Hackathon aims to enhance Haj services and experience
Prize purse of 2m riyals on offer for participants who transform ideas into app-based solutions
Thousands of software developers from around the world are gathering in Saudi Arabia for the Middle East’s largest hackathon aimed at using technology to enhance the Haj experience.
The three-day Haj Hackathon was launched on Tuesday in the western Saudi city of Jeddah with the participation of developers from 51 countries, the official Saudi news agency SPA reported. The hackathon is organised by the Saudi Federation for Cyber Security, Programming and Drones (SAFCSP), an initiative that seeks to fulfil the objectives of the kingdom’s ‘Vision 2030’ national economic development and diversification strategy unveiled in 2016.
SAFCSP Chairman and adviser at the royal court, Saud bin Abdullah Al Qah’tani, told the opening ceremony that Saudi Arabia strongly supports high-tech innovations. “The kingdom’s hosting of the largest hackathon in the Middle East, through the Haj Hackathon competition, aims at developing technical solutions that contribute to enhancing the Haj experience,” he added. “The hoped-for outcomes of the Haj Hackathon will reflect positively on improving and developing services provided for pilgrims,” he said.
SAFCSP is offering cash prizes to the top-ranking participants, — totalling two million riyals — to transform their ideas into application-based solutions.
The top winner will receive 1 million riyals; the second 500,000 and the third 350,000. In addition, 150,000 riyals will be offered as a prize for excellence. The competition’s categories are related to the Haj, featuring food, health, finance, transport, travel, accommodation, communications and crowd management.