Ericsson and the Hack for Earth Foundation have launched the Ericsson Sustainability Challenge for startups, university students and young innovators across the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain, with a focus on using digital technologies to address sustainability challenges.
The programme will encourage participants to develop solutions using technologies such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things and next-generation connectivity.
Registration is open to participants aged 18 and above through the Hack for Earth platform.
Challenge follows Dream–Hack–Build model
The programme is structured around Hack for Earth’s Dream–Hack–Build methodology.
Participants will begin by identifying sustainability challenges before moving into solution development during the hackathon phase.
Selected teams will then have the opportunity to progress beyond the competition stage and work towards practical implementation.
That structure is intended to reduce one of the common weaknesses of innovation competitions, where promising ideas often stop at the prototype or presentation stage.
Winning teams enter six-month accelerator
Winning teams will join the six-month Build for Earth accelerator.
During that period, participants will work with mentors, industry specialists and Ericsson’s wider ecosystem to refine and scale their solutions.
The programme is designed to provide teams with support beyond initial ideation, including guidance that could help move projects towards real-world deployment.
The source does not specify how many teams will be selected or whether direct funding will be provided.
GITEX GLOBAL showcase included
Selected participants will also be given the opportunity to showcase their projects at Ericsson’s booth during GITEX GLOBAL.
That could give early-stage teams exposure to investors, technology companies, government stakeholders and potential commercial partners.
For young innovators and university teams, this kind of visibility can be particularly important in turning a technical concept into a broader startup or partnership opportunity.
AI, IoT and connectivity positioned as sustainability tools
The challenge places digital technologies at the centre of sustainability problem-solving.
AI could be used for areas such as optimisation and forecasting, while IoT can support monitoring and automation. Advanced connectivity can provide the underlying infrastructure needed to connect devices, collect data and operate distributed systems.
The programme therefore reflects a broader shift in sustainability initiatives towards technology-enabled approaches rather than treating environmental and digital transformation as separate agendas.
Regional focus spans five Gulf markets
The challenge is open to participants across the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain.
The organisers said the initiative is intended to support regional sustainability ambitions by helping viable ideas move towards practical deployment.
That regional scope could also encourage solutions that address challenges common across Gulf economies, including resource efficiency, urban infrastructure, energy use and environmental monitoring.
Why this matters
The programme is significant because it connects sustainability innovation with technologies already central to Gulf digital transformation strategies.
By combining AI, IoT and advanced connectivity with an accelerator model, Ericsson and Hack for Earth are attempting to create a pathway from idea generation to deployment.
The value of the initiative will depend on how many concepts progress beyond the hackathon and whether they are able to secure pilots, partners or commercial adoption.
Editor’s note
The strongest aspect of the challenge is the six-month accelerator component.
Hackathons can generate useful ideas quickly, but their impact is often limited when there is no structured follow-on support.
By extending the programme into mentoring, ecosystem access and public showcasing, the initiative has a better chance of turning early concepts into solutions that can be tested in real operating environments.
