What does hope look like when it becomes something we can build?

From October 7 to 10, 2026, Antonine University (UA) hosted Hackathon 2026 at its Hadat–Baabda Campus, bringing university students together to explore how technology can translate hope into practical solutions that support mental health, well-being, and resilience.

Held as part of the fifth edition of the Wellness and Mental Health Week, under the theme “The Power of Hope: Let Your Mind and Heart Bloom,” the competition challenged students to look beyond technology’s technical capabilities and consider how digital tools can respond to real human needs.

Organized in collaboration with UA’s Faculty of Engineering and Technology (FET), Upscale Hub, the Center for Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Economic Development (SEED), and the IEEE Communications Society Lebanon Chapter, the Hackathon brought together engineering, innovation, entrepreneurship, and human-centered problem-solving.

Building on UA’s first wellness-focused Hackathon in 2025, this year’s edition adopted the challenge “Designing Hope in Action: Digital Solutions That Help Us Bloom.” Students were invited to develop software and hardware solutions that could help turn hope into an actionable and learnable skill while remaining inclusive, ethical, and relevant to the Lebanese university context.

Bringing Different Minds to a Shared Challenge

The selection process drew 19 teams comprising 62 students from 9 Lebanese universities: American University of Beirut (AUB), American University of Science and Technology (AUST), Antonine University (UA), Beirut Arab University (BAU), Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK), Lebanese American University (LAU), Lebanese University (LU), Rafik Hariri University (RHU), and University of Sciences and Arts in Lebanon (USAL).

Bringing students from different institutions and academic backgrounds into one shared challenge reflected the interdisciplinary nature of the Hackathon and encouraged participants to approach well-being from multiple perspectives.

The challenge focused on five thematic areas: self-empowerment, connection and belonging, creativity and expression, daily micro-actions, and hope in times of uncertainty.

These themes encouraged teams to consider needs ranging from stress management, motivation, and peer support to emotional expression, healthy habits, financial pressure, academic challenges, and limited access to mental health resources.

Possible formats included mobile applications, web platforms, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, interactive systems, chatbots, and serious games, allowing each team to choose the technological approach best suited to the challenge it sought to address.

Turning Ideas Into Working Solutions

Following the selection process, 8 teams comprising 25 students advanced to the development phase. From October 7 to 9, they spent three intensive days developing and refining their projects with guidance from mentors in engineering, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

Mentors from UA’s FET, Upscale Hub, and the SEED Center supported the teams throughout the process, encouraging them to consider not only technical functionality, but also accessibility, relevance to real-life challenges, ethical design, feasibility, and the potential to create meaningful impact.

The experience gave students the opportunity to apply their technical knowledge in a practical setting while strengthening teamwork, creativity, critical thinking, communication, and their ability to develop solutions under time constraints.

Among the proposed solutions were ZenSentinel, an AI-powered system designed to identify early signs of burnout through physiological and behavioral indicators; Bloomie, a platform integrating mental health support into university learning systems during periods of uncertainty; and Novaria, an AI-based tool simplifying access to information and services from banks and public institutions.

Presenting Innovation Before an Academic and Industry Jury

The Hackathon concluded on October 10, when the teams presented their projects through live demonstrations and formal presentations before a six-member jury bringing together expertise from academia, entrepreneurship, and the technology industry.

The jury comprised:

• Prof. Roger Achkar, Dean of UA’s FET
• Dr. Jad Nassar, Co-Founder of Upscale Hub and Associate Professor at UA’s FET
• Mr. Eric Chebli, Country Manager at Nokia
• Mr. Wesley Wang Chenhao, Solution Director at Huawei Lebanon
• Mr. Jean Bou Rjeily, Co-Founder and COO of CME Offshore
• Mr. Joe Abi Aad, CEO of Netix

Through their presentations, participants were invited to communicate not only how their solutions worked, but also the needs they addressed, their potential for further development, and the human impact they aimed to create.

Recognizing Innovation With Human Impact

Three awards recognized projects distinguished by their overall quality, development potential, and contribution to human and social well-being. In addition to the main prizes, CME Offshore presented supplementary cash awards of $500, $300, and $200 to the first-, second-, and third-place teams, respectively.

The Best Overall Project Award, with a total value of $1,500, was presented to Team “Bloom” from theAUST. Their project is an AI-powered personal well-being system centered on an interactive smart mirror that helps users manage daily activities, monitor habits, and pursue personal goals through personalized recommendations.

The Best Promising Idea Award, with a total value of $1,050, went to Team “NABT” from UA. Their project is an offline-first application designed to help university students navigate uncertainty through small daily actions, peer connections, and accessible well-being support.

The Best Social and Human Impact Award, with a total value of $700, was awarded to Team “Rafeeq,” bringing together students from both LAU and UA. Their project is a culturally adapted digital mental health companion offering emotional support through mood tracking, guided coping exercises, and AI-powered conversations, while facilitating access to professional assistance when needed.

Beyond the monetary prizes, all three winning teams received mentorship through Upscale Hub and support from the SEED Center, providing them with opportunities to further develop their projects beyond the competition.

Where Technology Serves Human Flourishing

Hackathon 2026 reflected the intersection of two important areas of sustainable development: SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being and SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.

As part of a Wellness and Mental Health Week centered on the power of hope, the Hackathon gave that theme a practical expression: ideas moved from discussion to design, from challenge to prototype, and from individual knowledge to collaborative action.

At Antonine University, the meeting of faith, science, and innovation reflects a broader vision of education rooted in integral human development, where technological progress is guided by human dignity, compassion, and responsibility.

Through “Designing Hope in Action,” students were encouraged to use technology not simply to build something new, but to build something meaningful: solutions capable of supporting mental health, strengthening connection, and contributing to the flourishing of individuals and communities.