StartSmart Saudi, supported by Community Jameel Saudi Foundation, concluded the University Challenge initiative held in partnership with five Saudi universities: King Abdulaziz University, University of Jeddah, Effat University, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, and Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University. The initiative aimed to empower university students to transform their technical ideas into AI-powered prototypes through a practical experience, combining learning-by-doing, mentorship, and technical development.
The University Challenge program launched last September, when the five participating universities nominated 50 student teams to take part in intensive bootcamps held in Riyadh and Jeddah. This was followed by a semi-final qualification phase that selected 15 outstanding student teams to undergo a full month of dedicated mentorship and follow-up. Finally, the national finals phase arrived, during which participants presented their prototypes, reflecting the skills they acquired in building tech products and leveraging AI tools to develop solutions tailored to user needs and market demands.
The program relied on a hands-on learning methodology, where participants worked from day one on developing their ideas and turning them into showcase-ready, testable prototypes. This was achieved through an intensive training environment that bridged entrepreneurial and technical aspects, fostering systematic thinking, solution-building, and teamwork capabilities. At the closing event, three top teams were crowned and awarded prizes and benefits valued at SAR 10,000, in recognition of their project excellence and prototype quality.
Commenting on this occasion, Mr. Mohammed Abdulgaffar, a Director at Community Jameel Saudi Foundation, commented: “The University Challenge succeeded in delivering an integrated practical experience, allowing students to transition from concept development to building prototypes that reflect their capacity for innovation and their adept utilization of AI and advanced technologies. The caliber of the participating projects underscores the immense potential of Saudi youth and highlights the vital need for specialized programs that grant them the opportunity to refine their ideas in an environment combining learning, application, and mentorship; ultimately shaping a new generation of tech entrepreneurs equipped to contribute to the Kingdom’s digital economy.”
For his part, Dr. Hassan Al-Shehri, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at King Abdulaziz University, stated during his address at the ceremony: “The University Challenge brought together a diverse range of intellects from different universities and academic disciplines. Despite these differences, their work spanned topics ranging from human-centric issues to service and design solutions. While their pathways varied, they converged around a noble purpose: making knowledge impactful and utilizing innovation as a vehicle to improve and enhance human life. Furthermore, concerted efforts and strategic partnerships yield far greater impact than individual endeavors. Hence, at King Abdulaziz University, we take immense pride in our impactful partnership with our strategic partner, Community Jameel Saudi.”
During the event, the three winning teams of the inaugural edition of the University Challenge were announced. Team “Orion” from the University of Jeddah secured first place for their intelligent platform driven by AI agents, designed to assist entrepreneurs in communicating with manufacturers, selecting reliable suppliers and factories for store setup, and streamlining supply chain management. Second place went to team “Ejaz” from Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, which developed a smart facility management system linking beneficiaries, technicians, and facility owners to process and analyze facility maintenance reports via Telegram using smart agent technology. Finally, team “Manasak” took third place with a project that generates digital twins to simulate and test operational crowd management plans during the Hajj season, ensuring faster decision-making and a safe pilgrimage.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, the launch of the second edition of the University Challenge for 2027 was announced. It will expand to include a larger number of universities across the Kingdom, continuing the joint commitment of Community Jameel Saudi Foundation and StartSmart Saudi to empower entrepreneurs, support the tech entrepreneurship ecosystem, and foster a culture of innovation among university students, in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030 goals to develop national talent, spur modern technology adoption, and build a knowledge- and innovation-based economy.
Source: Saudi Gazette