Hackathon format & key facts
Organized detailsOverview
The ninth UAE Hackathon is a nationwide innovation competition for UAE residents holding a valid Emirates ID. Its 2026 edition focuses on practical digital solutions for national challenges, with tracks for school students, university students, entrepreneurs and government innovators and themes spanning responsible AI, digital accessibility, cybersecurity, family-centred digital services and zero bureaucracy.
Complete hackathon details
TDRA describes the 2026 hackathon as a hybrid programme combining on-site hackathons, workshops and collaborative sessions with online training and mentorship. Participants work in teams on real national challenges and may use AI, data analytics, cybersecurity, IoT and digital platforms. The published 2026 journey continues through physical evaluation days in November, an Innovation Summit and announcement ceremony on 15 November, followed by post-hackathon support through early December. The official site currently displays a Register Now route. No prize amount or participation fee is stated on the checked official pages, so none is claimed here.
Eligibility requirements
Participation is limited to people residing in the UAE who hold a valid Emirates ID. Registration begins individually through UAE PASS, but project submissions must be made by teams of 2 to 7 members. Rising Stars is for school students aged 11–17; Pioneers is for university students aged 18–25; the Entrepreneurs track is for professionals and entrepreneurs; and the Government Innovators track is for government employees, policy leaders and decision-makers. Technical skills are not mandatory.
Tips for this hackathon
Practical Job and Scholarship guidance. These tips do not replace official rules or create new eligibility requirements.
- Read the rules, eligibility, judging criteria, required technologies and intellectual-property terms before forming your submission plan.
- Build a complementary team early and assign product, engineering, design, research and presentation responsibilities clearly.
- Optimize for the published judging rubric: demonstrate a real problem, working solution, measurable impact and a concise live demo.
- Prepare the repository, pitch deck, demo video and submission links before the final hours so upload or platform problems do not invalidate the entry.
- Check whether travel, finalist presentations, team-size limits or mandatory attendance apply before committing.
Verification notes
Verified against the official UAE Hackathon home page, FAQ and 2026 timeline. This append-only revision corrects the primary taxonomy from generic competition to hackathon now that the repository schema matches the application's public event taxonomy. No prize or fee was inferred.
Job and Scholarship is the discovery and verification layer. Confirm eligibility, dates, salary/funding and application instructions on the original source before submitting anything.
UAE Hackathon / TDRA ↗Browse current Job and Scholarship listings from UAE Hackathon / TDRA →
