The King Abdulaziz University Modeling Hackathon concludes with the crowning of the winners
In a move that reinforces the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's position as a regional hub for innovation and technological development, King Abdulaziz University its "Prototyping Hackathon," organized in fruitful strategic collaboration with the Ministry of Transport and Logistics . The closing ceremony was held yesterday, Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at the King Faisal Conference Center in Jeddah, with a high-level attendance including the Deputy Minister of Transport for Digital Transformation and the Future of Transport, Engineer Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Ghannam, and the Vice President of the University for Business and Knowledge Innovation, Dr. Mohammed bin Ahmed Al-Amoudi.
Partnership to support the national innovation system
This event comes within the context of the scientific and technological advancements taking place in the Kingdom, aligning with the objectives of Vision 2030 , which focuses on developing human capital and supporting the knowledge economy. This partnership between the academic sector, represented by King Abdulaziz University, and the executive government sector, represented by the Ministry of Transport, is of particular importance. It aims to bridge the gap between academic theories and practical applications, and to direct the energies of young people towards finding realistic solutions to the challenges facing the transport and logistics sector, which is the lifeblood of economic development.
Interactive environment and accompanying exhibition
The hackathon wasn't just about competition; it also featured an accompanying exhibition that transformed into a vibrant, interactive platform. The 28 participating teams, comprising 120 students from various Saudi universities, showcased their prototypes and innovative projects. The exhibition provided a valuable opportunity for participants to connect directly with experts and investors, enhancing the chances of transforming these prototypes into commercial products and startups that serve the local market.
Crowning the winners in the hackathon tracks
At the conclusion of the event, and after intensive rounds of presentations and evaluations by specialized judging panels, the partners and sponsors were honored, and the names of the winning teams in the four main tracks were announced, the results of which were as follows:
- Health Track: The "Athar" team won first place, while the "heilungband" team came in second place.
- Safety and security track: The "SafeBand" team won first place, and the "FLARE" team came in second.
- Transportation and Vehicles Track: Team “Afaq” won first place, and Team “gyroguard” came in second.
- Innovative Solutions Track: The "EcoMotion" team won first place, and the "MeshLink" team came in second place.
The importance of modeling in the knowledge economy
The focus on prototyping in this hackathon is a smart approach, as prototyping is the crucial step that transforms an idea from paper to tangible reality. Such events contribute to honing students' technical skills and fostering entrepreneurial concepts, thus supplying the job market with national talent capable of leading the digital and industrial transformation in the near future.
