A mobile development team of four Saudi women won the world’s largest hackathon. They submitted an Android app called Tarjuman that translates signs for pilgrims into any language. The women won a SAR 1 million (over $265,000) investment (for 15 percent equity).
The three-day Hajj Hackathon brought together nearly 3,000 developers, breaking a Guinness World Record. The judging panel included Apple’s co-founder Steve Wozniak, TechCrunch’s Mike Butcher, RiseUp’s Abdelhameed Sharara and others.
Second place went to an Egyptian team that created a mobile wallet for pilgrims, and third place went to an Algerian team that created a social network for documenting pilgrims’ Hajj experiences.
