Applications are open for the World Bank Group Small AI for Development Hackathon Challenge 2026, a global innovation opportunity inviting young people to develop practical artificial intelligence solutions for communities and economies facing limited connectivity, infrastructure and access to digital technology.
Participants will compete during a two-day hackathon on 3–4 October 2026, developing a working “Small AI” solution addressing a real development challenge in one of three sectors:
- Health
- Agriculture
- Tourism
Three winning entries will be selected, with one winner representing each sector. The winners will be invited to present their solutions at the Global AI and Digital Summit 2026, taking place from 19–22 October 2026 in Seoul, Republic of Korea.
The final deadline to apply for the hackathon is 26 September 2026. Applications and all competition submissions must be completed in English.
Key Information at a Glance
- Programme: Small AI for Development Hackathon Challenge 2026
- Related event: Global AI and Digital Summit 2026
- Hackathon dates: 3–4 October 2026
- Hackathon format: Hybrid, with online participation and physical hubs
- Application deadline: 26 September 2026
- Summit dates: 19–22 October 2026
- Summit location: Grand Hyatt, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Winner presentations: 21 October 2026
- Challenge sectors: Health, agriculture and tourism
- Application language: English
- Team size: Individual applications or teams of up to four people
- Number of World Bank challenge winners: Three
- Competition partner: Hack-Nation
- Referral code: WBGSmallAIGADS
- Application form: Apply through the official Google Form
- Official information: Global AI and Digital Summit 2026
The application form currently requires applicants to sign in to Google. Candidates should therefore ensure that they have access to an active Google account before starting.
About the Small AI for Development Hackathon Challenge
The Small AI for Development Hackathon is organized by the World Bank Group’s Digital and AI Vice Presidency in collaboration with the World Bank Group Youth Summit, Development Economics Vice Presidency and Information and Technology Solutions.
Hack-Nation is responsible for managing the competition platform and administering the hackathon process. The World Bank Group serves as the sponsor and final judging authority.
The challenge is intended to encourage artificial intelligence development that responds to the actual conditions experienced in developing economies. Instead of assuming that every user has reliable broadband, an advanced smartphone and strong digital literacy, participants must consider environments where access to technology remains constrained.
The organizers are looking for solutions that can translate artificial intelligence into practical development outcomes rather than demonstrations of technology without a clearly defined problem or target user.
Why This Challenge Matters
The competition has been launched against the backdrop of significant global connectivity and employment challenges.
According to the official World Bank event page, more than two billion people remained offline as of 2025. At the same time, approximately 1.2 billion young people in the Global South are expected to reach working age during the coming decade, while current trends indicate that substantially fewer jobs will be created.
Artificial intelligence may support economic growth, better services and new employment opportunities. However, many existing AI applications have been designed for environments with advanced devices, dependable internet connectivity and users who already understand how to communicate with AI systems.
This challenge asks young innovators to reconsider those assumptions and create technology that can function under real development constraints.
What Is “Small AI”?
Small AI is a targeted and use-case-driven approach to artificial intelligence development.
Unlike general-purpose AI systems that require extensive computing and data-centre infrastructure, Small AI focuses on using specific capabilities to solve a clearly defined problem.
A Small AI solution may operate through accessible technologies such as:
- Basic mobile phones
- Sensors
- Microcontrollers
- Locally operated models
- SMS-based interfaces
- Voice-based systems
- Devices with limited processing capacity
- Systems that function with intermittent or restricted connectivity
A solution may use predictive, generative or agentic AI. The decisive issue is not the size or complexity of the model but whether the technology addresses a real problem within the operating environment of its intended users.
Effective Small AI solutions should be designed around:
- A specific development problem
- Clearly identified users
- Local data and knowledge
- Limited or unreliable connectivity
- Affordable and accessible devices
- Familiar communication channels
- Measurable development outcomes
- Responsible and inclusive implementation
- Realistic infrastructure and institutional conditions
The World Bank also stresses that Small AI still depends on enabling foundations such as broadband access, digital literacy and trusted local institutions. Without these foundations, even technically promising solutions may remain isolated pilots instead of becoming sustainable and scalable interventions.
Challenge Areas
Every applicant must select one of the three official sector challenges.
Health
Applicants selecting health must develop an AI solution that responds to the relevant development challenge and operating conditions identified in the official sector brief.
Solutions will need to demonstrate how Small AI can contribute practical value in contexts where communities may face limitations in connectivity, devices, infrastructure, information or access to services.
Agriculture
Agriculture applicants must consider how targeted AI applications can create measurable value for agricultural stakeholders in resource-constrained environments.
The proposed technology should be grounded in a specific problem and should account for the digital tools, data, infrastructure and institutional conditions that must be present for the solution to work.
