King Abdulaziz University Hosts Universities Challenge Camp in Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship

King Abdulaziz University (KAU) is hosting the Universities Challenge Camp, organized by StartSmart, a Community Jameel initiative, at Wadi Jeddah, the University’s investment arm. Held on Sunday, September 13, 2026, the camp brings together students from 10 different faculties in an environment that combines innovation, technology and teamwork to develop promising solutions for the future.

Designed to transform student ideas into innovative prototypes using artificial intelligence tools, the Jeddah stage of the challenge features 30 teams from King Abdulaziz University, Effat University and the University of Jeddah. The wider national program brings together 50 teams from five Saudi universities, with a total of SAR 10,000 in prizes awarded to the top three teams at the national level.

Through the camp, King Abdulaziz University seeks to help develop the Kingdom’s next generation of technology entrepreneurs, foster an entrepreneurial and innovative mindset among university students, and promote learning by doing through the transformation of knowledge into tangible solutions that can be demonstrated and tested.

Spanning four main stages, the challenge begins with university nominations and an intensive five-day training camp, followed by local judging to select the qualifying teams. Participants then enter a four-week mentoring and follow-up phase before advancing to the national finals and closing ceremony, scheduled to take place in November 2026.