A MALAYSIAN property developer is organising a hackathon to tap ideas from the youth to help future townships achieve sustainability and liveability.
The Sime Darby Property University Hackathon 2026, which runs until December, is offering students the opportunity to work on real-world sustainability challenges, guided by industry experts and mentors.
The event by Sime Darby Property Bhd, in partnership with innovation platform Kolaxus, aims to engage students from public and private universities nationwide, with more than 1,000 students targeted to participate.
It offers a total prize pool of RM14,000, with the champion to receive RM6,000 while the first runner-up will get RM3,000, the second runner-up RM1,500 and the fourth to 10th place winners to receive RM500 each.
Additionally, selected winners will have the opportunity to be considered for Sime Darby Property’s internship programmes, with a chance to gain industry experience and to continue developing their ideas alongside the group’s teams and mentors.
The event will culminate in a grand finale on Nov 14, with the top five teams pitching their ideas at Sime Darby Property’s Innovation Day in December, where the winners will be announced.
Selected ideas may also be taken forward for further exploration and potential proof-of-concept development beyond the competition.
The challenge theme is: How might we reimagine the township of tomorrow where people, businesses and nature thrive together through innovation, technology and sustainable living?
Under this overarching theme, participants will explore two focus areas: people and planet.
The former looks at how townships can enable healthier, safer, more connected and fulfilling lives, while the latter focuses on creating townships that regenerate the environment and make sustainable living more effortless for communities, residents and businesses.
Under the “people” focus, students may explore ideas that improve everyday experiences for residents, from health and well-being to safety and community connection.
Under “planet”, it will challenge them to find practical ways to encourage sustainable living and support environmental regeneration.
Ideas are expected to combine practical community solutions with technology, data or artificial intelligence that can help bring them to life and scale their impact.
Through the hackathon, Sime Darby Property aims to provide young individuals with a meaningful platform to contribute their fresh perspectives to real-world township challenges, while creating pathways for promising ideas and talent to grow beyond the competition.
For registration and details, visit simedarbyproperty.com/universityhackathon
