Saudi Arabia has set a new Guinness World Record by hosting the world’s largest digital solutions hackathon, bringing together 2,059 participants in a landmark three-day event aimed at accelerating innovation in security and digital services. The record was achieved during the Absher Tuwaiq Hackathon, organized by the Ministry of Interior in partnership with Tuwaiq Academy.
The event was officially opened by Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud, Minister of Interior, and showcased cutting-edge digital transformation initiatives and emerging technologies aligned with Vision 2030. Guinness World Records certified the hackathon as the largest of its kind, with more than 4,100 participants collaborating on over 2,000 projects to address real-world challenges.
Team “The Shadow” won first place and a SR250,000 prize, followed by “Ikhlaa” in second place and “Tanbah” in third. Additional teams received SR450,000 in funding support from the National Technology Development Program for promising project concepts.
During the event, the Ministry of Interior unveiled new digital initiatives, including an AI-powered Absher Assistant, the Midan Al-Shamel platform for unified field operations, and data-driven systems designed to enhance public safety and service delivery. The ministry also signed a cooperation agreement with Humain, the Saudi state-backed AI company launched in 2025.
Technology education was a central theme, led by Tuwaiq Academy, which continues to train Saudi youth in AI, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies. Since 2019, more than 35,000 students have graduated from the academy, with over 80 percent securing employment within three months.
The event reinforced Saudi Arabia’s growing leadership in digital innovation, public-sector transformation, and talent development, positioning the Kingdom as a global benchmark for large-scale technology collaboration.
