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Doha, November 02 (QNA) - Qatar University (QU) launched Sunday the second edition of the Health Hackathon 2025, a leading national initiative in digital health innovation. The event is organized in collaboration with the Qatar Research, Development, and Innovation Council (QRDI) and Qatar Development Bank (QDB), with the participation of key strategic partners from the health and technology sectors. The initiative reflects QU's strong commitment to advancing the national innovation ecosystem and promoting the integration of scientific research, entrepreneurship, and modern technologies in alignment with its vision to build a knowledge-based national economy. A press conference announcing the launch was attended by representatives from partner and supporting entities. The hackathon aims to empower Qatari youth and local talents to design advanced digital solutions that enhance healthcare services and efficiency in Qatar, in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030 goal to build a sustainable and innovative healthcare sector. Held under the theme "Transforming Health, Defining the Future," this year's hackathon reflects QU's vision to empower individuals through knowledge and technology, leveraging research to serve society and improve quality of life. The initiative stands as a leading national platform bringing together academia, industry leaders, and the healthcare sector to generate innovative, applicable solutions. As Qatar's largest event of its kind in participation and interdisciplinary diversity, the Health Hackathon 2025 brings together more than 200 innovators, researchers, and professionals from medicine, engineering, technology, and entrepreneurship. Participants will collaborate to develop cutting-edge digital solutions across six main tracks: Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare, Advanced Diagnostics and Personalized Medicine, Smart Hospitals and Automation, Sustainable Healthcare, Wearables and Digital Health, and Mental Health and Preventive Care. In her remarks, Vice President for Health and Medical Sciences at QU Prof. Asma Al-Thani, stated: "The Health Tech Hackathon 2025 represents one of the national projects that demonstrate QU's commitment to transforming knowledge into practical solutions that serve the community. It reinforces the integration of scientific research with entrepreneurship and technology. Through this platform, we aim to build national capacities and empower a new generation of innovators capable of leading the digital transformation of Qatar's healthcare sector and beyond." She added that the university, through this initiative, seeks to unleash the creative potential of young innovators and provide an enabling environment that connects academics and professionals from various sectors to exchange knowledge and expertise, transforming ideas into applicable technological products that enhance quality of life and contribute to sustainable development in the health domain. Chair of the Health Hackathon Dr. Kholoud Abdullah, commented: "When we launched the first edition of the Health Tech Hackathon in 2024, our vision was clear: to create a national platform that nurtures Qatari creative minds and gives them space to lead change in the healthcare sector. Today, in its second edition, we see that vision evolving into a national movement that embodies QU's ambition to be at the heart of the digital health innovation ecosystem in the country." She added, "The Health Tech Hackathon 2025 is not a one-time event; it is an investment in people, in the ideas and passion of youth, and in their ability to turn challenges into impactful solutions that improve lives. What distinguishes this year's edition is the broader participation and institutional collaboration, with new partners who share the belief that Qatar's healthcare future must be built on creativity, knowledge, and technology. believe that the ideas and projects we plant today will grow into a smarter, more sustainable health system led by a confident, capable generation that believes innovation is the essence of progress." The hackathon will be implemented in three main phases. The first phase will be the official launch of the initiative and the opening of registration on October 19, 2025. The second phase will consist of Intensive Workshops from November 27-29, 2025, at QU, featuring shortlisted teams, experts, and mentors in technology, medicine, and entrepreneurship. The third phase will be the Final Ceremony to take place on December 10, 2025, held within the AI World Summit in Doha, where the top ten projects will be presented before national and international judges, with awards given to the top three teams in each of the two tracks, Spark and Launchpad. The Spark track focuses on early-stage innovative ideas, while the Launch track targets projects ready for validation and implementation. Both categories will receive tailored technical, business, and mentorship support. Winners will also gain access to financial awards, six-month incubation programs, and expert advisory support from national innovation and entrepreneurship institutions. The Health Hackathon 2025 further strengthens collaboration between QU, QRDI, and QDB to create an integrated system linking academia, industry, and the public sector. This cooperation reinforces Qatar's position as a regional and global hub for digital health innovation. This initiative is among QU's key strategic projects aimed at advancing knowledge transfer, developing national capabilities, and supporting the transition toward a sustainable digital (QNA)
