Ericsson, in collaboration with stc Group, King Saud University, and Vonage, has announced the launch of the ‘Spark Tomorrow’ tech hackathon in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). This event aims to bring together product developers and programmers to create innovative applications that enhance development processes and user experiences.
The two-day, in-person hackathon will be held at King Saud University in Riyadh, where participants will use Vonage’s application programming interfaces (APIs) across three key verticals: Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and eXtended Reality (XR). Under the guidance of expert mentors, participants will transform their ideas into prototypes, which will then be pitched to a panel of judges. The winning teams will be announced during a ceremony at stc Group headquarters in Riyadh.
Khaled Aldharrab, Vice President of Technology Strategy and Architecture at stc Group, emphasized the importance of this event in fostering creativity, innovation, and collaboration within the industry. “The Spark Tomorrow hackathon will bring together the brightest minds in the country to innovate and create solutions that will shape the future of Information and Communications Technology. We look forward to seeing the incredible ideas that will emerge from this event,” Aldharrab said.
Prof. Yazeed Al-Sheikh, Vice President of King Saud University for Research and Graduate Studies, expressed pride in partnering for the event, highlighting the role of Vonage APIs in empowering participants to create impactful solutions. “With our robust suite of communications and network APIs, participants will have the tools they need to build cutting-edge, creative, and impactful solutions for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” said Al-Sheikh.
Vikram Khandpur, SVP of CPaaS Products and Developer Experience at Vonage, added that the hackathon provides an ideal platform for fostering innovation in line with Saudi Vision 2030. “The ‘Spark Tomorrow’ hackathon is a testament to Ericsson’s continuous commitment to harnessing the power of technology and innovation to advance Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation,” Khandpur noted.
Håkan Cervell, Vice President and Head of Ericsson Saudi Arabia and Egypt, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the hackathon’s role in building a knowledge-based economy. “Among our key objectives is identifying and developing outstanding local tech talent that will drive the Kingdom’s digital future. The hackathon supports the Kingdom’s wider Vision 2030 goals of advancing innovation and emerging as a leader in the global tech landscape,” Cervell concluded.
The Spark Tomorrow hackathon is designed to foster technological innovation and contribute to the Kingdom’s digital transformation by encouraging developers and programmers to create cutting-edge applications. The event aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals of advancing innovation and establishing the country as a global leader in the tech industry.