Tourism
Applicants selecting tourism must develop a practical solution that responds to the official tourism-sector challenge.
The proposal should show how AI can produce meaningful benefits within the sector while remaining accessible, context-specific and realistic about connectivity and technology constraints.
Applicants should consult the official sector briefs and avoid attempting to address all three sectors in one entry. The World Bank’s rules require each entry to respond to one sectoral challenge.
What Participants Must Build
The hackathon requires participants to build a working Small AI solution during the official competition weekend.
The proposed solution should:
- Address one clearly defined challenge in health, agriculture or tourism.
- Operate within the realities of a constrained environment.
- Demonstrate a clear advantage over existing approaches.
- Produce measurable or credible development value.
- Consider accessibility and inclusion.
- Reflect local needs, users and operating conditions.
- Explain the infrastructure and preconditions required for implementation.
- Acknowledge relevant technical, social and development trade-offs.
- Comply with the technical and submission rules published by Hack-Nation.
- Be submitted through the official competition platform during the prescribed window.
The broader Hack-Nation programme describes the event as a 24-hour global building experience delivered online and through physical hubs. Participants are expected to move from identifying a problem to developing and presenting a working AI product.
Application Rounds and Final Deadline
Hack-Nation is processing applications through several batches:
| Application batch | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Batch 1 | 8 August 2026 |
| Batch 2 | 22 August 2026 |
| Batch 3 | 5 September 2026 |
| Batch 4 | 12 September 2026 |
| Batch 5 | 19 September 2026 |
| Batch 6 | 26 September 2026 |
The World Bank Group identifies 26 September 2026 as the final application deadline.
Candidates should apply during the earliest remaining batch rather than waiting until the final deadline. Applying to the hackathon does not automatically constitute a valid competition entry and does not guarantee acceptance or eligibility for judging.
How to Apply
Participation involves two separate and mandatory stages.
Step 1: Apply for the Hackathon
Applicants must complete the official Hack-Nation application process by 26 September 2026.
The direct application form is:
Small AI for Development Hackathon 2026 Application Form
Applicants may also visit the Hack-Nation Hackathon 7 page, select “Apply” and enter the following referral code:
WBGSmallAIGADS
The application must be submitted in English.
Applicants should understand that submitting this initial form only applies for admission to the hackathon. It is not the final competition submission.
Step 2: Develop and Submit the Competition Entry
Registered and accepted participants must develop their Small AI solution during the official hackathon window on 3–4 October 2026.
The final entry must be submitted through the designated Hack-Nation competition portal and comply with all published requirements concerning:
- Submission deadline
- Technical format
- Team composition
- Originality
- Challenge selection
- Demonstration materials
- Video submission
- Use of the referral code
- English-language requirements
- Intellectual-property compliance
Only entries formally submitted and confirmed as received through the official competition platform will be considered for judging.
Applications or entries submitted through email, social media, messages to World Bank Group staff or unofficial channels will not be accepted. Late, incomplete or incorrectly submitted entries will not be considered.
Rules for Individual and Team Participation
Applications may be made individually or as a team of up to four members.
For team applications:
- Every team member must register individually.
- Every member must independently satisfy all applicable requirements.
- All members must identify themselves as belonging to the same team before the application deadline.
- A participant may be associated with only one competition entry.
- Team membership cannot be changed after the hackathon begins.
- A team submission will be evaluated as one entry.
- A winning team will collectively receive one of the three winning places.
- A winning team must nominate one member to represent it in Seoul.
- The World Bank Group judging panel will make the final determination regarding the traveling representative.
Teams should finalize their membership, roles and sector selection before submitting their applications.
How Entries Will Be Evaluated
Hack-Nation will evaluate eligible entries and prepare a shortlist for the World Bank Group.
The World Bank Group will then act as the final judging authority and select the three winners.
Entries will not be assessed solely on technical sophistication. The organizers will also consider:
- Development relevance
- Quality of problem definition
- Suitability for constrained environments
- Measurable potential impact
- Design quality
- Accessibility
- Inclusivity
- Practicality
- Local relevance
- Responsible use of AI
- Awareness of infrastructure requirements
- Recognition of trade-offs
- Potential for implementation or expansion
Applicants are encouraged to explain what localized AI development means within their particular setting. They should demonstrate how their perspective or direct understanding of a local challenge has shaped the proposed solution.
The organizers are interested in entries that recognize tensions between technological capability and accessibility, as well as between ambition and responsible risk management.
