PROJECTS/HACKATHON/AI 2.0

PSU AI Hackathon 2.0.

Students & Alumni United. Run in term 252 under the patronage of the Dean of CCIS, Dr. Mohammed Ali Alshara, this edition opened the ACM Student Chapter's AI hackathon to Alumni and COOP students alongside current students. Teams built against one of four themes — AI in education, healthcare, security and sustainability — and advanced through proposal screening, a poster round and a jury pitch.

Open Event Site Contact on WhatsApp

Event Parameters

TERM 252 // RIYADH
12 APRCall opens
25 APRSubmission deadline
02 MAYCompetition & pitch
05Members per team (max)
B105Building, PSU Riyadh

The Four Themes

SDGs // VISION 2030

AI in Education

Transform learning experiences, personalise education, widen accessibility and give students and educators intelligent tools to work with.

  • FocusEdTech, learning, accessibility

AI in Healthcare

Improve patient care and diagnostics, accelerate discovery, and make healthcare more efficient, accurate and reachable.

  • FocusMedTech, diagnostics, wellness

AI for Security

Strengthen cybersecurity, detect threats in real time, prevent fraud, and protect critical infrastructure and digital identities.

  • FocusCyberSec, fraud detection, defence

AI for Sustainability

Apply AI to environmental stewardship, efficient resource use, smarter cities and long-term resilience.

  • FocusESG, climate, smart cities

TEAMS MAY PICK ONE OR MORE THEMES. A WORKING FINAL YEAR PROJECT MAY BE SUBMITTED IF IT FITS.

Competition Format

SCREEN → POSTER → PITCH → AWARD
01
INITIAL SCREENINGPROPOSALS REVIEWED BY ACM PROFESSIONAL CHAPTER CORE MEMBERS
SUBMIT
02
POSTER COMPETITIONSELECTED TEAMS PRESENT ON FREESTANDING POSTERS; COMMITTEE MEMBERS VISIT EACH ONE
PRESENT
03
SHORTLISTED PRESENTATIONSTOP TEAMS PITCH TO THE JURY IN UP TO FIVE MINUTES
PITCH
04
WINNERS ANNOUNCEMENTAWARD CEREMONY WITH THE DEAN'S PARTICIPATION
AWARD

SHORTLISTING HAPPENS AT THE END OF EVERY STAGE; ONLY FINAL SHORTLISTED TEAMS COMPETE ON SITE.

Who Can Join

STUDENTS × ALUMNI × COOP

Team composition

Every team is led by a current PSU student and must include at least one Alumni or COOP member. Alumni and COOP participants are encouraged to join student-led teams rather than compete separately.

  • Team sizeMaximum 5 members
  • Team leaderCurrent PSU student
  • RequiredAt least one Alumni or COOP member

Eligible submissions

Projects must fit one or more of the four hackathon themes. A working final year project is eligible if it aligns with a theme and meets the competition requirements.

Built on 2025

ACM PSU AI Hackathon 2025 drew 19 teams and produced award-winning work in healthcare, education, assistive technology and smart cities. Edition 2.0 widens that base by bringing Alumni and COOP students into the same call.

On the day

The final competition and pitch ran on 2 May 2026 at 11:00 in Building 105, Prince Sultan University. Light snacks, tea and water were provided on site.

Judging Rubric

07 CRITERIA // TOTAL 100%
Scoring weights, adapted from ACM PSU AI Hackathon 2025
Criterion Weight
Technical execution — AI model effectiveness and implementation 30%
Innovation and creativity — uniqueness of the solution 20%
Feasibility and scalability — real-world applicability 15%
Business viability — market potential 10%
Presentation and storytelling — clarity and engagement 10%
Ethical integrity — adherence to AI ethics 10%
Interdisciplinary collaboration — team diversity 5%

Prizes & Recognition

SAR 9,000+ TOTAL
5,0001st place, SAR
3,0002nd place, SAR
2,0003rd place, SAR
TOP 3Poster category
DEANChoice & support awards

Award categories

Cash prizes go to the top three presentations; the poster category is ranked separately. The Dean's Choice Award recognises the best overall presentation, and Dean's Special Support Awards back selected innovative projects.

Beyond the prize money

Selected ideas may receive mentorship and incubation opportunities, and winning teams may be considered for research collaborations, internships and startup incubation.

Organisers

PATRONAGE: DEAN OF CCIS

Under the Dean's patronage

The hackathon ran under the patronage of the Dean of CCIS, Dr. Mohammed Ali Alshara, with the Dean taking part in the closing award ceremony.

Hosting bodies

Delivered by the ACM Student Chapter at Prince Sultan University with the ACM Professional Chapter in Saudi Arabia, under the College of Computer and Information Sciences.

  • HostACM Student Chapter, PSU
  • ScreeningACM Professional Chapter core members
  • CollegeCCIS, Prince Sultan University

SUBMISSIONS CLOSED 25 APRIL 2026 · 11:59 PM

The Full Event Site.

The original hackathon site is kept as part of the event record, including the announcement, the organiser logos and the registration form.

Open PSU AI Hackathon 2.0 Event Site