CMU-Q student takes second at sports tech hackathon

A computer science junior at CMU-Q was part of the second place team at the Qatar Sports Tech Hackathon. Keivin Isufaj joined team members Johanne Medina and Mohamed Amara, both students in the Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) computer engineering program, to create an app that would improve the fan experience during World Cup 2022.

Their app, called QATAGO, curates restaurants, hotels, events, entertainment and places of interest in Qatar for visiting fans based on their personal preferences and habits. Recommendations would come from a fully developed database, which would also include special offers and discounts.

Isufaj noted that the idea came from a class the three students took at CMU-Q: “We first thought of the idea when we were all taking a Python programming class with Professor Saquib. For this competition, we reshaped the idea so it came from a more financial point of view.” The HBKU students were taking the class as part of their degree program.

The award for coming second is a place in the three-month Qatar Sport Tech Accelerator Program and as well as office space and seed funding for their idea.

There were 11 teams competing at the Qatar Sports Tech Hackathon who tackled their choice of three challenges: to improve the fan experience in Qatar, to improve the in-stadium experience, or to provide digital and social connectivity. Teams had 48 hours to develop their idea before presenting to a panel of judges.

Qatar Sports Tech Hackathon is an initiative of Qatar Development Bank, and supported by the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, Qatar Financial Centre, Aspire Zone Foundation, BeIN Sports and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.