KUCHING: A junior DevOps team from Sarawak-based SOCOE Sdn Bhd clinched a top-three spot at the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Hackathon with their innovative AI-powered mentor avatar designed to support women entrepreneurs in rural Sarawak.
Developed by a homegrown team of tech entrepreneurs, the virtual mentor leverages Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) to offer personalised business advice and emotional support tailored for women living in villages and small towns.
The chat-based tool aims to guide users through business planning, goal setting and progress tracking – all while keeping tabs on their mental and emotional well-being.
“Not everyone has access to a business coach or mentor, especially in the rural areas of Sarawak.
“But almost everyone has a phone. We wanted to turn that phone into a tool of empowerment,” said a SOCOE representative in a statement.
The user interface mimics a friendly conversation, offering a simple chat box and progress tracker to replace complex dashboards or confusing features.
It was intentionally designed to feel like talking to a trusted advisor, making it accessible even for first-time users with limited digital literacy.
Inspired by the resilience and creativity of Sarawakian women, many of whom are already operating small businesses from their homes, the project aligns with SOCOE’s core mission of bridging digital gaps and empowering under-served communities.
“The team hopes that this AI mentor can act as a bridge for these women – from informal hustle to structured, sustainable entrepreneurship – without losing the human touch,” the statement added.
