It was not just the giga projects that made news at Cityscape Global in Riyadh last month.
While the massive deals announced at the event certainly made headlines around the world, there were promising new proptech ideas taking centrestage at the ROSHN Hackathon competition held during the world’s biggest property show.
The ROSHN Hackathon was conceptualized to provide a platform for innovative ideas tailor-made for the Saudi proptech industry. It gave participants a chance to interact with professional developers, innovative designers, and industry experts to develop novel solutions that have the potential to revolutionize the industry.
INNOVATION CATALYST FOR KSA
The competition sought to enhance the living standards of residents and tenants by providing state-of-the-art digital solutions that suit their individual needs and preferences.
“The ROSHN hackathon goes beyond being an event; it served as an innovation catalyst and a pioneering initiative in the Kingdom,” says Jayesh Maganlal, Group Chief Information and Digital Officer at ROSHN Group.
“It helped draw top talents from local and global domains by offering a collaborative platform for fresh perspectives and ideas. The core aim was to drive proptech innovation by challenging norms and introducing groundbreaking ideas to real estate.
“Ultimately the mission is to nurture great ideas and create a supportive ecosystem for homegrown solutions,” he adds.
“The hackathon was a resounding success, drawing top international and local talent,” says ROSHN Hackathon partner BIM Ventures CEO and Managing Partner Mohamed Amine Merah.
“From a strong field, 16 standout teams emerged, with 4 exceptional winners taking the spotlight. This event not only showcases the burgeoning success and potential of the proptech sector in Saudi Arabia, but also resonates deeply with the forward-thinking goals of Saudi Vision 2030."
ROSHN HACKATHON CHALLENGES
Submissions received by the competition categorised entries based on two tracks - New Venture Ideas and Established Startups. Participants were given three key challenges, including Revolutionizing Software Solutions, to come up with user-friendly, scalable, community driven solutions, and successful software programs that can transform real estate operations and boost general effectiveness and efficiency.
The next challenge asked participants to Introduce Pioneering Products, either by designing and building hardware or physical products that leverage technology to enhance the real estate experience. This challenge called for participants to develop innovative devices or solutions that integrate with properties, such as smart home technologies, energy-efficient systems, security systems, or IoT devices.
Finally, participants were asked to incorporate ideas into their submissions that would lead to the Transformation of Infrastructure and Compliance. Participants were required to come up with solutions that would support community monitoring and reporting as well as utilizing data-driven approaches for compliance solutions.
NEW VENTURE WINNER
An esteemed panel of judges evaluated the submissions, with the finalists presenting their ideas at the ROSHN Hackathon during Cityscape Global. The jury consisted of Dr. Olayan AlHarbi, Advisor to H.E. Vice Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing, Saudi Arabia; Jayesh Maganlal, Group Chief Information & Digital Officer at ROSHN Group; Yassen Kattan, Head of Strategy & Corporate Affairs at ROSHN Group; Waseem Khashan, Executive Marketing Director at ROSHN Group; Rayan AlSharif, Partner at BIM Ventures; Khalid Alohali, Customer Engineering Manager at Google Cloud.
After a rigorous review of the presentations, the top prize for the New Venture Ideas was awarded to Team EcoFit. Their groundbreaking project involves a hydroponics solution that aligns with ROSHN’s mission of nurturing vibrant, integrated communities, and a stepping-stone towards a future that resonates with the ambitions of Saudi Vision 2030 and the Saudi Green Initiative.
According to the winning team, “Our overarching goal is multi-faceted: to achieve unparalleled resource efficiency and security in food, water, and energy sectors, while simultaneously prioritizing community wellness, elevating the quality of life, and actively mitigating carbon emissions.
“Through EcoFit, we are not merely redefining the parameters of sustainable living; we are setting a new standard for holistic well-being and environmental stewardship, both within the Kingdom and beyond.”
‘ESTABLISHED STARTUP’ WINNER
Meanwhile, NeoROSHN emerged as the winning team for the Established Startups track. Their project, NeoLocus, is an e-commerce platform for furniture. On receiving their award, the team said: “Being able to work together with such a large enterprise will boost our product immensely and gives us confidence to keep on working hard to deliver the best solution for the market.”
The ROSHN Hackathon competition was supported by BIM Ventures and Google Cloud.
