Abha | August 17, 2025

The Asir Tabtakir (Asir Innovates) Hackathon 2025, organized by the Asir Development Authority in partnership with King Khalid University and several strategic partners, concluded this evening after three days at the university’s exhibition center, with more than 30 teams of innovators, entrepreneurs, and university and school students from across the Kingdom taking part.

The competition saw teams present tech solutions and prototypes across five main tracks: investment, transport and infrastructure, design studio, smart tourism, and environmental sustainability, with teams competing to develop innovative, implementable projects.

At the closing ceremony, the winning teams were announced: AsirX won first place in the investment track; team Masir won first place in the transport and infrastructure track, with its project set to be incubated at the "Code" digital entrepreneurship hub; team Rahwa took first place in the design studio track; team Rawaa won first place in the smart tourism track; and team Nabtar topped the environmental sustainability track.

Total prizes awarded to the winning teams reached SR 450,000, with the top innovations from each track also to be incubated at "Code" to be developed into practical projects.

Several government and private entities supported and helped organize the hackathon, most notably the Ministry of Investment through its "Asal Region" initiative, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, and Al-Hayat EVC (strategic sponsor), in addition to Ramz and Munshaat as supporting partners for innovation and entrepreneurship.

Acting CEO of the Asir Development Authority, Eng. Hashim bin Abdullah Al-Dabbagh, said the hackathon represents an important milestone in empowering youth and turning their ideas into entrepreneurial ventures, adding that the results achieved reflect the great creative energy of the nation’s sons and daughters, in line with the "Summits and Valleys" strategy and Saudi Vision 2030’s goal of making Asir a global destination for living, investment and tourism.