology improves visibility, optimizes operations, and facilitates real-time resource management by integrating data from both physical and virtual environments. “This is designed to reduce food waste and prevent overproduction,” he said. The innovation not only supports SDG 9, but also directly contributes to SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.
Author: Arifatun Nazilah
Editor: Yulia Rohmawati
