The AUD Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center (AEIC) launched its inaugural AI Academic Hackathon, a high-energy two-day competition bringing together nine student-founded startups from different higher education institutions to develop and pitch AI-driven solutions addressing some of today’s most urgent global challenges.

Organized in partnership with ABCURR, the first institute in the MENA region dedicated to building university-based entrepreneurial ecosystems, the initiative created an intensive, mentorship-led environment where student entrepreneurs transformed early-stage concepts into viable, pitch-ready ventures within just 48 hours.

Competing startups tackled three high-impact challenge areas: financial inclusion and personal finance innovation, healthcare and clinical AI applications, and urbanization and societal systems. Projects ranged from AI-powered fintech tools and clinical decision-support platforms to education technologies, food redistribution solutions, and misinformation detection applications.

The event opened with remarks from AUD academic leadership and keynote insights from experts in entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence, and innovation. Over the course of the competition, ten mentors worked closely with participating teams, providing strategic feedback on mindset, go-to-market strategy, MVP development, business model viability, and legal and compliance readiness. On the final day, a five-member jury assessed the startups on feasibility, scalability, market opportunity, competitive positioning, team dynamics, and responsiveness to mentorship. Final rankings were determined through combined mentor and jury scoring, with all participants receiving certificates of participation.

Four standout startups emerged as winners, securing cash prizes and international exchange placements at leading partner universities.

• Flouss, a solo-founded fintech application already live on the Apple Store, claimed first place for its strong execution and early market traction, earning AED 4,000 and an exchange opportunity at George Washington University.
• Clipnotes, a Socratic AI learning platform redefining student engagement and learning workflows, took second place, receiving AED 3,000 and an exchange placement at the University of Waterloo. –
• Ortho AI, a clinically focused AI venture inspired by its founder’s personal mission to address healthcare challenges, secured third place, winning AED 2,000 and an exchange opportunity at the International University of Monaco.
• VeriFi, a financial misinformation detection startup recognized for its adaptability and compelling communication under pressure, placed fourth and earned a spot in the SPICI Napoli Exchange Program.

The remaining five startups — Right Day, Power Nap Pod, Bethlehem Stream, Food Loop, and Bayan AI — each received individualized feedback reports from mentors and jury members.

Participants described the hackathon as a standout platform that combined ambitious innovation with real-world business discipline. Jury chair Dr. Maya Abou Zahr, Interim Director of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center, said:

“The strongest teams were not necessarily the most polished, but those that demonstrated clarity of problem understanding, responsiveness to feedback, and the ability to evolve under pressure.”

Gustavo A. Montero, Engineer, Founder and Chairman of Carter Capital Advisory, and University Incubator Director and Professor, who mentored a number of students, added:

“The hackathon gave participants a valuable platform to exchange ideas and gain practical insights into building impactful startup concepts. It encouraged creativity, innovation, teamwork, and problem-solving.”

Final pitches were evaluated by a panel of industry leaders including Dr. Maya Abou Zahr; Sherry Tong, Public Relations and Communications Manager at Huawei; Adela Alonso Alonso, Director of Open Innovation at Astrolabs; Salman T. Jaffrey, Managing Director at Stryve; and Lorenzo Campo, Chief Operating Officer at Red Rock Technology.

The inaugural hackathon reflects AUD’s commitment to cultivating entrepreneurial talent and strengthening its position as a regional hub for AI-driven innovation.