Healthon Digital Health Innovation 2026

King Saud University Medical City, represented by its Executive Department of Information Technology and Digital Transformation, holds the second edition of Healthon, the digital health innovation hackathon, at the Main Hall of King Saud University in Riyadh from 1 to 4 October 2026. The working days run from 1 to 3 October, while 4 October is given to the closing ceremony and the announcement of winners, preceded by an orientation day on 28 September, after applications are screened between 16 and 20 September and qualified participants are confirmed on 21 September. Registration closes on 15 September 2026.

The hackathon is built on four tracks that represent the main areas of innovation in developing AI-powered digital health solutions. Health insurance innovation manages the insured member's digital journey from coverage and approvals through claims and follow-up, and speeds both up by automating eligibility checks and reducing rejections. Preventive and proactive healthcare covers systems that predict health risks before they occur, early detection applications built on biometric data, and smart monitoring tools for high-risk groups. Women's digital health spans monitoring during pregnancy and postpartum, early detection of breast and cervical cancer, and remote maternal and foetal monitoring linked to medical teams. Digital patient experience manages the patient journey from appointment to recovery through smart indoor navigation inside hospitals, virtual clinic platforms, home care and shorter waiting times in emergency departments and outpatient clinics. The event targets university students, software developers, healthcare experts, researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs, healthcare practitioners and anyone interested in the sector, and offers commemorative and honorary awards alongside financial rewards distributed across the top three places and the different tracks, together with incubation for winning projects in business incubators, training places and scholarships, and the chance to showcase projects at local and regional conferences and exhibitions.

Participation is free of charge and bound by the conditions published in the participants' guide. Teams have between three and five members, participants are at least 18 years old, and entry is open to Saudi nationals and residents of Saudi Arabia within the target groups, provided each participant chooses a single track and registers with only one team, and that the project is original and has not been presented or implemented at earlier events. Registration runs through the hackathon's official website, either as an individual who joins a team later or as the leader of a complete team, stating the chosen track, the project name, a brief description and its objective, and it includes acceptance of intellectual property terms under which the submitted solutions and ideas become the property of King Saud University Medical City. Attendance in Riyadh is mandatory for all participants on the announced dates, the hackathon runs in Arabic and English, and accommodation, travel and transport costs are borne by participants.