DUBAI, 21st May, 2026 (WAM) -- Dubai International Academic City and Dubai Knowledge Park, in partnership with Dubai Science Park and with support from incubator in5, all part of TECOM Group PJSC, concluded the first edition of Future Hack 2026, a four-day inter-university science hackathon designed to connect students, academia, and industry leaders in addressing real-world scientific challenges.

The hackathon brought together talented students from multiple universities based at TECOM Group's Dubai International Academic City and Dubai Knowledge Park to collaboratively address real-world challenges provided by industry partners, including Smart Salem and Mediclinic Middle East.

Following the hackathon, Mediclinic Middle East has committed to incubating the two winning teams from the University of Birmingham Dubai and Manipal Academy of Higher Education - Dubai Campus. Both teams will enter a structured development phase to advance their solutions into proofs-of-concept, with the potential to secure funding from Mediclinic Middle East and be deployed across its hospital network.

"Future Hack exemplifies the kind of practical collaboration that transforms bright ideas into solutions with real-world impact," said Marwan Abdulaziz Janahi, Senior Vice President of Dubai Science Park, Dubai International Academic City, and Dubai Knowledge Park, part of TECOM Group.

Future Hack distinguished itself as a science-focused platform rather than a conventional student competition. Participants tackled industry-led challenges, with Smart Salem focusing on Smart Cities & Future Services, as well as Wellbeing & Preventative Care, while Mediclinic Middle East's challenges centred on Wellbeing & Preventative Care and Healthcare & Digital Health.

Across the hackathon, participants acted as active problem-solvers, engaging directly with industry-relevant challenges while refining their ideas through structured workshops covering business foundations, validation, financial viability, and storytelling. Mentoring from ecosystem experts provided practical feedback and guidance, enhancing the real-world impact of their solutions.