Building
High-Value
Health Systems
with AI
A two-day global hackathon where clinicians, engineers, designers, and policy analysts collaborate to build AI-driven healthcare solutions — hosted at the Riyadh Hub.
A Global Sprint
for Healthcare
Innovation
Riyadh is proud to host the Saudi hub of the 7th Annual Harvard HSIL Hackathon 2026 at Dr. Sulaiman Al-Habib Assuwaidi Health Hospital — a two-day global competition organised by the Health Systems Innovation Lab (HSIL) at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
The 2026 theme is "Building High-Value Health Systems: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence". Participants collaborate across five continents to turn a real problem into a clear solution concept, pitch, and early prototype.
"Hosting the Harvard Health Innovation Hackathon in Saudi Arabia is a testament to the Kingdom's commitment to advancing healthcare through innovation and technology."
— Riyadh Hub Organizing Committee
#1
Globally
Riyadh Hub leads the world in registrations
With 2,040 registered participants, the Riyadh Hub ranks first among all global hubs in the 7th Annual Harvard HSIL Hackathon 2026.
2,040
Registrations
#1
Global Rank
KSA
Riyadh Hub
2
Days
5
Continents
Free
Registration
Jun 19
Global Demo Day
Who Should Participate?
- ▸Healthcare professionals & clinicians
- ▸Engineers & AI/ML developers
- ▸Designers & UX researchers
- ▸Public health & policy analysts
- ▸Entrepreneurs & business innovators
Our Partners
The Riyadh Hub brings together leading government bodies, academic institutions, and industry innovators united around one mission — building high-value, AI-driven health systems.
Two Days of Innovation
April 10–11, 2026 · Dr. Sulaiman Al-Habib Assuwaidi Health Hospital, Riyadh. Click any session to expand speaker details.
From Application to Demo Day
A structured seven-phase journey from registration to a global Demo Day with investors. Click a phase to explore.
Hackathon Event
What Happens
Teams build and pitch solutions at hubs.
Outcome
Top 50 teams advance from all hubs.
After the Hackathon: Selected winning teams are invited into a remote, eight-week HSIL Venture Incubation Program, supported by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health experts. The program culminates in a Global Demo Day on June 19, 2026, with pitches to investors and awards.
11 AI Focus
Challenge Areas
Teams are encouraged to push beyond the obvious — solving real healthcare challenges through AI, data, and system-level thinking.
EHR Intelligence
Analyzing health records to uncover patterns and predict patient outcomes.
AI Diagnosis
Early detection and smarter monitoring through AI-assisted clinical tools.
Healthcare Assistants
Intelligent chatbots supporting patients and streamlining clinical workflows.
Connected Systems
Bridging fragmented health platforms into unified, interoperable systems.
Health Navigation
Helping users navigate complex health data, apps, and information overload.
Workforce Solutions
Technology designed to support and scale healthcare professionals.
Care Coordination
Improving patient journeys across disconnected healthcare pathways.
Health Literacy
AI tools that simplify medical understanding and empower patients.
Preventive AI
Predictive systems encouraging proactive, long-term health engagement.
Language Access
Breaking communication barriers in healthcare through AI.
Pediatric AI
Advanced models integrating complex, multi-source child health data.
Teams present locally at their hub — and selected teams move forward into a global venture-building journey culminating in Demo Day.
What to Expect for the Pitch
Each team delivers a 3-minute pitch presenting their solution. With limited time, the presentation should be clear, structured, and focused on the most important aspects of the idea.
3-Minute Pitch Structure
Problem Statement
Clearly define the healthcare problem your team is solving. Who is affected, and why does it matter?
Your AI Solution
Describe your AI-driven solution. What does it do, and how does it work at a high level?
Demo / Prototype
Show your prototype or mockup. Walk judges through the key user flow or technical output.
Impact & Feasibility
Explain the potential impact on health outcomes, efficiency, or access. Address implementation feasibility.
Team & Next Steps
Introduce your team's skills and outline the immediate next steps to move this solution forward.
Judging Criteria
Is the healthcare challenge clearly defined and significant?
Is the AI solution novel and differentiated from existing approaches?
Can this be built with current technology and resources?
Can it realistically fit into clinical workflows?
Is the presentation clear, compelling, and well-structured?
Everything You Need to Know
Congratulations to Our Winners
From 65 submitted projects and 10 finalist pitches, the judges have spoken.
Harvard HSIL Hackathon 2026 — Riyadh Hub
Also Qualified — Top 10 Finalists
Submitted Projects
66 innovative AI-in-healthcare projects submitted by teams from the Riyadh Hub.
66 projects submitted · Riyadh Hub · Harvard HSIL Hackathon 2026
Registration is Closed
The registration window for the HSIL Hackathon 2026 Riyadh Hub has closed. Thank you to all applicants — we look forward to seeing you at the event on April 10–11, 2026.
Event Dates
April 10–11
2026 · Riyadh Hub
Team Size
2–6 Members
Interdisciplinary teams
Registration Fee
Free
No participation fee