AI Hackathon: Solving Island Challenges Through Innovation

Open to individuals and teams (ages 18+) with a passion for AI, problem-solving, and real-world impact

Date: Friday 14th November – Sunday 16th November 2025
Location: Digital Jersey Hub, Grenville Street, St. Helier
Duration: 48 hours (Friday evening – Sunday afternoon)

Agenda

Friday (Evening 5pm): Team registrations, welcome presentation and networking over pizza and beers, Hackathon starts.
Saturday: Hackathon continues, breakfast and lunch refreshments available.
Sunday: Hackathon concludes with presentations, judging and prize giving.

About the Hackathon:

The AI Hackathon is your chance to build meaningful AI-driven / AI-assisted solutions for Jersey’s most pressing challenges. Over one high-energy weekend, teams will ideate, prototype, and pitch solutions aligned to one (or more) of Jersey’s eight priority areas – from climate change to productivity and housing.

Use AI to build solutions that matter for Jersey’s future.

Join developers, designers, creatives, entrepreneurs, students (18+), and problem-solvers for a weekend of innovation, collaboration, and real-world impact. The AI Hackathon is your opportunity to utilise the potential of AI to create solutions that tackle challenges shaping the island’s future.

This isn’t just about ideas, it’s about action. Over an intense and inspiring sprint with access real-world data, you will develop a working prototype, and pitch your solution to judges and ecosystem leaders.

The Challenge
The challenge is to build a meaningful solutions that utilise AI, as part of the solution and/ or in their delivery for Jersey’s eight priority areas which are; Housing, Health and wellbeing, Sustainable transport, Climate emergency, Improve existing economic sectors, Develop new economic sectors, Future Skills and Supply chain resilience.

We welcome ideas using AI to solve any of these areas but to help you focus your ideas, we’ve chosen three key challenges inspired by real-world needs and aligned with Jersey’s strategic priorities. These are just starting points, you can shape them in your own way.

Key challenge 1

Build a predictive AI model for disruptions by combining multiple data sources (shipping timetables, freight stats, fuel prices, weather forecasts, global trade indicators).

• AI Focus: Multivariate forecasting + anomaly detection across time series.
• Expected Output: A live dashboard that assigns “risk scores” to supply chain categories (e.g., food, energy, medicine).

Key challenge 2

Cluster and compare current labour supply vs. sector demand to identify present-day mismatches.

• AI Focus: Clustering, classification, or gap analysis between workforce skills and industry needs.
  Expected Output: Dashboard showing which sectors are under/over-supplied with skills.

Key challenge 3

Prototype a referral and information-sharing system that connects GPs and hospitals with simple AI-assisted tools.

• AI Focus: Rules-based AI for triaging referrals and flagging missing information. Chatbot-style interface for GPs to query hospital data. Use AI vibe coding tools to quickly prototype web application UI and to pull the idea together.
• Expected Output: A mock-up of a digital tool to share records, track referrals, and ensure handoffs between GPs and specialists are smooth.

How It Works
Teams can have up to six people. If you are not part of a team, you can register and work independently. You’ll have time and space to build a working prototype using AI in a meaningful way, and present it to our panel during the final pitch session.

Whether you’re a coder, designer, strategist, data analyst or domain expert, there’s a place for you. You’ll also have access to free workspace, Wi-Fi, refreshments, and support throughout the event.

When you register, you’ll be able to request access to specific datasets you’d like to work with, such as environmental, transport, or economic data. We’ll do our best to make them available in advance.

Why Take Part?

• Build something that matters, directly aligned to Jersey’s future
• Collaborate with like-minded innovators and experts
• Make time to focus on the latest AI tooling with a purpose
• Gain access to support, data, and mentoring
• Compete for recognition and prizes
• Get fast-tracked for further development opportunities through Impact Jersey

Judging and Prizes
Projects will be judged on creativity, relevance to Jersey’s needs, the impact of the AI used, and how feasible the idea is in the real world.

For the winners there will be a cash prize, access to technology to help you build it and 1-1support from the Impact Jersey team to help you apply for the Innovation Programme if you wish.

Prizes will be awarded for:

• Most Original Idea
• Best Real-World Solution
• Most Impactful Use of AI

Final judging will be carried out by a panel of independent experts with experience across business, government, and AI.

What You Need to Know:
The event is open to anyone aged 18 and over. Participants retain full ownership of anything they build. You can use open-source tools and libraries, provided you follow their license terms. By taking part, you agree to act respectfully, follow ethical practices, and allow the organisers to use event photos or videos for promotion. Full terms and conditions will be shared when you register.

This is your chance to contribute to Jersey’s future, learn from others, and bring meaningful ideas to life. If you’ve ever wanted to use AI to solve real-world problems — this is your moment.

Register now and be part of something impactful.

About the Jersey AI Forum:
The Jersey AI Forum is being set up as a not for profit organisation with the aim of empowering businesses and individuals on the island with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively integrate AI into their businesses and organisations, as well as enabling the education sector and individuals to benefit.

Privacy Policy | Digital Jersey

Both Digital Jersey and the Jersey AI Forum (JAIF) will share your registration information to manage the event, collect feedback, and explore future opportunities resulting from this event. Digital Jersey acts as the data processor for this information.

Marketing / Media – This event may be photographed and/or filmed for marketing and media purposes. Content may be shared by the JAIF and Digital Jersey for promotional use.
For enquiries, contact info@digital.je.

Feedback – After the event, we’ll distribute a survey to collect feedback, which both Ports of Jersey and Digital Jersey will use to improve future events and opportunities.