30%of the score
Venture potential
The team shows a clear customer, a route to adoption in the UAE health system, an understanding of regulatory and data requirements, and a realistic milestone plan.
Department of Health, Abu Dhabi
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About
Building for healthier generations
HealthX Ajyal Hackathon brings together students, clinicians, researchers, engineers, designers and founders to build health solutions in Abu Dhabi, with the hackathon day and showcase held on 22 November. Ajyal (أجيال) is Arabic for generations, and the four themes follow health across a lifetime, from fertility and women's health to healthy aging and Alzheimer's disease.
Selected teams build their prototype during build week, from 17 to 21 November, finish it on the hackathon day with guidance from mentors, and present the result to a jury at a showcase that evening. The Department of Health is looking for teams that intend to keep building after the event, so the grants are tied to the milestones a team reaches on its way to becoming a licensed startup.
Explore the themes- 22 Novhackathon day and showcase
- 4health themes
- 2–4people per team
- 30,000 AEDin grants
Themes
Hackathon solutions must address at least one of four health themes
Every idea must address at least one theme, so please read the details of each theme below. Real data will not be provided, and teams are encouraged to generate synthetic data or use open-source datasets.
Start of lifeLater life
Select a theme to see its focus areas; until one is selected, the map moves through the themes in turn.
The examples illustrate the scope of each theme, and teams are expected to bring their own ideas.
Who should apply
The strongest teams combine health and technical skills
The hackathon is open to anyone aged 18 or over who can attend the hackathon day in person at the DOH Incubator in Masdar City on 22 November. Because the strongest teams pair people who can build with people who understand the health problem, the organizers welcome applicants whether or not they have taken part in a hackathon before.
- Every team must include at least one university student.
- Teams apply with two to four members. A team without a university student can apply with up to three members, and the organizers will match it with a student.
- Individuals can apply on their own and will be matched into a team of two to four people, indicating the roles they are looking for.
- Students, recent graduates, healthcare professionals, working professionals and startup founders are all eligible to apply.
- Clinical, research, design and business roles do not require any coding experience.
Roles that strengthen a team
Places are limited, and the organizers review every application.
Teams
Teams have two to four members, and every team includes at least one university student. A team without a student applies with up to three members and is matched with one, and individuals are matched into teams.
Apply nowKey dates
Program milestones
Applications open on Tuesday 27 October 2026.
Applicants apply as individuals or as teams of two to four people, and every team must include at least one university student. The form takes about 11 minutes, and because ideas can be refined after selection, a clearly defined problem matters more than a finished solution.
The form closes at 23:59 Gulf Standard Time, after which reviewers assess how clearly each problem is defined and evidenced, what each applicant can contribute, whether the idea can be demonstrated at the showcase, how well the team's skills complement one another, and how likely the team is to continue after the event.
Selected applicants receive a confirmation email with the participant handbook. Individuals are placed in teams, teams without a university student are matched with one, and any places that become available are offered to applicants on the waitlist.
Selected teams spend five days building their prototype ahead of the hackathon day.
The day runs at the DOH Incubator in Masdar City, opening with a morning briefing and continuing with mentor-supported building until the evening showcase, where finalist teams pitch and demonstrate their prototypes to the jury. The winning teams are announced at the close of the showcase.
Winning teams receive half of their grant once the Grant Agreement is signed, and the remainder in three payments as they reach their one-, three- and six-month milestones.
Grants
Grant funding is released as teams reach their milestones
The prize pool is 30,000 AED in cash. 50% of each grant is paid when the team signs the Grant Agreement, and the remaining 50% is released in stages as the team reaches its milestones after the event. The timeline below is indicative, and payments can be released sooner if a team reaches its milestones faster.
How the grant is paid
Payments are released as the team reaches each milestone.
Total grant
On signing · 50%
Upfront payment
The team signs the Grant Agreement and completes identity and bank checks.
1 month · 10%
Venture commitment
The team signs a founders' agreement covering roles, equity and intellectual property, submits a six-month venture plan and attends the winners' onboarding session.
3 months · 15%
Validated MVP
The team presents a working minimum viable product (MVP) that goes beyond the hackathon demo, validates it with at least 15 target users or clinicians, and submits a short note on data protection and the regulatory pathway.
6 months · 25%
Licensed startup
The team incorporates a company with a valid UAE commercial license, with the founders as shareholders and a corporate bank account in the company's name.
A team must score at least 60 out of 100 with the jury to be eligible for a grant.
Judging
Jury criteria for selecting the winners at the showcase
The jury brings together clinical, investment and technology expertise with representatives of the Department of Health and founders of health-technology companies, and it scores each finalist against five weighted criteria.
20%of the score
Problem and health impact
The jury considers how significant the problem is for people in Abu Dhabi and how far the solution could improve outcomes, access or cost.
20%of the score
Innovation and evidence
The approach improves on existing solutions and draws on clinical or scientific evidence.
20%of the score
Prototype and execution
The team demonstrates a working version of the core user journey that it built after being accepted.
10%of the score
Team and pitch
The pitch is clear, questions receive direct answers, and the team is committed to continuing after the event.
Ground rules
Every team works under five ground rules
Team
Every team has two to four members and includes at least one university student. A team without a student applies with no more than three members and is matched with one, and individual applicants are placed in teams.
Data
Real data will not be provided, and real, identifiable patient data is not permitted, so teams should generate synthetic data or use open-source datasets.
Original work
Selected teams may start building once selection is announced on 16 November, and earlier code, research or designs may be used if they are disclosed at the start of the event, while AI tools are permitted provided their use is disclosed in the pitch.
Intellectual property
Teams retain ownership of the intellectual property they create during the event, subject to the Terms and Conditions.
Conduct
Every participant accepts the Code of Conduct and the Terms and Conditions as part of the application.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a team to apply?
No. Individuals can apply on their own and will be matched into a team of two to four people that needs their skills.
Does every team need a university student?
Yes. Every team must include at least one university student. A team that does not have one can apply with up to three members, and the organizers will match it with a student.
Do I need to know how to code?
Coding is not required, because teams need clinical, research, design and business skills alongside technical ones.
Can I work on an idea I have already started?
Teams may build on earlier work provided they disclose any existing code, research or designs at the start of the event, and selected teams can start building once selection is announced on 16 November.
How are the grants paid?
Half of each grant is paid once the Grant Agreement is signed, and the remainder is paid in three stages as the team reaches its one-, three- and six-month milestones, the last of which is a licensed UAE company. These timings are indicative, and a team that reaches its milestones sooner is paid sooner.
What data can we use?
Real data will not be provided, so teams should generate synthetic data or use open-source datasets, and real, identifiable patient data is not permitted.
What should participants bring on the day?
Participants should bring a laptop, a charger, any hardware their project needs and the synthetic or open-source data they plan to use.
Apply
Applications close on 14 November 2026
Applicants can apply as individuals or as teams of up to four. Every team must include at least one university student, so a team without one applies with up to three members and is matched with a student. The form takes about 11 minutes, and each team member submits a separate application using the same team name.
- Date
- 22 November 2026
- Apply by
- 14 November 2026
- Location
- DOH Incubator, Masdar City
- Grants
- 30,000 AED