To encourage innovative thinking and technology-driven solutions among young talents, Daffodil International University is set to host AI Hackathon 2026 on 11 and 12 July 2026 at its permanent campus in Daffodil Smart City. In this connection, the university has entered into a collaboration with the World AI Alliance (WAA).

A press conference announcing the event was held on 15 April at the university campus in Birulia, Savar, in the presence of distinguished figures from the country’s ICT and higher education sectors.

Among those present were President of the World AI Alliance and Chief Executive Officer of ScaleBuild AI Ujjal Roy, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Daffodil International University Dr Md Sabur Khan, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Dr Mohammad Masum Iqbal, Registrar Dr Mohammad Nadir Bin Ali, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Information Technology Prof Dr Md Fokhray Hossain, Head of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering Dr Sheikh Rashed Haider Noori, Head of the Department of Software Engineering Dr Imran Mahmud, Head of the Department of Information and Communication Engineering Dr Engr Md Taslim Arefin, and Head of the Department of Computing and Information Systems Md Sarwar Hossain Molla, along with other faculty members and officials of the university.

The primary objective of the hackathon is to bring together talented students from universities across the country to develop innovative solutions to real-world problems using artificial intelligence. The competition will be held as a 48-hour intensive hackathon, where selected teams will develop and present their AI-based projects.

The competition will be open to students from all universities in Bangladesh. Each team must consist of three students and one mentor from either academia or industry.

The hackathon will be held across three distinct tracks.

Participants will be required to register online and submit a concept note. A panel of expert judges will evaluate the submissions, and shortlisted teams will be invited to the final round.

The hackathon will offer a total prize pool of Tk2 lakh. In addition, the winning teams will have the opportunity to turn their projects into start-ups through funding, mentorship and incubation support facilitated by the World AI Alliance.

Daffodil International University said such initiatives not only strengthen technological skills among young people, but also help shape them into innovators, problem-solvers and future leaders.

Through AI Hackathon 2026, the university aims to help build a strong innovation ecosystem and further position Bangladesh on the global map of AI-based research and technological advancement, marking an important step in the country’s digital journey.