Move to empower next generation of innovators
Etihad Rail, the developer and operator of the UAE’s National Railway Network, has announced the launch of the Global Rail Youth Hackathon 2025, a two-day competition for students and recent graduates to design innovative solutions that will reimagine the future of rail and infrastructure in the UAE.
The event will take place from 1–2 October 2025 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) as part of Global Rail 2025.
The hackathon will become a key platform for youth empowerment and knowledge creation, offering around 50 students and recent graduates the opportunity to tackle real-world challenges inspired by the UAE’s rail ecosystem.
Guidance
Guided by industry experts and mentors, teams will compete for cash prizes in a fast-paced environment where creativity meets problem solving, according to a press communique.
Etihad Rail designed the hackathon to align with the UAE’s ambitions to spread the culture of digital transformation, while empowering the next generation to play a role in shaping smarter, more sustainable mobility for the region.
Submissions will be assessed by a diverse panel of judges representing both Etihad Rail and external experts from academia, industry, and the public sector, based on a variety of criteria such as creativity, feasibility, impact, and the innovative use of AI and emerging technologies. Winning teams will be recognized at the end of the hackathon.
Celebration
“This hackathon is a celebration of youth, creativity, and the role they play in building the future of rail and infrastructure,” stressed Ahmed Al Musawa Al Hashemi, CEO, Hafeet Rail and Chairman, Executive Committee of Global Rail.
Participation is open to university students and recent graduates within the past two years from across the UAE, with backgrounds in engineering, technology, or business, a press statement concluded.
