United International University successfully hosted the 7th edition of the Harvard Health Systems Innovation Lab (HSIL) Hackathon 2026 at its Institute of Research, Innovation, Incubation and Commercialisation (IRIIC) on 10 to 11 April.

Marking its second consecutive year as the only Bangladesh hub for the global competition, the Dhaka edition brought together some of the country’s most promising innovators under the HSIL network.

Held under the theme “Building High-Value Health Systems: Leveraging AI”, the hackathon highlighted the growing role of artificial intelligence in improving healthcare quality, accessibility and efficiency.

The Dhaka hub received more than 650 applications nationwide. Following a competitive selection process, 22 teams comprising 98 participants, along with four individual innovators, were selected, of which 17 teams advanced to the final round.

Over two days, interdisciplinary teams including students, clinicians, engineers and entrepreneurs developed solutions addressing key health challenges such as infectious diseases, diagnostics and access to care. Participants were supported by mentors from academia, healthcare and industry, who provided technical and strategic guidance.

At the end of the competition, two teams were declared winners of the Bangladesh hub.

Team Maverick, representing the Military Institute of Science and Technology and United International University, developed an AI-enabled platform for early detection and support of dyslexia in children through personalised, interactive learning.

ShigellaAI Diagnostics Bangladesh, a team from International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research Bangladesh (icddr,b), introduced an AI-based clinical decision support tool to improve the diagnosis and management of Shigella-related diarrhoeal diseases in resource-constrained settings.

The winning teams will advance to the HSIL Global Bootcamp, where they will further refine their solutions and compete with teams from other international hubs for global recognition and potential entry into the HSIL Venture Incubation Programme.

The final round was evaluated by a panel that included Laura J Reichenbach, Dean of the James P Grant School of Public Health at BRAC University; Ferdousi Begum; Kulsum Ara; Khondaker A Mamun; Nurul Hai; Harun Ortac; and Abu Raihan Al Beruni.

The event was attended by Sayeba Akhter, Chairman of the Bangladesh Medical Research Council, as special guest, and Jalal Uddin Mohammad Rumi as guest of honour. The programme was chaired by Md Abul Kashem Mia, Vice-Chancellor of United International University.

Organisers said the successful hosting of the hackathon reinforces UIU’s role in promoting health innovation in Bangladesh by fostering collaboration between academia, healthcare and industry, while encouraging technology-driven solutions to real-world challenges.