The South Al Sharqiyah Governorate concluded on Saturday, the activities of the “South Al Sharqiyah Hackathon,” which was held under the slogan “Innovate to make a change.” With the wide participation of innovators and leading national entities, the event lasted for three days and witnessed the presentation of creative solutions that address real challenges in vital areas, to enhance sustainable development in the Sultanate.
The closing ceremony was held under the patronage of Abdul Salam bin Mohammed al Marshadi, Chairman of the Oman Investment Authority, and in the presence of Dr. Yahya bin Badr Al Maawali, Governor of South Al Sharqiyah, in addition to CEOs and directors of government institutions in the governorate.
The event was organized by the Office of the Governor of South al Sharqiyah in cooperation with Matters Group, with the participation of several strategic partners, such as the Oman Investment Authority, Be’ah Company, Omran Company, Asyad Group, and OQ Company, in addition to support from Oman LNG Company, Oman India Fertilizer Company, and the University of Technology and Applied Sciences in Sur.
More than 120 innovators participated in the hackathon, presenting solutions across six main areas: tourism, environment, logistics, urban planning, energy, and water. Dr. Yahya bin Badr al Maawali, Governor of South al Sharqiyah, said in his speech during the closing ceremony that “The South Al Sharqiyah Hackathon reflects the governorate’s commitment to supporting innovators and youth in providing practical and sustainable solutions that serve the community and enhance the development process in the Sultanate. We are proud of the Omani talents who have proven their ability to create and innovate.”
He pointed out that the hackathon represents a platform that brings together creative young minds and leading national entities to find innovative solutions to national challenges, enhancing the Sultanate’s position in global innovation indicators.
The number of registered participants in the hackathon exceeded 305 participants, who presented 86 innovative ideas, of which 25 ideas were selected for presentation and development during the event.
The selected ideas occupied a percentage distributed among the challenges of the participating entities as follows: 26 percent for projects related to Nama Company, 23 percent for the Office of the Governor of South Al Sharqiyah, 14 percent for each of Omran and OQ, 9 percent for the Office of the Governor of North Al Sharqiyah, 9 percent for Be’ah Company, and 5 percent for Asyad Group.
Maryam bint Khalifa al Amri, Founder and CEO of Matters Group, said: “The spread of the hackathon culture in the Sultanate of Oman plays a major role in developing innovative ideas capable of competing globally and introducing them to accelerators and incubators that contribute to attracting valuable resources to the Sultanate. We are committed to designing and implementing hackathons with high standards that are compatible with international standards; to contribute to building an environment that stimulates innovation that addresses national challenges.”
The “Darbek” team won first place for their project that provides a digital tourism experience based on accurate maps, smart reservations, and recommendations using artificial intelligence, which contributes to promoting hidden tourist attractions and supporting the sustainability of tourism. In second place came the “env.ai” team with their idea of an automated plastic waste bin that uses artificial intelligence too accurately, efficiently, and at a low cost. The third place went to the “Plan B” team for their solution to improve a smart water conservation system based on the Internet of Things, which detects leaks, reduces waste, and saves money with an easy-to-use interface and self-controlled valves.
Participants expressed their pride in the opportunity provided by the hackathon to develop their ideas and transform them into real projects. One of the members of the “Darbek” team said: “The hackathon provided us with an ideal environment for innovation and development, as we were able to work with experts and trainers who helped us improve our ideas and make them implementable.”
Eng. Abdullah bin Saif al Araimi, Director of Strategy, Digital Technologies, and Innovation at Oman LNG, confirmed that “Oman LNG’s sponsorship of the hackathon awards stems from its strategy to integrate innovation and modern technologies to enhance the efficiency of industrial operations, and its efforts to employ the latest artificial intelligence technologies to improve performance, raise productivity and create local job opportunities.”
The event concluded with honoring the winning teams and highlighting inspiring success stories. The winners will have the opportunity to continue developing their ideas through a specialized mentoring program that includes working sessions with a group of experts to support transforming ideas into viable projects, contributing to achieving the goals of
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