Manar Foundation has officially announced the winning teams of its Waha AI Hackathon following days of intensive mentorship, technical challenges, and development. The 100% remote regional hackathon was designed to empower youth across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to create technical solutions for real-world community problems utilizing data and artificial intelligence.
Cultivating Community Solutions With Artificial Intelligence
The Waha AI Hackathon focused on developing practical, measurable, and implementable ideas to transform data and AI into tools capable of generating tangible social impact. Participants competed for a prize pool of up to $5,000 while addressing core societal challenges. The program guided teams through multiple critical stages, beginning with identifying and analyzing community issues using measurable data, progressing through specialized mentorship and prototype development, and culminating in final presentations before an expert jury.
The Waha AI Hackathon Winning Teams
The competition recognized three standout teams across distinct thematic tracks, as detailed in the official announcement and image_95fc28.jpg:
- SENAAD: Winning in the Public and Mental Health category, SENAAD is a smart platform designed for preventive psychological support for youth in Oman. The platform helps users understand the factors influencing their mental well-being and translates this data into personalized, daily actionable steps adapted to their specific needs.
- CareerTwin AI: Securing the top position in the Career Guidance track, this intelligent platform enables youth and students to simulate real-world job experiences before making definitive career choices. By leveraging AI to analyze user decisions and skills during simulated work scenarios, the platform delivers highly customized career guidance.
- My Environment: Winning the Environment and Environmental Behavior category, this tech platform focuses on protecting vegetation in the Al Baha region. The solution employs AI to predict and mitigate fires, actively involves the local community in reporting and volunteering efforts, and supports the reclamation of damaged lands.
Collaborative Ecosystem And Partnerships
The successful execution of the hackathon was bolstered by a network of strategic partners providing technical and entrepreneurial support. The collaborative ecosystem included Arabic.AI, a platform specializing in Arabic artificial intelligence technologies; Gate 7 Group, an advisory and media group offering digital solutions; MindCloud Academy, an educational platform focused on entrepreneurship and startup development; Ureed, a digital marketplace connecting businesses with freelance professionals; and Beyond 360, a venture builder dedicated to scaling promising ideas into investable companies.
About Manar Foundation
Founded in 2019 and headquartered in The Hague, South Holland, Manar Foundation is a non-governmental organization dedicated to enhancing community engagement, social entrepreneurship, and sustainable development. The organization invests in community participation and corporate social responsibility, launching interactive platforms and innovative programs to elevate the developmental landscape regionally.
Source: Manar Foundation
