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Small AI Hackathon Challenge

The world is changing at extraordinary speed, and AI and digital technologies are reshaping economies, industries, and the future of work. The Global AI & Digital Summit comes at a pivotal moment, as countries seek not only to keep pace with technological change, but to turn it into more and better jobs, higher productivity, and broader opportunity. With 1.2 billion young people entering the workforce in developing countries over the next 10-15 years, how AI and digital technologies drive growth and expand access to jobs is a defining challenge of our era.

Hosted by the World Bank Group together with the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Finance and Economy and Ministry of Science and ICT, the Summit will bring global leaders to explore how AI and digital transformation can deliver practical development gains. The Summit will also highlight the importance of responsible AI that builds trust to ensure that innovation serves people and development goals.

The Summit will spotlight how digital access, affordability, ecosystems and AI readiness are the foundation for unleashing inclusive AI and digital solutions. And how practical, context-specific AI applications can strengthen businesses, improve public services, and expand access to opportunity, including in low-connectivity environments. Across sectors such as agriculture, health, education, tourism, and government services, the emphasis is on how AI and digital tools can help countries translate innovation into results.

By bringing together governments, development partners, private sector leaders, researchers, civil society, and youth, the Summit aims to help shape a more inclusive AI and digital future in which technology works for people and economies alike.

Please note that attendance is by invitation only.

• Digital and AI at the World Bank Group

• Global Digital Summit 2025

• Global Digital Summit 2024

The agenda and sessions timings are subject to change.

What is the Global AI & Digital Summit 2026?

The Summit is a high-level forum hosted by the World Bank Group together with the Ministry of Finance and Economy (MOFE) and the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) of the Republic of Korea. Taking place in Seoul, the Summit brings together policymakers, development partners, private sector leaders, civil society and innovators to explore how digital transformation and artificial intelligence can help countries create jobs, raise productivity, strengthen essential services, and expand opportunity. Korea’s journey from development to global digital leadership offers a powerful example of how sustained investment, innovation, and public policy can build a dynamic digital economy.

The Summit is being convened at a moment when the pace of digital change is accelerating dramatically and AI is opening new possibilities for development across sectors such as health, education, and agriculture. The World Bank Group and the Korean government are hosting this event by bringing global leaders together and aiming to catalyze the partnerships, policies, and investments needed so that the benefits of the digital revolution are shared more widely and reach the people and communities that stand to gain the most.

When and where will the Summit take place?

The Summit will take place on October 19-22, 2026, in Seoul, South Korea.

What is the focus of the Summit?

The Summit will explore how digital technologies and AI can create jobs, boost productivity, and expand opportunities in developing economies. Discussions will focus on how practical, fit-for-purpose AI solutions can address local challenges and deliver results across sectors such as health, education, agriculture, tourism, and government services.

The Summit will also examine the foundations needed to scale digital and AI-driven growth: expanding access and affordability, strengthening digital ecosystems, and building AI readiness. Across these areas, the focus is on helping countries translate innovation into jobs, economic growth, and better outcomes for people.

Who will attend?

The Summit will bring together government leaders, development partners, private sector executives, investors, technology innovators, researchers, civil society representatives, and youth leaders. Together, they will connect policy, innovation, and investment to help countries turn digital ambition into action.

Is the Summit open to the public?

Select Summit sessions will be open to the public and streamed live online, allowing audiences around the world to follow key conversations. Other sessions will be by invitation to facilitate candid dialogue among participants. Additional details on public sessions and livestream access will be shared as the program is finalized. In person participation to the Summit is by invitation only.

Who can I contact for more information?

GADS@worldbankgroup.org

Register now via the Application form click "Request to Join" and use WBGSmallAIGADS for your referral code by September 26.

For questions related to the Small AI Hackathon Challenge, please contact questions@hack-nation.com.

The Challenge

As of 2025, more than 2 billion people remained offline. Over the next decade, 1.2 billion young people in the Global South will reach working age yet current trends point to only 420 million new jobs being created to meet them.