Competition Timeline
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Final application deadline | 26 September 2026 |
| Hackathon and competition-entry window | 3–4 October 2026 |
| Winner notification and preparation | 5–6 October 2026 |
| Winning representatives travel to Seoul | By 18 October 2026 |
| Global AI and Digital Summit | 19–22 October 2026 |
| Winner presentations at the Summit | 21 October 2026 |
Selected winners must be prepared to respond quickly after notification because the period between the hackathon and travel to Seoul is short.
What the Three Winners Receive
Three winners will be selected:
- One winner from agriculture
- One winner from health
- One winner from tourism
Each winning entry will be featured through a high-impact presentation during an appropriate sector session at the Global AI and Digital Summit.
The organizers will determine:
- Presentation format
- Length of the presentation
- Session placement
- Presentation requirements
- The individual who will speak for a winning team
Winners may also be offered facilitated meetings with:
- Investors
- Private-sector representatives
- Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises
- Government officials
- International development stakeholders
- Other Summit participants
Such meetings are subject to availability and mutual interest and should not be treated as guaranteed.
Travel and Accommodation Support
The World Bank Group states that reasonable travel, accommodation and designated event-related expenses will be covered for the selected winning individuals or approved team representatives traveling to Seoul.
Applicants should carefully note the following conditions:
- Only the selected individual or one approved representative of a winning team will travel.
- The organizers will determine which expenses are reasonable and eligible.
- Travel support is linked to participation in required Summit activities.
- Winners remain responsible for obtaining the necessary visa.
- Visa application fees and related costs are not automatically covered.
- The World Bank Group cannot guarantee, influence or accelerate immigration decisions.
- A letter of support will be provided after the winning entry is confirmed.
- Winners should begin the visa process immediately after notification.
- The organizers are not liable if a selected winner cannot obtain a visa.
- An alternate winner may be selected if the original winner cannot travel or participate.
Hack-Nation separately advertises more than US$35,000 in cash and technology credits across its broader Hackathon 7 programme. The World Bank page does not specify what portion of that general prize pool, if any, is allocated to this particular Small AI challenge. Applicants should therefore rely only on the World Bank’s expressly stated Seoul presentation and travel benefits unless Hack-Nation confirms additional awards.
About the Global AI and Digital Summit 2026
The Global AI and Digital Summit is a high-level forum hosted by the World Bank Group together with the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Finance and Economy and Ministry of Science and ICT.
It will take place from 19–22 October 2026 at the Grand Hyatt in Seoul.
The Summit will examine how artificial intelligence and digital transformation can help countries:
- Generate more and better jobs
- Raise productivity
- Expand economic opportunity
- Improve public services
- Strengthen businesses
- Develop trusted digital ecosystems
- Expand affordable digital access
- Build AI readiness
- Mobilize investment
- Deliver practical development outcomes
The programme will bring together government leaders, development partners, private-sector executives, investors, technology innovators, researchers, civil-society representatives and youth leaders.
In-person participation in the Summit is by invitation only. Selected sessions will be open to the public and streamed online, with livestream information expected as the programme is finalized.
Overview of the Summit Agenda
The official Summit agenda remains subject to change.
Monday, 19 October 2026
The opening day will include Summit registration, an invitation-only ministerial meeting, a ministerial luncheon and a welcome reception.
The ministerial meeting will involve World Bank Group and Korean government leadership and will focus on high-level digital and AI priorities.
Tuesday, 20 October 2026
The second day will focus on enabling the AI economy and creating or transforming jobs.
Programme areas include:
- Financing digital and AI infrastructure
- Converting digital ambitions into investable projects
- Small AI and its development impact
- Universal connectivity in the AI era
- Exhibition and networking activities
- Decisions about what elements of the AI technology stack countries should build, share or purchase
- Digital trust and protection of critical infrastructure
- Development of AI ecosystems and agents
- Cross-border data and trust
- Partnerships capable of scaling locally relevant AI solutions
Some infrastructure and investment discussions will be closed and available only to invited participants.
Wednesday, 21 October 2026
The third day will focus on scaling practical AI solutions for development.
Discussion areas include:
- Private investment for affordable digital access
- AI-ready infrastructure
- AI opportunities in developing economies
- Health applications
- The resource and infrastructure costs of AI
- Digital public infrastructure and government service delivery
- Device affordability
- Digital transformation at subnational level
- Common reasons digital transformation programmes stall
- Frontline AI applications
- AI-supported growth in agriculture and tourism
- The Republic of Korea’s AI and digital-development experience
The Small AI challenge winners are scheduled to present their solutions on this day.
Thursday, 22 October 2026
The closing day is expected to include study tours and consultations with participating clients and stakeholders.
Intellectual Property and Submission Rights
Participants retain ownership, copyright and other rights in their entries.
