KUWAIT CITY, Feb 13: Bassam Al-Shammari, Chairman of the Higher Organizing Committee for His Highness Sheikh Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah Informatics Award, emphasized the importance of fostering innovation in Kuwait and boosting the country’s ranking on the global innovation index. His comments came following the honoring of the winners of the second edition of the "Kuwait Hackathon" competition, launched as part of the 24th session of the award for 2024.

In a statement to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) on Thursday, Al-Shammari explained that the competition this year brought together 15 participating entities working together to enhance the innovation ecosystem, a key objective of the award. He described the "Kuwait Hackathon" as an educational development platform designed to accelerate pioneering youth-led projects focused on digital innovation across various fields.

Al-Shammari also noted that the competing projects predominantly focused on artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, a timely theme given the ongoing global digital transformation driven by AI advancements. He stressed the need for Kuwait to embrace this revolution, as AI has significant potential to improve quality of life and contribute to societal well-being.

During the ceremony honoring the winners, held by the Governor of the Capital, Sheikh Abdullah Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah, several top projects were recognized. The first-place winner was the "Water Monitoring Device" project, which measures water quality, assesses the health of aquatic organisms, and facilitates early detection of potential risks. The second and third places went to the "Air Conditioning" project, which regulates air distribution based on room temperature, and the "Smart Systems" project, designed to manage water tanks and determine when they need refilling.

In addition, the Governor honored several outstanding projects, including the "Smart Pharmacy" project, which allows for remote dispensing of medication through a smart device, and the "Purity and Purity" application, which helps combat environmental waste by allowing users to report cleanliness and earn rewards for their environmental contributions. Other notable projects included the "Tailor" app, connecting customers with tailors for customized orders, and the "Food Allergy Detection" mobile app, which scans product barcodes to identify potential allergens.

Al-Shammari expressed his satisfaction with the enthusiasm and reactions of the winners, who showed great promise with their innovative projects. He remarked that these projects have the potential to evolve into real businesses and create new opportunities in the future.

The "Kuwait Hackathon," launched for the second time by the Sheikh Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah Informatics Award, provides a platform for young innovators to showcase their digital transformation ideas. It aims to develop the technical capabilities of young people and entrepreneurs, motivating them to create digital inventions that enhance the environment for digital innovation and entrepreneurship in Kuwait.