At a Glance

  • Date: 16 February 2025
  • Location: Mohammed bin Salman Non-Profit City (Misk) – Riyadh

The Architecture and Design Commission concluded the third edition of the "Designathon" challenge, held at Mohammed bin Salman Non-Profit City (Misk) over three days from 13-15 February 2025, with the participation of 585 competitors from 23 countries, officially becoming the largest design hackathon in the world, registered in the Guinness World Records.

Three Main Tracks for Impactful Design Solutions

Participants drew on design thinking and participatory design to develop projects addressing challenges in urban transformation, sustainability, and compassionate design. Thirty teams advanced to the final round out of 130 teams, with winners receiving cash prizes exceeding SAR 900,000, in addition to valuable shopping vouchers.

Winning Projects in "Designathon 2025"

Urban Transformation Track:
Gold – Team Makanz: a portable smart canopy to protect pedestrians from sun and heat (SAR 100,000 + SAR 65,000 voucher)
Silver – Team Urban Games: interactive urban games to boost social connection (SAR 50,000 + SAR 45,000 voucher)
Bronze – Team Makan: a public seating borrowing machine to improve the urban landscape (SAR 25,000 + SAR 25,000 voucher)

Sustainability Track:
Gold – Team Flip iT Clip iT: solutions for managing hidden waste, water and sustainable energy (SAR 100,000 + SAR 65,000 voucher)
Silver – Team Wefaq: wind-powered street lamps with smart sensors (SAR 50,000 + SAR 45,000 voucher)
Bronze – Team Tawqa: an innovative self-irrigation system that boosts green spaces (SAR 25,000 + SAR 25,000 voucher)

Compassionate Design Track:
Gold – Team Wisal: a smart bracelet that predicts epileptic seizures in advance (SAR 100,000 + SAR 65,000 voucher)
Silver – Team FROG IT: a non-profit donation platform offering a dignified shopping experience (SAR 50,000 + SAR 45,000 voucher)
Bronze – Team Nuzul: a smart furniture piece designed for pilgrims to boost comfort during Hajj (SAR 25,000 + SAR 25,000 voucher)

Designathon: A Platform for Creativity and Youth Empowerment

Dr. Sumayah Al-Sulaiman, CEO of the Architecture and Design Commission, affirmed that "Designathon" embodies the commission's commitment to harnessing the power of design to create positive impact in society, noting the challenge continues to attract creative talent globally, becoming a leading platform that empowers youth to develop sustainable solutions for the future.

Strategic Support and Impactful Partnerships

The challenge was backed by Mohammed bin Salman Non-Profit City (Misk) as strategic partner, alongside several key partners including Nesma, Retal, and Monsha'at, in addition to the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property, the Cultural Development Fund, Ethraa, Bettonia, Souda Development, the Environment Fund, Riyadh Holding, and Nama, who contributed to creating an ideal environment for the event.