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Saudi Youth turn AI into practical fixes for sustainability at EmpowerME Hackathon

Hackathon winners spotlight café water reuse, points to trees, and mycelium packaging Teams also explore waste mitigation, customer engagement, and greener supply chains Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Ten youth teams convened at the EmpowerME Hackathon to build AI‑powered solutions to real sustainability challenges in Saudi Arabia, with a focus on ideas that can move quickly from prototype to pilot in retail operations and communities. Set against the backdrop of Saudi Vision 2030 and the Saudi Green Initiative, the competition, hosted at University of Jeddah, emphasized practical routes to circularity, efficient resource use, and greener cities — areas where data and AI can accelerate measurable progress. Participants explored how AI can help businesses and customers reduce waste, conserve water, and improve environmental performance, echoing national efforts to scale green innovation and future‑ready skills among Saudi youth. Winning ideas First place went to Nuqta ('every drop counts'), an AI‑enabled system that captures leftover liquids from unconsumed café drinks, pre‑filters them, and classifies them for safe reuse — such as floor and table cleaning, humidification, or watering indoor plants — tracked via a live dashboard. Early estimates suggest stores could reduce freshwater use by up to 40% per month, with applications beyond cafés to restaurants, universities, and offices. The runner-up, My Green Rewards, turns Starbucks Rewards points into real tree-planting in partnership with the National Center for Vegetation Cover, using generative AI to select optimal planting sites and send customers location and photo updates, with contributions logged on a national platform. Third place, MycoLoop, replaces fossil‑based protective and secondary packaging with mycelium‑grown inserts and trays cultivated from natural fibers, then dried into sturdy, compostable forms — preserving brand experience while simplifying disposal and cutting single‑use waste. Teams also made progress in other priority areas, including: Customer engagement and participation: An AI‑powered 'Green Points' layer in the Starbucks app that personalizes challenges and rewards based on purchase patterns, adds in‑store live impact screens and QR micro‑content, and pilots a 'Take instead of Toss' corner for unsold bakery items — translating intent into daily action aligned with Vision 2030 and the Saudi Green Initiative. Greener supply chains: An AI‑enabled, solar‑powered smart‑warehouse concept to optimize storage, picking, and distribution, supported by generative‑AI planning tools and dashboards to monitor energy use, emissions, and environmental performance across the network. Advancing national priorities Designed to engage Saudi youth in solving real-world sustainability challenges, the EmpowerME Hackathon used AI prompting to help teams turn research into viable concepts. The initiative built awareness of local and global environmental issues while equipping students with future-focused skills in teamwork, critical thinking and responsible AI use. Objectives included deepening engagement with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Saudi Vision 2030, developing practical and scalable ideas with local sustainability impact, and fostering collaboration and ideation. The EmpowerME Hackathon was organized by the Starbucks Foundation, Alshaya Group, and INJAZ Al-Arab/JA MENA, in partnership with Barakah. As part of EmpowerME, a USD 6 million, three-year initiative to equip 250,000 youth across MENA and Türkiye with entrepreneurship, employability and green innovation skills, the hackathon aimed to help Saudi youth apply AI to measurable sustainability challenges in retail and communities. 'EmpowerME is about more than ideas; it's about outcomes,' said Mohammad Mahmoud Al Najjar, Senior Vice President, Starbucks at Alshaya Group. 'By giving young people the tools, confidence, and platform they need, we're seeing complex sustainability challenges turned into practical, testable solutions: reusing café water, turning loyalty points into trees, and replacing plastic packaging with mycelium. It's a powerful signal of what youth‑led innovation can deliver for Saudi Arabia's sustainability agenda.' INJAZ Al-Arab equips youth to drive the economies of the Arab World forward through hands-on learnings and mentorships designed to inspire them to develop ambition, entrepreneurship, and professional skills. Akef Aqrabawi, CEO, INJAZ Al ‑ Arab/JA MENA, added: 'INJAZ Al‑Arab brings regional expertise in youth entrepreneurship and work readiness. Hackathons like this are where ideas become prototypes; partnerships like this are how prototypes become jobs and startups. That is how EmpowerME will contribute to the region's socio‑economic future — by equipping the next generation to build the businesses and careers a sustainable MENA economy needs.' Barakah, a Saudi recycling and circular-economy company that helps businesses recover materials, reduce landfill, and turn waste into value, supported the program as an industry partner. Barakah offered internship opportunities to selected participants, while team members also mentored students and served on the judging panel. 'At Barakah, we believe that tackling food waste and building food security starts with bold ideas and local action,' said Bader Alheraish, Head of Partnerships at Barakah. 'It's inspiring to see so many young innovators using technology to address these challenges head‑on. Events like EmpowerME are crucial for nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs who will lead Saudi Arabia toward a more sustainable and resilient future.' By grounding innovation in national priorities, the EmpowerME Hackathon showed how youth‑led concepts can advance Vision 2030 and the Saudi Green Initiative — from circular water use and biodegradable materials to urban greening and low‑waste logistics. Each winning solution embeds clear metrics (such as liters of water reused, trees planted, packaging waste avoided) and uses AI as a practical enabler for smarter classification, site selection, personalization, planning, and monitoring, making the path from prototype to pilot both credible and measurable. Taking action Organizers are exploring pilot pathways for the top concepts, including in-store water-reuse tests, a points-to-trees integration with the National Center for Vegetation Cover, and packaging trials with delivery partners — prioritizing measurable impact, customer experience, and scalability. The EmpowerME Hackathon is just one part of a larger movement to equip underserved youth — including young women, refugees, and vocational students — with practical skills and opportunities. In its first year, EmpowerME has already reached over 10,000 youth in five countries, with plans to expand further. -Ends- The Starbucks Foundation The Starbucks Foundation strengthens humanity by transforming lives across the world, with a focus on enabling community resiliency and prosperity and uplifting communities affected by disaster. Established in 1997, The Starbucks Foundation is a Section 501(c)(3) charitable organization under U.S. law. Learn more at Starbucks Stories. Starbucks at Alshaya Group Starbucks® Coffee Company, the international coffeehouse and roastery chain, operates in the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and Central Asia regions as a licensed franchise under the umbrella of Alshaya Group, one of the world's leading brand franchise operators. As the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the region, Starbucks at Alshaya Group seamlessly integrates global coffee expertise and local knowhow. Starbucks at Alshaya Group is all about nurturing the human connection, bringing together local communities and delivering memorable customer experiences. We work to ensure the highest standards of quality and excellence in bringing you an ethically sourced, high-quality cup of Arabica coffee. Serving up coffee and connections to draw our world closer, Starbucks at Alshaya Group currently operates more than 2000 stores in 13 countries in the region. Learn more about your perfect cup of Starbucks coffee: INJAZ Al‑Arab INJAZ Al‑Arab, a leading non‑profit organization operating in 13 countries in the region, harnesses the mentorship of business leaders to help inspire a culture of entrepreneurship and business innovation among Arab youth. INJAZ Al‑Arab equips Arab youth to drive the economies of the Arab World forward through training designed to inspire them to develop ambition, entrepreneurship, and professional skills. EmpowerME EmpowerME is a strategic initiative by the Starbucks Foundation and Alshaya Group, delivered in partnership with INJAZ Al-Arab and Habitat Association Türkiye. The program is designed to foster entrepreneurship, employability, and green innovation among youth facing systemic barriers.