Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Crowns Winners of Industrial Hackathon

A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
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Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Crowns Winners of Industrial Hackathon

A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Industrial Development Fund (SIDF) Bandar bin Ibrahim Al-Khorayef and Prince Sultan bin Khalid bin Faisal, CEO of the SIDF, crowned the winning teams of the second edition of the “Industrial Hackathon”.

Launched by the SIDF to encourage youth contribution in developing industrial sectors, the Industrial Hackathon introduces innovative solutions to the challenges facing national manufacturers through three aspects: design, production, and sustainability.

In the design track, the PSU Industry 4.0 team secured the first-place position, with the THROUGH team taking second place. In the production track, the BRDAN team claimed first place, while the Mankhal team earned the second-place spot.

In the sustainability track, the HEXA team emerged as the first-place winner, followed by the E-VIVE team in second place. The RedNest team was recognized for presenting the most outstanding solution to the challenge posed by the Red Sea International Company (RSI) during the hackathon.

The first-place winning teams received a prize worth SAR 50,000, and the second-place winning teams won a prize of SAR 35,000, while the winning team in the Red Sea International Company (RSI) Challenge received a prize of SAR 25,000

Al-Khorayef congratulated the participants, extending his gratitude to all the entities supporting the Hackathon from the public and private sectors.

He reiterated that the Hackathon reflects the Industrial Fund’s continued commitment to supporting national manufacturers, embracing and supporting innovators, being one of the most important platforms that gather talents and creative ideas in a number of diverse industrial fields and challenges.

He pointed out that the Hackathon aims to support national companies and factories by devising creative solutions to the challenges that the manufacturers face and contributing to the growth of national products and promoting them at the local and global levels.

The Hackathon aims to bolster national companies and factories by devising innovative solutions to the challenges they encounter, helping with the advancement of domestic products and enhancing their visibility both locally and globally, he added.

The Industrial Hackathon is an opportunity to learn about the creative potential in Saudi society that can help in achieving the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 and the National Strategy for Industry.

The total prize pool for the second edition of the Hackathon amounted to more than SAR 1,000,000.

This edition was held in partnership with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) as an innovation partner, Riyad Bank as a financial partner, and Sipchem Company as a Platinum sponsor.



Heavy Rain in Northern Japan Triggers Floods, Landslides

A road is flooded after a heavy rain in Sakata, Yamagata prefecture, northern Japan Friday, July 26, 2024. Heavy rain hit northern Japan Thursday, triggering floods and landslides, disrupting transportation systems and forcing hundreds of residents to take shelter at safer grounds. (Kyodo News via AP)
A road is flooded after a heavy rain in Sakata, Yamagata prefecture, northern Japan Friday, July 26, 2024. Heavy rain hit northern Japan Thursday, triggering floods and landslides, disrupting transportation systems and forcing hundreds of residents to take shelter at safer grounds. (Kyodo News via AP)
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Heavy Rain in Northern Japan Triggers Floods, Landslides

A road is flooded after a heavy rain in Sakata, Yamagata prefecture, northern Japan Friday, July 26, 2024. Heavy rain hit northern Japan Thursday, triggering floods and landslides, disrupting transportation systems and forcing hundreds of residents to take shelter at safer grounds. (Kyodo News via AP)
A road is flooded after a heavy rain in Sakata, Yamagata prefecture, northern Japan Friday, July 26, 2024. Heavy rain hit northern Japan Thursday, triggering floods and landslides, disrupting transportation systems and forcing hundreds of residents to take shelter at safer grounds. (Kyodo News via AP)

Heavy rain hit northern Japan Thursday, triggering floods and landslides, disrupting transportation systems and forcing hundreds of residents to take shelter at safer grounds.

The Japan Meteorological Agency issued emergency warnings of heavy rain for several municipalities in the Yamagata and Akita prefecture, where warm and humid air was flowing.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida urged the affected area’s residents to “put safety first” and pay close attention to the latest information from the authorities.

According to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency, one person went missing in Yuzawa city — in the Akita prefecture — after being hit by a landslide at a road construction site.

Rescue workers in the city evacuated 11 people from the flooded area with the help of a boat.

In the neighboring Yamagata prefecture, more than 10 centimeters (4 inches) of rain fell in the hardest-hit Yuza and Sakata towns within an hour earlier Thursday.

Thousands of residents in the area were advised to take shelter at higher and safer grounds, but it was not immediately known how many people took that advice.

Yamagata Shinkansen bullet train services were partially suspended on Thursday, according to East Japan Railway Company.

The agency predicted up to 20 centimeters (8 inches) of more rainfall in the region through Friday evening, urging residents to remain cautious.