Dhiraagu and SparkHub announce Maldives’ first Generative AI Hackathon
Dhiraagu and SparkHub have announced the Maldives’ first Generative AI Hackathon, a flagship initiative designed to empower startups, entrepreneurs and innovators to shape the future of industry and innovation through artificial intelligence.
The hackathon will bring together emerging innovators to explore how Generative AI can significantly reduce product build time, enabling teams to move from concept to a live, publicly accessible product within 48 hours using AI-powered tools and platforms.
Participants will benefit from intensive, curated AI sessions led by experienced practitioners, offering hands-on guidance across ideation, development, deployment and product launch. Throughout the hackathon, teams will be supported by mentors with expertise in modern AI technologies, ensuring practical learning and real-time problem solving.
Unlike traditional hackathons, GenAI Hack follows an open-category format and is targeted exclusively at teams developing entirely new solutions created during the event itself. This approach is intended to encourage originality and foster a product-focused, innovation-driven environment. The initiative is jointly led by Dhiraagu and SparkHub, with Synetecs participating as a co-partner.
A defining principle of the hackathon is “no shipping, no pitching”. Teams will be required to publicly launch their product during the event before final judging. Instead of evaluating slide presentations or conceptual demonstrations, judges will assess fully functional products that are live and accessible to the public.
Mirshan Hassan, Director of Brand & Marketing Communications at Dhiraagu, stated that the rapid advancement of generative AI highlights the importance of hands-on community engagement with these technologies. He noted that the initiative reflects Dhiraagu’s commitment to equipping Maldivian innovators with the tools, skills and confidence needed to build, experiment and launch AI-driven solutions in real-world environments, while supporting community-led innovation.
Sharing SparkHub’s perspective, Hussain Jinan, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of SparkHub, said that founders globally are increasingly using AI to overcome skill gaps and accelerate product development. He added that GenAI Hack was designed to reflect this shift by moving beyond conventional hackathons and placing emphasis on real product launches rather than conceptual outputs.
GenAI Hack 2026 is scheduled to take place from 6 to 8 February 2026 and is open to teams of three to five members. Participation is limited, with slots allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
