Vodafone Qatar Partners with UDST for Infrastructure Intelligence Hackathon
The event was designed to encourage innovation through the development of prototype-based solutions addressing key areas of future infrastructure, including smart energy systems and digital grids, telecommunications and 5G-enabled infrastructure, AI-driven optimisation systems, IoT and edge computing applications, and smart city and critical infrastructure monitoring.
Vodafone Qatar collaborated with the University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST) to host an Infrastructure Intelligence Hackathon, a two-day event that brought together top students from engineering fields to tackle real-world challenges in smart energy, telecommunications, and artificial intelligence (AI).
The Hackathon featured ten teams of three to four students working under the theme “Infrastructure Intelligence: Smart Energy and Telecom Systems using AI and 5G.”
The event was designed to encourage innovation through the development of prototype-based solutions addressing key areas of future infrastructure, including smart energy systems and digital grids, telecommunications and 5G-enabled infrastructure, AI-driven optimisation systems, IoT and edge computing applications, and smart city and critical infrastructure monitoring.
Solutions were evaluated based on technical depth and engineering quality, innovation and AI integration, telecommunications relevance, practical impact, and presentation and communication effectiveness. Throughout the day, Vodafone Qatar engineers and UDST faculty provided mentoring and technical guidance to participants before they presented their solutions to a live judging panel.
Prizes were awarded across five categories. Rashid Al-Kaabi, Hamad Al-Kuwari, and Ahmad Zaineldin secured First Place, while Michael Joshua Tendero and Jose Luis Alfonso Sandoval took Second Place, and Mohamed Almejresi, Rayen Cherif, and Mohamed Al Baisoumy earned Third Place. The Best Innovation Award was presented to Seyedeh Hassan, Hafsaa Chohan, and Fadi Mohamed, while Lama Alafaleq and Hiba Sulanki received the Best Industry Relevance Award.
“We are proud to have partnered with UDST on this initiative, which reflects our shared focus on connecting innovation with real-world application. The hackathon provided a valuable platform for students to apply their skills to practical challenges, and the quality of the solutions presented highlights the strong potential of local talent to contribute to Qatar’s ongoing digital transformation.”
– Abdulhadi Al-Sahli, Head of Media Relations and CSR, Vodafone Qatar
“We are pleased to collaborate with Vodafone Qatar through this hackathon, which reflects the University’s applied education approach and the importance of bridging academic knowledge with real-world experience. This initiative provided students with a valuable opportunity to apply their skills, strengthen their critical-thinking abilities, and collaborate in multidisciplinary teams to address real-world challenges. By fostering innovation and experiential learning, the hackathon reflects the shared commitment of both Vodafone Qatar and the University of Doha for Science and Technology to empowering future talent and advancing Qatar’s digital transformation journey.”
– Dr. Ali Lari, Assistant Professor in the College of Engineering and Technology, UDST
