Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — The Mohammed bin Salman Foundation (Misk), via its Entrepreneurship track, hosted the Super Apps Hackathon on April 18–19, 2025. Held at Al-Multaqa in Mohammed bin Salman Nonprofit City, the event brought together over 240 innovators from a pool of 1,000 applicants. This initiative aligns with national efforts to accelerate urban innovation and community-led digital transformation.

Organized in collaboration with Balady Platform—a national smart city enabler—the hackathon focused on enhancing public services and infrastructure through emerging technologies. Consequently, teams worked under tight deadlines to build digital solutions using generative AI, blockchain, and advanced analytics.

Building Super Apps for digital transformation

Misk Entrepreneurship General Manager Anas AlShaer emphasized the hackathon’s purpose: “We are committed to equipping youth with the tools to build smart, sustainable solutions that improve urban life.”

Participants formed 56 teams, blending AI expertise, product design, and civic engagement. Moreover, mentors from the tech sector guided participants through prototype development. As a result, more than 56 working prototypes emerged by the end of the event.

Three standout projects received recognition and awards:

  • First place: Team “With Balady” reimagined the Balady app to improve user interaction and public service accessibility.
  • Second place: Team “Saffa-ha” proposed a real-time platform for smart parking and valet services.
  • Third place: Team “Smart Move” designed a ridesharing system for university students in Riyadh.

Misk Super Apps Hackathon extends innovation pipeline

The winning teams earned financial prizes and enrollment in Misk’s “Start” program for early-stage ventures. Furthermore, this reflects Misk’s broader commitment to nurturing young talent through its entrepreneurship school, accelerator programs, and startup incubators.

Yasser AlObaidan, CEO of Balady Platform, remarked, “This hackathon reflects our vision of smarter cities where connectivity, quality of life, and civic engagement evolve together.”

Through hands-on experience and real-world challenges, the Super Apps Hackathon demonstrates how Saudi youth can contribute to next-generation digital solutions and civic innovation. Ultimately, such initiatives help bridge the gap between grassroots creativity and institutional support.