Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior, in partnership with Tuwaiq Academy, has successfully concluded the world’s largest hackathon, “Absher Tuwaiq.” The event was a cornerstone of the Absher Conference 2025, held under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Interior.
The hackathon brought together an elite group of Saudi talent from across the Kingdom between December 11-13, 2025, at the Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center. The core objective was to develop innovative digital solutions that advance the Ministry of Interior’s ambitious digital transformation agenda.
A Three-Day Innovation Marathon
Over three intensive days, participants worked to create groundbreaking solutions, guided by expert mentors and judged by a panel adhering to the highest international standards. The event also featured workshops led by global technology leaders and various networking activities, including prize draws for attendees.
The initiative attracted significant global attention, underscored by partnerships with 20 local and international entities. Major technology companies including NVIDIA, Meta, Google Cloud, and Huawei played a key role, highlighting the deepening integration between the Saudi government sector and the global tech ecosystem.
Million-Riyal Prize Pool Rewards Top Digital Solutions
The event culminated in the announcement of the winning teams, who shared a prize pool of up to SAR 1 million. The winners included teams Al-Zhil, Wusool, Watheeq, Tanabbuh, HRS, Ikhla, Amal, Mustabq, Al-Dahna, Inspire Team, Suqur Al-Watan, Thaqib, Sawt Al-Mustaqbal, Manee’, and YS Advance Int.
In addition to the main prizes, the National Information Technology Development Program (NTDP) provided a further SAR 450,000 in support for the winning projects, amplifying the hackathon’s impact on nurturing local innovation.
About The Absher Tuwaiq Initiative
The hackathon is part of the wider Absher Tuwaiq initiative, a strategic partnership between the Ministry of Interior and Tuwaiq Academy. As a key pillar of the Absher Conference 2025, the initiative aims to empower over 100,000 beneficiaries through seven diverse technology tracks offered across 16 cities in the Kingdom.
About Absher Conference 2025
The Absher Conference 2025, organized by the Ministry of Interior in partnership with Tuwaiq Academy and the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA), and sponsored by Elm, is a premier event showcasing the latest national digital innovations. Held from December 17-19 in Riyadh, the conference reinforces the Kingdom’s leading global position in technology and digital transformation.
Source: Jawlah
