18-19 September 2026 (Friday & Saturday), Singapore
Calling all innovators across the region.
Two days. One mission: Maternal and childhood nutrition throughout Asia-Pacific.
Join us in teams of three to four for this year's challenge.
Selected teams will be sponsored for their travel to and accommodation in Singapore during the hackathon.
The challenge: In the Asia-Pacific, 33.8% of women are anaemic. Good nutrition is not always accessible before and during pregnancy, and the supply and uptake of multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS) remains incomplete, leaving mothers at risk. We must promote good maternal nutrition and the delivery of quality antenatal care.
How can you innovate? We're looking for innovations in supply chains, provider training, policy advocacy / communication, digital adherence tracking, and quality assurance for MMS.
The Challenge: Gaps in breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices during the crucial first two years of life are hindering child development, especially in remote communities.
How can you help? We need new solutions for community health workers, expert and peer-to-peer counselling platforms, culturally-aware nutrition education, social media and communications campaigns and integrated child health, nutrition, development and protection services.
The top three teams will walk away with a solid kick start for turning their idea into reality.
Each winning team receives a six-month Incubation Programme (October 2026 – March 2027) packed with:
Terms and conditions apply and prizes will not be disbursed as cash.
We welcome individuals from across disciplines - including clinicians, researchers, engineers, designers, entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs, and civil society leaders - who:
Whether you're a technical expert with hands-on know-how, an academic with deep content knowledge, an entrepreneur or intrapreneur driving innovation, or a community advocate with lived local experience – if you're ready to turn ideas into impact, we want to hear from you.
Teams must include at least one participant from the Asia-Pacific region, with prior work experience in the region strongly preferred.
Your team’s ideas have the power to change how millions of mothers and children across Asia-Pacific live and thrive. Here’s what you’ll gain:
Participation is team-based only and teams must consist of 3 to 4 members.
Yes! This hackathon is for teams of entrepreneurs, technical experts, and academics with a healthcare background. It’s not a typical coding hackathon, so programming skills aren't required. We recommend having a diverse team and, if possible, including someone with lived experience related to the issue you're addressing.
Participation is open to individuals based in Asia-Pacific countries. For qualifying teams selected from low- and middle-income countries within the region, travel expenses will be fully covered.
Yes, absolutely - cross-national teams are very much welcome. In fact, one of last year's winning teams was made up of members from multiple countries!
While you're welcome to bring a pre-existing idea, and use existing frameworks and tools, the core project must be developed at the hackathon. You will have the opportunity to adapt, refine, or even reimagine your idea as you gain fresh insights and collaborate with others throughout the hackathon days.
Participants are welcome to build any solution that addresses the hackathon's theme within one of two tracks: maternal nutrition during pregnancy, or infant and young child feeding. Solutions can take many forms — from digital tools and apps to community-based initiatives, education programmes, or monitoring and early warning systems — depending on the challenge you choose to tackle. For more details on each track, refer to the descriptions above.
There is no participation fee. The organising committee is also working towards making the hackathon a fully-funded experience for selected teams from low- and middle-income countries in Asia.
The organising team is striving for selected participants from low- and middle-income countries in Asia to have all expenses covered. These would include airport transfers, including taxis rides to and from the airport, and meals. Breakfast will be provided at the hotel, while lunch and dinner will be served at the event venue.
Detailed information on the booking and reimbursement process will be shared once your participation is confirmed and it is applicable for selected teams only.
No. Prizes are awarded as fellowships and are not redeemable as cash.
All teams will be informed by the end of July 2026.
The programme incorporates welcome talks, twelve hours of ‘hacking’ (or solutioning) time and time for pitching your idea in front of a jury at the end of the event. Full details of the agenda will be shared with confirmed participants.
Before the hackathon begins, all participating teams will have the chance to join pre-event online sessions. These touchpoints will help set them on the right path and address any questions ahead of the live event in Singapore.
We will provide access to technical experts and mentorship support throughout the event. Participants need to bring their own laptops, mobile phones and device chargers.
We are organising this event to accommodate up to fifteen teams this year, each with three to four participants.
For hackathon partnership or sponsorship enquiries, please contact
Daniel Mahadzir at daniel.m@duke-nus.edu.sg
For other questions regarding the hackathon, contact
the organising team at ico@singhealth.com.sg
This event is made possible thanks to the support of SingHealth’s Division of Innovation and Transformation and SingHealth’s International Collaboration Office.
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