The event attracted the participation of field specialists, and coding enthusiasts

The Hackathon is one of Gulf Bank’s initiatives aimed at fostering innovative local talents and learning about new ideas.

As part of its ongoing march toward digital transformation and in support of the national development plan, Kuwait Vision 2035, Gulf Bank wrapped up the first edition of its Hackathon competition in partnership with Coded, the first coding academy in the Middle East. The competition took place over the course of two days, from September 23-24, 2022.

The competition organizers announced the winning teams, with the first place prize of KD 1,000 going to Noobs , and the second place prize of KD 500 going to Undefined Finally, Fintech Expert took home the third place prize of 250 KD

The Hackathon event attracted over 135 participants, including field specialists, and coding amateurs across various categories and ages to compete for 12 continuous hours and come up with innovative ideas. The competition built on participants’ skills in programming smart applications and websites to implement cyber solutions related to financial technology (Fintech) and digital banking.

On the first day of the Hackathon, participants underwent an orientation to clarify the guidelines of the competition and to form teams. Gulf Bank also offered participants the chance to attend three free workshops (each lasting three hours), in which experts and specialists offered competitors the opportunity to collaborate and acquaint themselves with the competition’s objectives and their teammates. Competitors were also guided on how to code, hack, and implement their ideas. On the second day, the contestants presented their final projects and the event culminated in the announcement of the winners and the distribution of prizes.

The Hackathon is one of the Bank’s multiple initiatives aimed at fostering innovative talents from the community and learning about new ideas. The initiative is part of Gulf Bank’s march to digital transformation, an ongoing initiative since 2019, and is part of its strategic plan for the year 2025. Moreover, Gulf Bank is calling on both specialists and experts to register for the chance to participate in the Hackathon competition.

The competition was an excellent opportunity to bring together creative programmers, engineers, technical and scientific experts, and enthusiasts all under one roof to exchange experiences and devise new ideas. Hackathons have become well-known in the digital and data analytics field, having initiated the march of a widespread culture among innovators and developers who view hackathons as an opportunity to brainstorm swift solutions and develop creative ideas (also known as “hacking,” which is where the Hackathon name was derived from). In turn, these ideas aim to enhance and modernize various technological fields by transforming into successful and viable projects.

Gulf Bank is contributing to Kuwait's swift digital transformation and helping to implement Kuwait's Vision 2035 by organizing and sponsoring competitions and events that will develop a local digital, cyber- and tech-savvy community.

Gulf Bank’s Hackathon is one of the many initiatives the Bank is spearheading to provide society with a set of skills that aim to help future generations achieve global sustainable development goals, strengthen the economy, and contribute to society through data and digital services.

Last May, Gulf Bank launched its first “Datathon,” a competition that was open to all digital data and analytics enthusiasts aged 18 years and above. The event demonstrated a widespread interest in the data analytics field and contributed to the swift promotion and dissemination of data culture in digital society. The event attracted a large turnout, with participants including application developers, e-commerce enthusiasts, website developers, data researchers and all types of digital content creators who were trained to “hack” a multitude of innovative solutions.

Gulf Bank's vision is to be the leading Kuwaiti Bank of the Future. The Bank is constantly engaging and empowering its employees as part of an inclusive and diversified workplace in recognition of every employee’s role in delivering customer excellence and serving the community at large. With its extensive network of branches and innovative digital services, Gulf Bank is able to give its customers the choice of how and where to conduct their banking transactions, all while ensuring a simple and seamless banking experience.

Gulf Bank is committed to maintaining a robust sustainability program at the community, economic, and environmental levels through sustainability initiatives that are strategically selected to benefit both the country and the Bank. Gulf Bank supports Kuwait Vision 2035 “New Kuwait” and works with various relevant parties to achieve it.