However, submission of an entry grants the World Bank Group a worldwide, non-exclusive and royalty-free licence to:
- Review and evaluate the submission
- Reproduce relevant materials
- Display or record the submission
- Publish summaries
- Present the solution publicly
- Use the entry for competition administration
- Use materials for educational, promotional and knowledge-sharing purposes
Participants must possess all rights necessary to submit their materials. Entries must not knowingly violate another party’s:
- Copyright
- Trademark
- Privacy
- Confidentiality
- Intellectual property
- Contractual rights
Applicants should document the sources of datasets, code, models, images, audio, research and other materials used in their solution.
Restrictions on World Bank and Partner Branding
Participants may not independently place the names, titles, acronyms, logos or branding elements of the World Bank Group or its partners on their entry materials without prior written consent.
This restriction also covers branding associated with:
- Hack-Nation
- World Bank Group Youth Summit
- Development Economics Vice Presidency
- Information and Technology Solutions
- Other programme partners
Applicants should describe the challenge accurately without creating materials that imply official endorsement, partnership or organizational approval beyond what has been expressly authorized.
Data Protection
Information submitted during registration and the hackathon may be shared with the World Bank Group, Hack-Nation and relevant stakeholders involved in:
- Competition administration
- Hosting
- Participant coordination
- Judging
- Winner notification
- Summit participation
- Follow-up communication
Personal data will be handled in accordance with the World Bank Group Privacy Notice.
Applicants should review the privacy terms of both the World Bank Group and the external application or competition platforms before providing personal information.
Other Important Conditions
By participating, applicants accept the official competition terms and acknowledge that:
- The organizers may verify compliance at any stage.
- Ineligible candidates may be disqualified.
- Incomplete or non-compliant entries may be removed.
- The organizers are not responsible for lost, late, corrupted or misdirected submissions.
- Illegal or rights-infringing content may be excluded.
- Final decisions concerning judging and winner selection rest with the organizers.
- The competition may be modified, suspended, shortened, cancelled or terminated.
- An alternate winner may be selected if a winner is ineligible, unavailable or unable to participate.
- The privileges and immunities of the World Bank Group remain reserved.
- Submissions must not be used for purposes inconsistent with the World Bank Group’s mandate and mission.
Participants should read the complete terms on the official event page rather than relying only on promotional summaries.
Practical Application Advice
Applicants can strengthen their preparation by taking the following actions:
- Apply during the earliest available batch.
- Form the complete team before registration.
- Confirm that every team member registers individually.
- Select only one official sector challenge.
- Study the relevant sector brief.
- Define one specific user and problem.
- Identify the actual connectivity, device and data constraints.
- Explain why AI is necessary for the solution.
- Build around locally available technology.
- Define measurable indicators of impact.
- Incorporate accessibility and inclusion from the beginning.
- Prepare a realistic working prototype rather than an overly broad concept.
- Plan the demonstration and video submission early.
- Verify all intellectual-property permissions.
- Avoid unauthorized World Bank or partner logos.
- Monitor the World Bank and Hack-Nation pages for updates.
- Keep evidence that both the application and final entry were successfully submitted.
- Ensure that a potential team representative could travel to Seoul at short notice.
Application Deadline
The final deadline to apply is:
26 September 2026
The official page does not specify a deadline time or time zone. Applicants should submit well before the final date.
The actual competition entry must subsequently be developed and submitted during the official hackathon window on 3–4 October 2026.
Application and Reference Links
Official World Bank information:
Global AI and Digital Summit 2026 and Small AI Hackathon Challenge
Direct application form:
Apply through the official Google Form
Competition platform:
Hack-Nation Global AI Hackathon 7
Referral code:
WBGSmallAIGADS
For general information about the Global AI and Digital Summit, contact GADS@worldbankgroup.org.
Due to the anticipated volume of applications, the organizers state that they cannot respond individually to questions concerning competition eligibility, application status or judging results. Applicants should monitor the official World Bank and Hack-Nation pages for announcements.
Conclusion
The World Bank Group Small AI for Development Hackathon Challenge 2026 provides young innovators with an opportunity to rethink how artificial intelligence can serve people living and working in environments with limited connectivity, devices and digital infrastructure.
The strongest entries will not necessarily be the largest or most technically complex. Successful solutions will need to address a well-defined health, agriculture or tourism challenge, demonstrate measurable development value, respond to local realities and function through accessible technology.
Three winners will earn the opportunity to present their work at the Global AI and Digital Summit in Seoul, with reasonable travel, accommodation and designated participation expenses covered under the organizers’ conditions.
Prospective applicants should apply early, finalize their teams, review the relevant sector challenge and prepare for an intensive development and submission period on 3–4 October 2026. The final application deadline is 26 September 2026.
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