The AI Hackathon 2025, organized by the Omantel innovation labs and The Rising Omani Startups Programme, concluded successfully its four-day event at Omantel Headquarters, marking a significant step in advancing Sultanate of Oman’s innovation and AI-driven startup landscape.
The AI hackathon brought together 20 early-stage startups from different sectors working on diverse innovative solutions. Throughout the intensive hackathon at Omantel, founders worked closely with mentors and industry specialists to build AI-powered prototypes, explore practical use cases for emerging AI technologies, and refine business models around their solutions.
Omantel Innovation labs and The Rising Omani Startups Programme recognized a total of eight startups developing innovative, AI-enabled solutions. The top three teams received OMR 3,000 each from the Rising Omani Startups Programme and will continue their AI development journey at Omantel Innovation Labs, while five additional startups were selected for two-months of incubation at Omantel Innovation Labs.
The winning AI solutions were:
- 1st Place – E&E (Tawjih AI): An enterprise intelligence solution that uses AI to transform fragmented corporate data into actionable insights, enabling sales teams to make smarter, data-driven decisions.
- 2nd Place – Synapse Cyber: An AI-assisted cybersecurity device that protects networks, performs automated threat detection, and ensures secure system updates without requiring specialised technical expertise.
- 3rd Place – Wasl: An AI-enhanced business communication platform for SMEs and freelancers that automates reminders, scheduling, and workflow tasks through an Arabic WhatsApp-style interface.
HH Sayyida Ghada bint Jaifer Al Said, Senior Manager at Omantel Innovation Labs, said:
“At Omantel, we remain committed to strengthening Sultanate of Oman’s innovation landscape and enabling the next generation of technology-driven ventures. The second edition of the AI Hackathon highlights our dedication to equipping founders with the tools and expertise needed to harness artificial intelligence and unlock new opportunities for growth. We congratulate all the winning teams on their outstanding solutions and look forward to supporting their continued progress at Omantel Innovation Labs.”
Qais bin Rashid Al-Tubi, General Supervisor of the Rising Omani Startups Programme, stated:
“The AI Hackathon reflects the vision of the Rising Omani Startups Programme to empower forward-thinking entrepreneurs capable of applying artificial intelligence to solve real economic and social challenges. We congratulate the winning teams for the creativity and technological depth demonstrated in their AI-driven solutions. Through this initiative, and in collaboration with Omantel Innovation Labs, we continue to provide founders with the support and opportunities they need to innovate, scale, and contribute to the Sultanate’s economic diversification.”
The AI Hackathon 2025 reaffirmed the joint commitment of Omantel and the Rising Omani Startups Programme to enabling AI-powered entrepreneurship and fostering a dynamic, innovation-led ecosystem in the Sultanate.
The Rising Omani Startups Programme operates under the patronage of His Highness Sayyid Bilarab bin Haitham Al Said, the programme’s Honorary President. It is implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, the Ministry of Economy, Authority of Sme development (Riyada) and the Oman ICT Group (ITHCA).
The programme represents a key milestone in advancing Sultanate of Oman startup ecosystem, empowering entrepreneurs with innovative ideas and connecting them with business and investment opportunities both locally and globally.
Omantel Innovation Labs is the startup support and corporate venture capitalist arm of Omantel. Since its establishment in 2021, Omantel Innovation Labs has played a central role in supporting Oman Vision 2040 by nurturing over 60 technology startups through its accelerator and innovation programs. Omantel Innovation Labs also manages a joint fund between Omantel and Future Fund Oman and has invested approximately 3 million OMR in promising ventures.
Source: Omantel Press Release
