Riyadh is set to host a Saudi hub of the HSIL Hackathon 2026 at Dr. Sulaiman Al-Habib Assuwaidi Health Hospital, a two-day global competition organised by the Health Systems Innovation Lab (HSIL) at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, delivered through a network of international partner hubs. The 2026 theme is “Building High-Value Health Systems: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI)”, with a practical focus on creating AI-driven solutions that can improve quality, access, and efficiency across health systems.
Participants will collaborate with peers (students, clinicians, engineers, designers, policy analysts, entrepreneurs, and others) across five continents to turn a real problem into a clear solution concept, pitch, and (when possible) an early prototype.
What the Hackathon is Designed to Achieve
The HASIL hackathon is an intensive, collaborative two-day sprint where teams brainstorm, build, and pitch solutions to a specific health systems challenge, with the goal of moving from concept to a functional prototype or working product within the event timeframe. The emphasis is on ideas that are actionable, solutions that can fit into real clinical workflows, patient journeys, and health system constraints.
How the Hackathon Flows
From opening session to pitch refinement.
Check-in
Opening session
Teams
Formation & ideation
Build
Develop solution
Refine
Mentors & pitch
The 2026 focus on AI reflects a simple question: Where can AI meaningfully reduce friction in care while improving outcomes and value? In HSIL’s framing, “high-value” means better health results for patients and communities, delivered with smarter use of time, staff capacity, and resources.
Event Schedule
Tap a day, then tap any session to expand and view more details.
What Teams Build
This is where ideas turn into impact. Teams are encouraged to push beyond the obvious — solving real healthcare challenges through AI, data, and system-level thinking.
EHR Intelligence
Analyzing health records to uncover patterns and predict patient outcomes.
AI Diagnosis
Early detection and smarter monitoring through AI-assisted clinical tools.
Healthcare Assistants
Intelligent chatbots supporting patients and streamlining clinical workflows.
Connected Systems
Bridging fragmented health platforms into unified, interoperable systems.
Health Navigation
Helping users navigate complex health data, apps, and information overload.
Workforce Solutions
Technology designed to support and scale healthcare professionals.
Care Coordination
Improving patient journeys across disconnected healthcare pathways.
Health Literacy
AI tools that simplify medical understanding and empower patients.
Preventive AI
Predictive systems encouraging proactive, long-term health engagement.
Language Access
Breaking communication barriers in healthcare through AI.
Pediatric AI
Advanced models integrating complex, multi-source child health data.
What to Expect for the Pitch
At the end of the hackathon, each team delivers a 3-minute pitch presenting their solution. With limited time, the presentation should be clear, structured, and focused on the most important aspects of the idea.
Teams are encouraged to practice beforehand and highlight both the problem and the value of their solution.
Introduction
Briefly introduce yourself and your team in a memorable way.
Problem Statement
Clearly explain the problem your solution addresses and who it helps.
Product Overview
Describe the core idea, key features, and the technical approach behind your solution.
Demo
Show a live demonstration if possible, or present a visual prototype to illustrate how the solution works.
Wrap-Up
Summarize the main points and close with a clear statement on the potential impact of your idea.
What Happens After the Hackathon?
Awards, Investors, and an 8-Week Venture Pathway
One reason the HSIL Hackathon stands out is that it is designed to continue beyond the two-day build. HSIL’s official timeline shows a structured pathway after April. Nominated teams enter a venture-building sequence that leads to a global Demo Day on June 19, 2026, including pitches to investors and awards.
Selected winning teams are invited into a remote, eight-week HSIL Venture Incubation/Venture Building Program, structured in phases and supported by educational sessions and mentorship. The program helps teams refine their solutions, strengthen their implementation plans, and develop their prototypes with guidance from experts at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. It also provides opportunities for exposure to investor networks, particularly for teams aiming to scale their ideas beyond a pilot stage.
“Hosting the Harvard Health Innovation Hackathon in Saudi Arabia reflects the Kingdom’s growing momentum in digital health and innovation. It gives our youth and healthcare innovators a meaningful platform to help shape the future of healthcare.” — Ameer Albahouth, Mentor, Organizer, and Founder of Arbaaa
Program Roadmap
Click a phase to explore the journey.
Application Period
Dec 8 – Feb 28
What happens: Registration and team sign-up for individuals or teams.
Output: Applicants confirmed for participation.
How to Apply
Applicants can register as individuals or as part of a pre-formed team (recommended 2–6 members). HSIL asks participants to submit a short idea/problem statement summary (150–200 words) as part of registration, along with basic information and agreement to the hackathon terms.
Upload your team’s project brief for the HSIL Hackathon 2026.
The brief should summarize the problem you are addressing, your AI-driven solution, and your proposed approach. Submissions close Friday, April 10 at 5:00 PM.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: When and where is the hackathon taking place?
The HSIL Hackathon 2026 will take place April 10–11, 2026. It is organized as a global event with multiple hubs around the world. In Saudi Arabia, the local hub will be held in Riyadh, in collaboration with (MBSC) and the Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Medical Academy.
Q: What is the theme this year?
The 2026 theme is “Building High-Value Health Systems: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence.” The focus is on developing AI-driven solutions that can improve healthcare quality, efficiency, and patient outcomes.
Q: What are judges looking for?
Judges evaluate teams based on several factors, including the clarity of the problem addressed, innovation of the solution, technical feasibility, implementation potential, and the overall quality of the pitch and demonstration.
Q: Who can participate?
The hackathon is open to students and professionals from diverse fields, including healthcare, engineering, technology, business, design, and public health. Interdisciplinary teams are encouraged.
Q: Is there a fee to participate?
No. According to the hackathon guidelines, local hubs are expected to host the event without charging participants a registration fee, making participation accessible to a wide range of innovators.
Q: Do I need a team to apply?
No. Participants can apply individually or as part of a team. Individuals who apply alone are typically matched with other participants to form teams before the hackathon begins.