Francesco Emmanuel Setiawan earns international recognition from Apple for his innovative application, Against the Silence, designed to help people overcome their fear of public speaking. BINUS University International proudly celebrates the achievement of Francesco Emmanuel Setiawan, a student in the Computer Science Program, who has been recognized as a Distinguished Winner of the Swift Student Challenge 2026 by Apple.
The Swift Student Challenge is an initiative that recognizes students from around the world for their creativity, innovation, and technical skills in app development. Francesco’s achievement highlights the potential of young developers to create meaningful technological solutions that address real-world challenges.
His award-winning project, Against the Silence, reflects the intersection of technology, creativity, and personal development, demonstrating how software can be designed to support people in overcoming everyday challenges.
Turning Personal Experiences into Meaningful Innovation
The inspiration behind Against the Silence came from Francesco’s personal experiences with the fear of speaking in front of others. Having struggled with the anxiety of expressing himself, he recognized that many people face similar challenges when communicating their thoughts and ideas. Rather than viewing this challenge as a limitation, Francesco transformed his experience into an opportunity to develop a solution that could help others. Through his project, he sought to make public speaking practice more accessible and engaging by incorporating interactive gameplay. His approach demonstrates how personal experiences can become a starting point for technological innovation with a broader social purpose.
Making Public Speaking Practice Interactive
Against the Silence is an interactive game designed to help users build confidence in public speaking through structured challenges. Players are encouraged to speak about different topics while following specific rules, such as incorporating required words, avoiding certain words, and reducing filler words in their speech. The game also incorporates symbolic characters representing the fears and self-doubt that can make public speaking difficult. By turning these challenges into an engaging experience, the application aims to encourage users to practice speaking in a more approachable and enjoyable way. The project reflects Francesco’s belief that communication skills can be strengthened through practice and that technology can provide new ways to support personal growth.
From Learning to International Recognition
Francesco’s journey into software development began at the age of 15, when he was introduced to Swift through a tutoring program using Swift Playgrounds. Since then, his interest in programming has developed into a commitment to creating applications that combine technical implementation with practical value. Being named a Distinguished Winner of the Swift Student Challenge 2026 marks an important milestone in his journey as a student developer. The recognition places his work among the outstanding student submissions selected by Apple and highlights his ability to translate an idea into an innovative digital experience. His accomplishment also reflects the importance of curiosity, perseverance, and continuous learning in developing the next generation of technology innovators.
Looking Ahead: Making a Difference Through Technology
Francesco plans to continue developing Against the Silence into a more comprehensive iOS application that can serve as a speaking coach for everyday use. His long-term vision is to help users practice communication, improve their speaking skills, and gradually build confidence in expressing themselves. His work demonstrates that impactful technology does not always begin with a complex problem or an entirely new invention. Sometimes, it starts with recognizing a challenge, understanding the experiences of others, and developing a creative solution that can make a difference.
For the BINUS International Computer Science community, Francesco’s achievement is an inspiring example of how technical knowledge can be applied beyond the classroom to address meaningful human needs. Congratulations to Francesco Emmanuel Setiawan on being a Distinguished Winner of the Swift Student Challenge 2026! BINUS University International celebrates this remarkable achievement and looks forward to seeing his continued growth as a developer and innovator.
His journey serves as an encouragement to fellow students to keep exploring, building, and transforming their ideas into technology that creates positive impact.
