KOTA SAMARAHAN, 11 DECEMBER 2024 – Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC), in collaboration with Borneo Digital, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), and supporting partner ZOHO Corporation, recently hosted HackWknd Kota Samarahan 2024 from 6 to 8 December 2024, at the Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology (FCSIT), UNIMAS. This transformative 48-hour hackathon brought together developers, educators, and AI enthusiasts to reimagine the education sector through cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions.

Themed ‘AI for Education’, the event showcased the potential of AI to tackle challenges such as accessibility, engagement, and personalised learning. Participants had the opportunity to work alongside industry experts from organisations like Borneo Digital, ZOHO Corporation, Pandai, Krenovator Technology, ARX Media, Stinablis, and Redseed Technology, who served as mentors and judges throughout the event.

Championing Education Innovation

This year’s HackWknd concluded with remarkable achievements, highlighting the creative and technical talents of the participants. The winners are:

• 1st Place (RM3,000): AI Innovation Award – Team Ballin’ for their solution, Quiz Quest, an AI-powered education platform that generates personalised questions from study materials to improve learning habits and alleviate test anxiety.
• 2nd Place (RM2,500): Educational Impact Award – Team Spectakuler
• 3rd Place (RM1,000): Technical Excellence Award – Team Visionaries2.0

Special prizes of RM500 each were also awarded to:

• People’s Choice Award – Team For Fun
• Most Accessible Solution – Team Ainspire
• Best Use of Large Language Model – Team EduSolve

A Platform for Impactful Innovation

HackWknd Kota Samarahan is a melting pot of creativity, collaboration, and rapid experimentation. “HackWknd exemplifies how AI can transform education, and we are proud to support initiatives that foster innovation and talent development,” said Ts Hamadlan Hj Hamdan, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of SDEC. “The solutions developed here have the potential to make a lasting impact in education technology.”

Looking to the Future

This HackWknd event lays the foundation for more exciting editions in 2025 and beyond, expanding opportunities for innovators to shape Sarawak’s digital future.

For more information about HackWknd, visit https://hackwknd.sarawak.digital/ or follow Sarawak Digital and Innovation on social media.