A Revolutionary Leap: Wrapping Up the First MENA Region Hackathon Organized by lablab.me

As the dust settles on the groundbreaking first MENA region Hackathon, we cannot help but marvel at the results. Organized by GAIA (Generative Artificial Intelligence Accelerator), the 96-hour extravaganza witnessed a staggering 1700+ registered participants. Drawing in teams ready to compete for SAR 3,000,000 worth of grants, provided by NTDP, the event proved to be nothing short of historic.

Out of the 130 registered teams, 82 cutting-edge projects were submitted, jostling for the prestigious main prize – qualification to the GAIA Accelerator. The phenomenal project CareWave ultimately emerged victorious, seizing a cool $100,000 investment as the winning team.

The electrifying Hackathon unfolded at the Innovation Park of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), strategically backed by partners NTDP and SDAIA. With the bar set high, bolder and brighter AI Hackathons are surely on the horizon.

Basking in the overwhelming success of the Hackathon, GAIA is primed to launch a sequel event: the Langchain AI Hackathon. Mark your calendars for this thrilling 48-hour long hackathon, taking place from June 15-17, 2023. This hybrid gathering promises to unveil incredible prizes, soon to be disclosed.

The mission is clear - GAIA is steadfast in its commitment to accelerate AI innovation in the MENA region. A staggering $30M partnership aims to turbocharge AI-native startups, cultivating 90,000 AI builders through educational hackathons. The pledge is ambitious: to foster 300 novel AI companies and 300 AI entrepreneurs within a mere 36 months. Early-stage funding, proactive mentorship, and AI technology access will be the pillars of this transformation. And it all begins with AI Hackathons which pave the way for tomorrow’s game-changing infrastructure.