Dubai, August 7 (WAM) - 7X, in collaboration with the 42 Abu Dhabi Academy, announced the winning teams of the ‘Next Mile’ hackathon, under the slogan "Building the Future of Agentic AI in Trade, Transport and Logistics", which was held over one day and saw 15 teams of students from the academy compete to develop innovative prototypes based on Agentic AI technologies, with the aim of simplifying and improving efficiency in the trade, transport and logistics sectors.

The hackathon was the first stop for the ‘Build with 7X’ open innovation initiative, which was launched by the group to establish a new model for developing technical solutions and products that aligns actual operational needs with academic expertise, technical talent and startups, thereby accelerating the testing, development and transformation of promising ideas into practical, scalable applications.

Organizing the hackathon in partnership with 42 Abu Dhabi Academy reflected the integration of national efforts to prepare digital competencies and link them to the needs of vital economic sectors, in support of the UAE’s vision to establish innovation and artificial intelligence as pillars of economic development and enhance competitiveness.

During the hackathon, participating teams worked on developing prototypes for three priority operational axes, including dynamic last-mile logistics routing, intelligent capacity planning and predictive optimization of logistics networks. They also employed the potential of AI agents in data analysis, decision-making, and task execution independently.

“The future of trade, transportation, and logistics is no longer measured by how fast goods move, but by how quickly data translates into decisions, ideas into applications, and innovation into tangible economic impact,” said Tariq Ahmed Al Wahidi, CEO of 7X. “Building on this concept, we at 7X are creating an environment that enables innovators and partners to develop solutions that respond to the sector’s needs and contribute to enhancing its readiness for the future. This model of collaboration is a key pillar in supporting the UAE's goals to establish innovation, enhance national economic competitiveness, and solidify the country’s position as a global hub for advanced technology.”

“We believe that empowering young people to tackle real-world challenges and work alongside institutions, universities, and partners is the best way to prepare a generation that will lead the future of innovation and turn promising ideas into applications with tangible impact. Therefore, we are committed to providing platforms that allow young talents to test their ideas in realistic operational environments, thereby shortening the distance between creativity and application, enhancing their readiness to contribute to developing vital sectors, supporting the national economy’s journey, and establishing a culture of innovation as a sustainable approach for the future.”

For her part, Fatima فولاذي, acting CEO of the 42 Abu Dhabi Academy, said: “We at the academy believe that the best way to prepare the next generation of AI pioneers is by enabling them to face real challenges based on the needs of different sectors, which allows them to develop solutions with a tangible impact through learning by doing. Our partnership with سفن إكس (7X) embodies this approach, as it enables students to apply their technical knowledge, creativity, and problem-solving skills to address real challenges that contribute to sector development. The Next Mile Hackathon reflects our commitment to preparing national and global competencies ready for the future, capable of leading the digital transformation journey in the United Arab Emirates and contributing to the development of strategic sectors based on innovation and artificial intelligence.

The judging panel evaluated the participating projects according to criteria that included the feasibility of the idea, its applicability, the expected impact on enhancing operational efficiency, and the quality of implementation.

At the end of the hackathon, the winning teams were honored after the Nova Dreamers team won first place for their project in the predictive optimization track for logistics networks. The CatDoesDelivery team came in second place for its project in the intelligent capacity planning track, while the HUBris team took third place for its project in the predictive optimization track for logistics networks. The winning teams received cash prizes of 15,000 AED for first place, 10,000 AED for second place, and 5,000 AED for third place.

As part of the Build with 7X initiative, X (7X) ships will work to assess the opportunities for developing promising ideas and projects presented by participants, and explore the potential to transform them into practical applications within Group companies, contributing to accelerating the adoption of AI solutions and supporting the development of trade, transportation, and logistics sectors.