Sabah Al-Ahmad Center for Talent and Creativity Organizes 'Kuwait Innovates' Hackathon on the 28th as Part of 'Nexus 2016' Exhibition

The Sabah Al-Ahmad Center for Talent and Creativity, one of the centers under the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences, announced the organization of the “Kuwait Innovates 2026” hackathon as part of the NEXUS 2026 exhibition on November 28, with the aim of fostering a culture of innovation and empowering Kuwaiti youth to develop innovative solutions to real-world challenges facing various sectors.

In a statement to the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) on Thursday, the center said the hackathon represents a national platform that brings together university students, innovators, and inventors alongside companies and institutions to work on transforming challenges into practical, scalable, and implementable solutions, thereby leveraging knowledge and creative capacities to serve society.

It clarified that the hackathon will take place on November 28, with teams consisting of three to five members. The event will feature presentations of challenges and case studies submitted by participating companies and institutions, followed by team formation to develop solutions under the supervision of a distinguished group of experts and specialists in academic and industrial fields.

The hackathon includes three main tracks: food security, energy and water challenges, and an open track that allows participants to propose innovative solutions for various sectors.

Teams will go through stages including mentoring, guidance, project development, and pitch presentations, leading to project judging and the selection of winning teams based on criteria such as innovation, technical implementation, impact, feasibility, and presentation quality.

The hackathon offers participants access to specialized mentoring and technical resources, participation certificates, and opportunities for incubation of outstanding teams, supporting the transformation of their ideas into scalable and implementable projects. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three teams.

The center invited individuals aged 19 and above who wish to participate to register via the website kuwaitinnovates.sacgc.org, with registration open until November 25.

It noted that organizing the hackathon aligns with the center’s efforts to support the national innovation ecosystem, enhance collaboration between youth and institutions, and generate creative solutions that address challenges and create a sustainable impact for the future.