In a landmark initiative that marks a new era for food innovation in Kuwait, Jahez Application, one of the country’s leading food delivery platforms, in collaboration with the Kuwait Innovation Center (KIC), successfully concluded the first-ever Food Hackathon in Kuwait. Held in August 2025, this event brought together aspiring innovators, tech enthusiasts, and young visionaries to rethink the way food delivery services operate in the country. The hackathon was designed not just as a competition, but as a platform for collaboration, creative problem-solving, and empowerment of the youth.
A Vision for the Future
The idea behind the hackathon was to encourage participants to generate creative solutions for the food industry, a sector that has grown rapidly in Kuwait over the past decade. Jahez and KIC envisioned an event where technology, innovation, and imagination could converge to address everyday challenges in food delivery, logistics, sustainability, and customer engagement.
By creating this opportunity, both organizations aimed to contribute to Kuwait Vision 2035, which emphasizes digital transformation, entrepreneurship, and fostering a culture of innovation. The hackathon encouraged participants to think beyond conventional models and develop solutions that could potentially reshape the future of food services in the region.
Structured for Success
The hackathon spanned several stages, carefully designed to provide guidance, resources, and mentorship to all participants. Interested teams first applied with preliminary ideas, from which 20 of the most promising teams were selected to enter the bootcamp phase.
The three-day bootcamp, held at the Kuwait Innovation Center from August 6 to 8, focused on equipping participants with essential skills for turning their ideas into practical solutions. Workshops included topics like artificial intelligence applications in food delivery, designing user-friendly interfaces, creating sustainable business models, and understanding market trends. Experienced mentors from Jahez and industry experts offered personalized guidance, helping teams refine their solutions and align them with real-world demands.
This structured approach ensured that the hackathon was not just a competition, but also a learning experience, allowing participants to gain valuable knowledge and skills while fostering collaboration and networking among like-minded innovators.
Inspiring Participation
The event saw participation from students, young professionals, and tech enthusiasts across Kuwait. Each team brought unique perspectives, creative approaches, and a strong desire to solve real-life challenges in the food delivery ecosystem. Some teams focused on reducing food waste, others on improving delivery efficiency through AI, and some proposed innovative apps to enhance customer experience.
The diverse ideas highlighted not only the creativity of Kuwait’s youth but also their awareness of contemporary challenges such as sustainability, efficiency, and user convenience. This diversity of thought underscored the hackathon’s aim: to encourage out-of-the-box thinking while emphasizing practicality and implementable solutions.
Celebrating Excellence
The hackathon reached its climax with a live pitching and awards ceremony on August 16 at Andalus Hall. Participants presented their solutions to a panel of distinguished judges, including industry experts, business leaders, and representatives from Jahez and KIC. The judging criteria focused on innovation, feasibility, impact, and the potential for real-world application.
Three teams stood out for their exceptional ideas. The first-place team, Project Wasel, led by Nour Altunaib and Somou, impressed judges with a solution combining AI-driven delivery optimization and a user-friendly mobile interface. They were awarded KWD 3,000 (approximately USD 9,811). The second-place team introduced a sustainability-focused delivery platform and received KWD 2,000 (USD 6,541), while the third-place team, recognized for their innovative loyalty program, earned KWD 1,000 (USD 3,270).
The celebration was more than just handing out prizes. It was an acknowledgment of creativity, hard work, and the potential to turn ideas into impactful ventures. Participants felt inspired, motivated, and ready to take their solutions to the next level.
Beyond the Competition
While monetary rewards were significant, the hackathon offered much more. Winning teams received mentorship and incubation support, creating pathways for their ideas to develop into market-ready solutions. Jahez committed to exploring possibilities of integrating promising solutions into its operations, opening doors for real-world implementation.
This emphasis on follow-through highlighted the hackathon’s ultimate goal: not just to reward ideas, but to foster innovation that can have lasting impact. By providing participants with the tools, guidance, and support needed to refine their concepts, the hackathon ensured that creative ideas had the opportunity to grow beyond the competition.
A Platform for Innovation
Abdulrahman Reda, representing Jahez, expressed the company’s commitment to nurturing talent and encouraging innovation. He stated, “At Jahez, we are proud to play a leading role in advancing innovation and empowering the youth of Kuwait. This hackathon is a testament to our dedication to fostering creativity and collaboration in the food delivery sector.”
KIC also emphasized its role as a hub for innovation, supporting initiatives that combine technology and creativity to solve pressing challenges. Their collaboration with Jahez demonstrated the power of partnerships in building ecosystems that allow innovation to thrive.
Real Impact on the Food Industry
The hackathon not only highlighted creative solutions but also addressed real challenges within the food delivery sector. Ideas related to reducing delivery times, integrating AI for predictive logistics, minimizing food wastage, and improving customer satisfaction have the potential to reshape operations in a sector that continues to grow rapidly in Kuwait.
Moreover, the event served as a model for other industries, showing how hackathons can encourage innovation, collaboration, and skill-building among youth. By focusing on both technological advancement and practical application, the hackathon created a bridge between ideas and real-world solutions.
Inspiring the Next Generation
One of the most significant outcomes of the hackathon was its ability to inspire Kuwait’s young talent. Participants left with newfound confidence, enhanced skills, and a vision for what is possible when creativity meets opportunity. Many expressed their excitement at being able to present their ideas to industry leaders and receive feedback that could shape their future ventures.
The event also fostered networking opportunities, allowing participants to connect with mentors, industry experts, and like-minded peers. These connections are invaluable for future collaborations, entrepreneurship, and professional growth.
Conclusion
The successful conclusion of Kuwait’s first Food Innovation Hackathon is a shining example of the power of creativity, collaboration, and technological innovation. Jahez and KIC have demonstrated that when organizations invest in young talent and provide platforms for experimentation, the results can be transformative.
Through this initiative, not only were innovative solutions developed, but participants also gained the experience, mentorship, and encouragement needed to bring their ideas to life. The event has inspired a new generation of innovators ready to shape the future of food delivery in Kuwait and beyond. As technology and creativity continue to converge, the impact of such initiatives will only grow stronger, signaling a promising future for Kuwait’s food tech ecosystem.
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