DITMAWALUMNI USU – Students from the Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU), who are members of the ArtuGuard Team, won third place in the Business Plan category at the 12th UTU Awards International, held from September 21–23, 2026, in Meulaboh, West Aceh Regency, Aceh Province. The achievement followed competition against 230 proposals submitted by domestic and international participants.
The ArtuGuard Team consists of Muhammad Rafli Arrayyan (Student ID 230402105) from the Electrical Engineering Study Program, along with Shintia Florensia Silaban (Student ID 230405093) and Hikmatul Ushwa Dalimunthe (Student ID 230405046) from the Chemical Engineering Study Program. The three students represented USU as an independent team in the competition organized by Universitas Teuku Umar under the auspices of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology and the Directorate of Learning and Student Affairs (Belmawa).
In the competition, the ArtuGuard Team presented a business concept based on utilizing sugar palm frond waste from Gayo Lues, with clove leaves as a supporting material. The idea was developed to add value to local resources through an innovation that considers environmental sustainability and benefits for the community, including local farmers.
The team spent approximately four months preparing for the competition. The process began with researching the topic and raw materials and determining the project title, followed by further research into sugar palm waste and clove leaves as supporting materials. The team then drafted and revised its proposal, created a poster and an ArtuGuard prototype, prepared its business plan presentation, and practiced presenting the concept and answering questions from the judges.
Throughout the competition, the team members gained valuable experience, particularly in building confidence and strengthening their ability to defend their business concept before the judges. The rigorous evaluation required not only a strong product concept but also consideration of the innovation’s impact on the environment and local communities.
The ArtuGuard Team expressed pride in representing USU and securing third place amid intense competition. The achievement demonstrates that local resources, including waste materials that remain underutilized, can be transformed into valuable business opportunities through research and thorough preparation.
The team also expressed its gratitude to Universitas Sumatera Utara, the USU Faculty of Engineering, their academic supervisors, and friends for their prayers and support throughout the preparation process and competition.
Looking ahead, the ArtuGuard Team hopes that this achievement will motivate other students to participate in competitions, develop innovative ideas, and make use of the resources available in their surroundings. They also hope that more USU students will create impactful work and achieve recognition at both the national and international levels.
The ArtuGuard Team’s achievement reflects the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit of USU Faculty of Engineering students in developing innovations based on local resources that offer economic value while supporting environmental sustainability.