Smart waste app wins top prize in UAE hackathon

A smart waste tracking app that detects if a street’s bins are full or empty has won the top prize in the Innovate for the Future hackathon in the UAE city of Sharjah.

It was organised by the Sharjah Open Innovation Lab (SoiLab) at the Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park (SRTIP).

Smart waste collection

The app, which is developed by three students from the University of Sharjah, will be trialled by Bee’ah in its waste collection system. Bee’ah is a public-private partnership company in Sharjah focused on a range of vertical markets including environment and waste management as well as renewable energy and green mobility. The app will provide real-time data to the bin collection vans so that they can stop only at those bins that need to be emptied.

The 10-day hackathon event, organised in partnership with Intel, Sheraa, House of Wisdom, and Ministry of Economy, provided a platform for university students, engineers, entrepreneurs, and enthusiasts to work together and create “ground-breaking and impactful solutions”.

“The hackathon amplified the key mission of SRTIP, which is to nurture and support innovation that simplifies modern living”

Engineers from SoiLAB conducted workshops to help expand the skills of the participants in the fields of coding, 3D printing, 3D modelling, teambuilding, and design thinking. More than 100 participants registered for the hackathon, while only 20 were selected to form teams to create innovative projects.

“The hackathon amplified the key mission of SRTIP, which is to nurture and support innovation that simplifies modern living,” said Hussain Al Mahmoudi, CEO of SRTIP. “It also highlighted the important role of SoiLab in allowing budding entrepreneurs to develop and test their innovations in a world-class environment using cutting edge tools and facilities.”