SIME Darby Property Bhd, in partnership with innovation platform, Kolaxus, is tapping the next generation of young talents through the Sime Darby Property University Hackathon 2026, providing students the opportunity to develop ideas and solutions that could help shape more sustainable and liveable townships of the future.
Running from September to December 2026, the programme offers students the opportunity to work on real-world sustainability challenges, guided by industry experts and mentors.
The nationwide hackathon aims to engage students from all public and private universities across the country, with more than 1,000 students targeted to participate.
The hackathon offers a total prize pool of RM14,000, with the champion to receive RM6,000, followed by first runner-up prize of RM3,000, second runner-up to receive RM1,500 and RM500 each for fourth to 10th place.
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 continue developing their ideas alongside the group’s teams and mentors.
The programme will culminate in its grand finale on Nov 14, with the top five teams subsequently pitching their ideas at Sime Darby Property’s Innovation Day in December 2026, 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 hackathon is centred on the theme, “How might we value multiply the Township of Tomorrow where people, businesses, economies and the planet thrive together through innovation, technology and sustainable living?”
Under this overarching theme, participants will explore two focus areas: People and Planet. The People theme looks at how townships can enable healthier, safer, more connected and fulfilling lives, while the Planet theme focuses on creating townships that regenerate the environment and make sustainable living more effortless for communities, residents and businesses.
Under People, students may explore ideas that improve everyday experiences for residents, from health and wellbeing to safety and community connection. Meanwhile for 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 (AI) 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 more information and to register for the University Hackathon, visit simedarbyproperty.com/universityhackathon.