Artificial intelligence is changing what is possible in development. But most AI tools have been built for a world with reliable connectivity, a smartphone in hand, and a user already fluent in how to interact with AI. The Small AI for Development Hackathon Challenge is an open call to young innovators worldwide to build AI solutions that work in the real conditions facing developing economies, where the people with the most to gain are the furthest from the tools being built.

What Is Small Ai?

Small AI is a design approach for AI development that promotes targeted, use-case-driven solutions. While general-purpose large language models require extensive data-center infrastructure and struggle to scale in constrained environments, small AI focuses on leveraging specific capabilities to solve a single, well-defined problem by leveraging accessible devices: basic phones, sensors, or microcontrollers running models locally. These AI solutions can be predictive, generative, or agentic; what matters is that they function with limited connectivity, train on local data, and interact through familiar tools like SMS and voice. Design is centered around the problem and operating constraints, not the scale of the model being built.

Nevertheless, Small AI still requires foundational enablers: broadband connectivity, digital literacy, and trusted local institutions. Without these, solutions risk remaining as pilots rather than scalable, sustainable interventions.

The Competition

Organized by the World Bank Group's Digital and AI Vice Presidency, in collaboration with the Youth Summit, Development Economics Vice Presidency (DEC), Information and Technology Solutions (ITS), and managed by Hack-Nation, this hackathon invites young innovators to spend one weekend building a working small AI solution to a real development challenge through a two-day competition taking place on 3–4 October 2026.

To enter the competition, eligible applicants must first register for the Hackathon through the official Hack-Nation registration page. Registered participants will then develop and submit their competition entry during the Hackathon in accordance with the instructions, deadlines, and technical requirements provided on the Hack-Nation platform. Hack-Nation will evaluate the eligible entries and submit a shortlist to the World Bank Group, which will serve as the final judging authority and select the winners.

Applicants will choose one sector challenge — in health, agriculture, or tourism — and build a solution that demonstrates a clear value add in a constrained environment. Our sector briefs map existing digital tools and preconditions needed for AI to work alongside sectoral challenges, so solutions can demonstrate clear and distinct value. For this competition, applicants should address one sectoral challenge, building a small AI solution that delivers measurable impact within the highlighted preconditions.

Building on the World Bank's AI Repository, a living catalogue of AI use cases and deployment lessons from across the globe, this competition is part of our broader capacity-building and knowledge sharing effort on developing AI in constrained environments. In this regard, the World Bank Group will serve as a sponsor and final judging authority.

Entries are not just judged on technical merit, but also on development relevance as well as design and inclusivity. Applicants are invited to reflect candidly: What does localizing AI development mean for you? Young people are often closest to the challenges this competition addresses. This hackathon is your chance to have a say in how AI should be built for constrained environments—not just to implement existing ideas, but to shape new ones. It's about what you see, what you'd do differently, and what innovations emerge from your perspective. Solutions that acknowledge trade-offs — between capability and access, between ambition and risk — are encouraged.

Who Can Enter

The competition is open to applicants aged 18 to 35, in line with the UN definition of youth, across the World Bank member countries. Applicants from emerging economies are strongly encouraged to apply.

Applications may be submitted either by an individual or by a team of up to 4 members. Applications to participate and hack-a-thon submissions must be all submitted in English. Each team member must register individually, satisfy all eligibility requirements, and be identified as part of the same team before the registration deadline. An individual may participate in only one competition entry. Team membership may not be changed after the Hackathon begins. Entries submitted by teams will be judged as a single entry. If a team entry is selected as a winner, the award will be made to the team collectively and will count as one of the three winning entries. Winning Teams will nominate their representative who will be best suited to represent them at the Summit in person, and the World Bank Group judging panel will make the final determination.

Active staff of the World Bank Group, including Consultants and Interns, are not eligible to participate in the Competition.

