The Maldives’ first generative Artifical Intelligence (AI) hackathon is set to commence this February, in a landmark initiative for the nation's start-up ecosystem.
This hackathon is designed for new and experienced business owners and entrepreneurs, creating opportunities for progress with the assistance of AI.
The “GenAI Hack 2026” will be held from 6 to 8 February, with participation open to teams of three to five. Participants are encouraged to register early to take part in this hackathon.
By bringing together youth entrepreneurs, Dhiraagu has stated that this hackathon will allow creative visions to be brought to reality in 48 hrs, with the help of AI tools and platforms. Furthermore, AI specialists will be brought to conduct sessions sharing their expertise, providing participants with support and encouragement. Experts will assist the youth in each stage of product creation up until its unveiled.
Dhiraagu Director of Brands and Marketing Communications, Mohamed Mirshan Hassan stressed the importance of familiarity and training when it comes to generative AI tools, due to the undergoing rapid advancements presently. He noted that this hackathon is an important step to increase public awareness and knowledge about this topic.
Director Mirshan stated that this hackathon shows the support Dhiraagu provides to Maldivian entrepreneurs, to utilise AI for problem-solving, production creation and testing, up until the product is introduced to the market. Participants will enhance their skills and capabilities.
Unlike other hackathons, this hackathon will employ an open-category format, with participants creating brand-new products exclusively for this hackathon. This hackathon is created by Dhiraagu in collaboration with Sparkhub, with Sinetex Private Limited as the main sponsor.
The hackathon policy of “no shipping, no pitching” means that teams are required to introduce to the product to the market before the final pitch. Judges will be evaluating the full, functional product as opposed to a slide deck or conceptual demo.