ACCRA, Ghana – November 11, 2026 – Samsung Electronics and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) are spotlighting young innovators from the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow (SFT) programme at the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026, the first Olympic Games to be held in Africa. The innovators are showcasing solutions they have developed to address social challenges in their communities.
The initiative provides a platform for young people to share their ideas, learn from others and explore how technology and innovation can help address challenges in society.
Launched in 2010, Solve for Tomorrow is Samsung’s global corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme for young people, helping them use science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to address challenges in their communities. Through education and mentoring, students learn to identify problems, develop ideas, and build and refine prototypes. The global ambassador initiative also gives them opportunities to present their work internationally.
The activities in Dakar build on Samsung and the IOC’s collaboration on SFT’s Sport & Tech theme and their joint delivery of the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Impact Programme. On an Olympic stage where young athletes challenge themselves and grow, the two organisations are giving young innovators an opportunity to present their ideas, learn from others and take the next steps in their development.
“The commitment we made together with the IOC at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games was a promise to give young people opportunities to discover what they can achieve through technology and sport,” said Eddie Cho, Head of Corporate Citizenship at Samsung Electronics.
“In Dakar, that promise starts to take shape. The ambassadors began by tackling problems in their schools and neighbourhoods; now they are sharing their solutions with the world. We will continue this collaboration with the IOC to help young people build on what they learn, gain confidence and make a greater difference in their communities,” he added.
James Macleod, Olympism365 Director at the IOC, said the Youth Olympic Games offered young people an opportunity to learn from one another and experience the Olympic values of friendship, respect and excellence.
“The Youth Olympic Games are about much more than competition. They are an opportunity for young people to challenge themselves, learn from one another and experience the Olympic values of friendship, respect and excellence,” he said.
“Together with Samsung, we are committed to supporting young people take that spirit beyond the field of play and into their everyday lives and communities. Bringing Solve for Tomorrow ambassadors together with the youth in Dakar is a wonderful opportunity for them to share their ideas, learn from each other and see what is possible when creativity, technology and sport come together. We hope they leave Dakar inspired by one another, with new connections and even greater confidence in their ability to make a positive difference,” Macleod added.
The young innovators have also shared their experiences and what the programme has meant to their development.
“We wanted to do something about the problems we saw around us,” said Ela Aksoy of Oilsorb, Türkiye. “Through Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, we learned technical skills and worked with mentors to keep improving our idea until it became a working solution. We are proud to demonstrate what we have built in Dakar.”
Kukhanya Mbebe of Brick Beast, South Africa, also described the experience as an opportunity to connect with other young innovators and exchange ideas.
“Taking part in Solve for Tomorrow in Dakar has been such a fun experience. I really enjoyed meeting students from different countries, hearing about their projects and sharing our own experiences. My favourite part was getting to know the other students and exchanging ideas. We came from different places, but it was easy to connect through our projects,” Mbebe said.
The innovators also expressed their enthusiasm about taking the lessons and feedback from Dakar back to their respective communities.
“We want to use the feedback we receive here to develop technology that can help more people,” said Aksoy.
“I’m taking home new ideas and great memories from Dakar,” Mbebe added.
At the SFT exhibition, organised in cooperation with the IOC at the Corniche West Live Site, visitors had the opportunity to explore the ambassadors’ solutions and hear about the challenges they encountered and how they refined their ideas.
Through discussions and feedback from people with different backgrounds, the young innovators are gaining fresh perspectives on how their technologies could serve a wider range of needs. The exhibition forms part of a broader conversation and shared learning experience at Dakar 2026 and is scheduled to run until November 13, 2026.
During the exhibition’s opening, Samsung also participated in a panel discussion titled “Youth at the Heart of Global Transformation”. The session introduced Senegalese students to the objectives of the SFT programme, highlighting how young people can use technology and sport to address challenges and promote collaboration in their everyday lives.
As part of the activities, the ambassadors also met with IOC Young Leaders from Kenya and Lebanon for a knowledge exchange workshop focused on social challenges facing young people in Africa.
The workshop brought together SFT students who have used technology to address local problems and IOC Young Leaders who have used sport as a tool to drive change in their communities. The engagement provided an opportunity for participants to share experiences, discuss challenges and learn from one another.
Following the workshop, the students visited the “Olympic Social Impact” booth, presented by IOC Young Leaders at the Youth Olympic Village, to learn more about athlete experience engagement.
Samsung and the IOC first introduced SFT ambassadors at Paris 2024 and reaffirmed their shared commitment to developing future talent at Milano-Cortina 2026 and beyond.
In August 2026, the two organisations jointly launched the Solve for Tomorrow Impact Programme to support young innovators in developing their ideas and applying them to real challenges in their communities. The programme is expected to run until the end of January 2028.