Key Dates

— Milestone

— Date

— Applications open

— Now! Apply today

— Application deadline — 26 September 2026

— Competition weekend

— 3–4 October 2026

— Winners notification + prep

— 5–6 October 2026

— Winners travels to Seoul

— By 18 October 2026

— Ignite Talk at Global AI and Digital Summit

— 21 October 2026

Applications open

Now! Apply today

Competition weekend

3–4 October 2026

Winners notification + prep

5–6 October 2026

Winners travels to Seoul

By 18 October 2026

Ignite Talk at Global AI and Digital Summit

21 October 2026

What The Winner Receives

Three winners will be selected from the entries generated at the hack-a-thon, one from each of the categories – Agriculture, Health, and Tourism. The winners will be invited to Seoul, South Korea to present at the Global AI and Digital Summit 2026, co-hosted by the World Bank Group and the Government of Korea from 19 to 22 October 2026. Three winners (one each from Agriculture, Health, Tourism) will be featured in Seoul in relevant sessions (i.e. (1) AI for People – Heath and Education (2) How Open Network and AI are Rewriting the Rules for Small Business in Agriculture and Tourism) on October 21, 2026.

The Summit convenes governments, investors, the private sector, and international organizations to examine how practical, fit-for-purpose AI can create jobs and expand opportunity in developing economies with dedicated sessions on health, agriculture, tourism, education, and government services.

Each of the three winning entries will be featured in a High Impact Talk during the relevant sectoral breakout session during the Summit. The Organizers will determine the format, duration, speaker, session placement, and presentation requirements for each talk. Winners may also be offered facilitated bilateral meetings with investors, private-sector representatives, MSMEs, government officials, or other Summit participants, subject to availability and mutual interest.

If a team entry is selected as a winner, the team must nominate one representative to travel to Seoul and participate in the Summit on the team’s behalf, and the World Bank judging panel makes the final determination for the winner representative. Travel expenses will be covered in full subject to reasonable travel costs, accommodation, and designated event-related expenses, as determined by the Organizers in accordance with internal logistics guidelines.

Visa guidance and support will be communicated directly to the winners. The Organizers shall not be responsible for visa acquisition or expenses incurred by participants in connection with participation except as expressly approved in writing. If a selected winner is unable or unwilling to accept the award, travel, or participate, the Organizers may select an alternate winner.

At A Glance

What it is A Small AI for Development challenge for young innovators, held jointly with the World Bank Group Youth Summit and the Global AI & Digital Summit in Seoul.

Who can enter Young innovators aged 18 to 35. Open across the World Bank member countries, with emerging economy applicants especially encouraged.

Competition partner Hack-Nation will manage the competition platform and submit a shortlist of finalists to the World Bank for final judging.

How it runs Promotion across the summer → competition weekend in early October including a video submission → expert evaluation → Bank panel judging → winner showcases in Seoul.

What the winners get An all-expenses trip to Seoul, participation at the Summit and take the stage for a short, inspiring take showcasing your small AI Solution Talk at the Global AI and Digital Summit.

Register

Applications are open. Register now via the Application form click "Request to Join" and use WBGSmallAIGADS for your referral code.

How to apply

Participation involves two required steps:

Step 1: Apply for the Hackathon. Eligible applicants must complete the official Hack-Nation application process through the application form by September 26, 2026. Registration or application to the Hackathon does not, by itself, constitute a competition entry or guarantee eligibility for judging. Applications must be submitted in English.

Step 2: Submit a competition entry during the Hackathon. Registered and accepted participants must develop and submit their proposed Small AI solution through the dedicated submission portal and include the referral code above during the official competition window on 3–4 October 2026. The entry must comply with all submission, format, team, originality, technical, and deadline requirements published on the Hack-Nation platform. Competition entries must be submitted in English.

Both steps must be completed through the designated official channels. Registrations or entries sent by email, social media, direct outreach to World Bank Group staff, or any other method will not be accepted. Late, incomplete, or improperly submitted entries will not be considered.

Only entries formally submitted during the competition window and confirmed as received through the official competition platform will be eligible for judging.

Due to the volume of interest anticipated, the organizers are unable to respond to individual inquiries about the competition, application status, eligibility, or judging outcomes. All updates, announcements, and relevant information will be communicated through this page and the official Hack-Nation platform. Participants are encouraged to check both regularly.

Competition entries and materials submitted as part of the Hackathon Challenge will remain the property of the participants submitting them, but participants agree to allow the World Bank to use all entries, including the winning ones, as part of the competition and judging, and for educational, promotional, and knowledge-sharing purposes, as described in more detail in “Other Conditions,” below.

