Together we innovate to enhance municipal development and the
urban economy.
As
part of the First Municipal Innovation Forum in the Al-Baha Region, a hackathon
competition will be held to attract innovators, entrepreneurs, and creative
minds to participate in finding innovative solutions to the proposed
challenges. Form your team,
About the Hackathon:
The Municipal Innovation
Center for Entrepreneurship at the General Administration of Institutional
Excellence and Governance supervises is organizing the First Municipal
Innovation Hackathon. This unique competition targets creative minds to present
practical and applicable solutions to urgent urban challenges.
Hackathon Objectives:
·
Generate practical and
innovative solutions to improve the efficiency and quality of essential
municipal services in the Al-Baha region.
·
Transform creative ideas into
viable entrepreneurial models that serve the municipal sector’s needs and
contribute to local development.
·
Develop solutions and projects
based on the smart cities concept that promote sustainability and attract
quality investments.
·
Innovate advanced technological
applications and solutions to address municipal challenges and support
tech-based entrepreneurial projects.
Hackathon Innovation
Campaigns:
·
Support municipal innovation
in traditional sectors.
·
Encourage municipal investment
in emerging sectors.
·
Attract entrepreneurial
projects across various areas of municipal work.
Hackathon Challenges:
The hackathon challenges
revolve around finding innovative and high-quality solutions within the
following main tracks:
Innovation in Basic Municipal
Services:
Challenge: Develop
pioneering solutions to enhance waste management efficiency and reduce traffic
congestion in cities.
Examples: Smart
waste collection systems, technology for waste tracking, big data and AI for
traffic analysis, road safety improvement in harsh conditions, public lighting
efficiency.
Questions to answer may
include:
·
How can smart systems be
developed to collect waste and locate bins efficiently?
·
How can residents be
encouraged to sort waste at the source using technology?
·
How can technology be used to
track waste from source to treatment and disposal sites?
·
How can big data and AI be
used to analyze traffic and identify congestion points?
·
How can mobile apps help
drivers find alternative routes and avoid traffic?
·
How can public transportation
be improved and its use encouraged to reduce car dependency?
·
How can technology be used to
improve road safety in poor visibility conditions like fog or heavy rain?
·
How can early warning systems
be developed to alert drivers of hazardous conditions?
·
How can night vision or fog
sensors improve visibility in difficult conditions?
·
How can autonomous driving
systems help during low-visibility driving?
·
How can smart lighting
technologies enhance energy efficiency in public lighting?
·
How can renewable energy be
used to power public lighting systems?
·
How can public lighting
systems be designed to adapt to traffic and weather conditions?
Entrepreneurship in the
Municipal Sector:
Challenge: Provide
support and resources for entrepreneurs and develop innovative business models
for smart cities.
Examples: Service
development to meet customer needs, technology to improve user experience,
customer satisfaction measurement.
Questions to answer may
include:
·
How can municipal services be
improved to meet customer expectations while streamlining processes?
·
How can technology enhance the
customer experience in accessing electronic municipal services and create
innovative offerings?
·
How can customer satisfaction
be measured to identify improvement areas?
Smart Cities and Investment:
Challenge: Develop
smart city infrastructure projects and encourage municipal investments in
tourism.
Examples:
Renewable energy projects, smart and sustainable infrastructure
design, smart resource management, eco-friendly tourism projects, smart
industrial zones.
Questions to answer may
include:
·
How can innovative solar and
wind energy projects be developed to power municipal facilities?
·
How can innovative financial
models encourage investment in renewable energy projects?
·
What incentives can be offered
to investors in renewable energy?
·
How can technology be used to
design smart and sustainable urban infrastructure?
·
How can IoT be used to manage
public utilities more efficiently?
·
How can smart solutions for
managing water, electricity, and waste be developed?
·
How can eco-friendly tourism
projects be developed in Al-Baha?
·
How can technology promote eco
and cultural tourism in the region?
·
How can tourism infrastructure
be improved while preserving the environment?
·
How can smart and sustainable
industrial zones be designed?
·
How can investments be
attracted to new industrial areas?
·
How can attractive work
environments be created for investors in industrial zones?
Technology and
Entrepreneurship in the Municipal Sector:
Challenge: Support
entrepreneurial projects that achieve sustainable urban development and offer
innovative solutions to environmental and social challenges.
Examples: Projects
to improve air quality, increase green spaces, develop apps to facilitate
municipal services, use AI for decision-making, AR/VR in urban planning.
Questions to answer may
include:
·
How can innovative
entrepreneurial projects be developed to improve air quality and reduce
pollution?
·
How can green space be
increased in cities through entrepreneurial initiatives?
·
How can waste management and
recycling be improved through entrepreneurial projects?
·
How can mobile apps be
developed to provide easier access to municipal services?
·
How can apps help report city
issues or encourage community engagement in municipal work?
·
How can technology improve
municipal service efficiency and reduce costs?
·
How can AI enhance municipal
decision-making?
·
How can big data be used to
analyze citizen needs and deliver better services?
·
How can innovative water
resource management projects be developed sustainably?
·
How can renewable energy be
used in urban entrepreneurial projects?
·
How can projects be developed
to preserve biodiversity in the Al-Baha region?
·
How can AR and VR be used to
improve urban planning?
·
How can 3D printing be applied
to create prototypes for municipal projects?
·
How can blockchain be used to
enhance municipal data security and transparency?
·
How can technology promote
community participation in municipal decision-making?
·
How can digital platforms
improve communication between citizens and municipal entities?
·
How can citizen awareness
about community participation in municipal work be increased?
Who Can Participate?
·
Entrepreneurs and creative
thinkers.
·
Individuals interested in
urban development and municipal services.
·
University students and
graduates.
·
Developers and designers.
·
Civil and architectural
engineers.
Basic Participation Criteria:
·
Participant must be a Saudi
national.
·
Must be 18 years of age or
older.
·
Team of 3–5 members.
·
Must not be an official
employee of the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing in the
Al-Baha region.
Benefits Offered in
Collaboration with Experienced Success Partners:
Valuable Prizes:
For
the top three winners in each challenge track.
Project Incubation:
Opportunity
for winning projects to be incubated and receive development support.
Project Promotion:
Through
various municipal channels to boost success potential.
Mentorship Mechanism:
Mentors
play a vital role in supporting participating teams throughout the hackathon.
Selected from experts in relevant fields, each team will be connected to one or
more mentors through the digital platform. Mentors will offer guidance on idea
development, business modeling, pitch preparation, and respond to team
inquiries.
Hackathon Timeline:
choose your challenge, and
innovate for Al-Baha’s future!.