Eligibility

The competition is open to individuals aged 18 to 35 at the time of application. By submitting an application, participants confirm that they meet the eligibility criteria set out on this page and on the Hack-Nation platform. The organizers reserve the right to verify eligibility at any stage of the competition and to disqualify any applicant who does not meet the stated criteria.

Other Conditions

By entering the Competition, participants agree to release and hold harmless the World Bank Group, its affiliated organizations, officers, employees, and partners (collectively, the Organizers) from and against any and all claims, expenses, and liability, including but not limited to negligence and damages of any kind to persons and property, and infringement of trademark, copyright, or other intellectual property rights, arising out of or relating to their participation in the Competition and the contents of their submissions.

The Organizers reserve the right, in their sole discretion, to disqualify any submission that does not comply with these Terms and Conditions, that is found to be incomplete, or that the Organizers deem inconsistent with the spirit and objectives of the Competition.

The Organizers are not responsible for lost, late, corrupted, mutilated, or misdirected submissions, or for submissions not received within the designated competition window.

The Organizers reserve the right to remove or exclude any submission or content that violates applicable law, infringes third-party rights, or is inconsistent with the Competition rules or objectives

Participants represent and warrant that they possess all rights necessary to submit the materials and that the submission does not knowingly infringe intellectual property, privacy, confidentiality, or other rights of any third party.

By registering for this competition Participants elect to explicitly share certain personal data they submit when registering and as part of the competition to be utilized by the World Bank and Hack-Nation for the sole purpose of the competition, including but not limited to the sharing of such data with all key stakeholders and participants in connection with hosting and organizing the competition, judging entries, notifying winners, and potential follow-up communications relating to the competition. Personal data will be handled in accordance with World Bank Group Privacy Notice

Entrants retain ownership, copyright, and all other rights to their entries and materials, subject to these Conditions, including the terms in the paragraph below. By submitting a competition entry, however, all participants grant the World Bank Group a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to review, evaluate, reproduce, display, record, publish summaries of, and publicly present the submission and related materials for competition administration, educational, promotional, and knowledge-sharing purposes.

Participants are not permitted to use the name, titles, acronyms, logos, or other branding elements of the World Bank Group or its partners- including Hack-Nation, the Youth Summit, the Development Economics Vice Presidency, or Information and Technology Solutions- on any materials produced independently by participants in connection with their entry, without prior written consent from the relevant organization. Participants are also not permitted to use their submissions for purposes inconsistent with the World Bank Group's mandate and mission.

The Organizers reserve the right, in their sole discretion, to abbreviate, modify, suspend, cancel, or terminate the Competition at any time without further obligation, by notifying participants through an announcement on this page If a selected winner is ineligible, cannot be contacted, does not respond within the period specified by the Organizers, or is unable or unwilling to accept the award, travel, or participate in the required Summit activities, the Organizers may withdraw the selection and select an alternate winner.

The Organizers reserve the right to make all final decisions with respect to eligibility, judging, and the selection of the winning entry. Nothing in these Terms and Conditions shall be construed as a limitation or waiver of the privileges and immunities of the World Bank Group, and its member international organizations, which are specifically reserved.

While travel expenses to Seoul will be covered for the winning individuals, winners are solely responsible for securing their own visa, including the cost of the visa application and any associated fees. The World Bank Group is not able to intervene in or expedite visa decisions made by national immigration authorities. Upon confirmation of the winning entry, the World Bank Group will provide a letter of support to assist with the visa application process. Winners are strongly encouraged to begin the visa application process as early as possible following notification, as processing times vary by country. The organizers accept no liability for any failure to obtain a visa or for any costs incurred as a result.

Organized by the World Bank Group Digital and AI Vice Presidency, in partnership with the World Bank Group Youth Summit, Development Economics Vice Presidency, Information and Technology Solutions, and Hack-Nation

The competition is open to individuals aged 18 to 35 at the time of application. By submitting an application, participants confirm that they meet the eligibility criteria set out on this page and on the Hack-Nation platform. The organizers reserve the right to verify eligibility at any stage of the competition and to disqualify any applicant who does not meet the stated criteria.