AI hackathon at MBZUAI spotlights student-led innovation and real-world problem solving
The Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence has completed the K2 Think Hackathon Finals, where student teams built AI tools focused on reasoning, design, and education within 48 hours.
The Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) Incubation and Entrepreneurship Center (IEC) has announced the results of the K2 Think Hackathon Finals, a two-day event exploring how reasoning-driven AI systems can be developed and applied to real-world challenges.
MBZUAI’s IEC, launched in 2023, supports AI startups through technical and business development programs. The hackathon forms part of the center’s broader mission to connect academic research in artificial intelligence with early innovation and commercialization.
Sixteen finalist teams were tasked with building prototypes using K2 Think’s reasoning models. The projects ranged from mathematical proof verification to instant interface design, reflecting a shift toward more experimental applications of reasoning-based AI.
The Judge’s Choice Award went to Axiom, a team of math specialists and Olympiad medalists who developed “a self-correcting AI mathematician.” Their system integrates K2 Think’s reasoning capabilities with formal mathematical proof verification, converting written conjectures into code and identifying logical errors in real time.
The Audience Choice Award was presented to TUM.ai Dreamteam, which used K2 Think’s inference engine to create a voice-to-web design tool capable of turning spoken ideas into functional prototypes instantly.
Younger innovators among standout teams
Three additional teams were recognized as AI Rising Stars, highlighting the range of participants and ideas:
NanoCrisp, an AI beatmaker designed by 11-year-olds from Cranleigh Abu Dhabi.
BirdX, a tool that generates personalized STEM problems for students using adaptive reasoning.
Arete, an AI trainer that delivers feedback and adaptive coaching to accelerate skill mastery.
Each project was completed in less than two days, underscoring the accessibility of reasoning-based AI and its potential for education, design, and automation.
In a post shared on LinkedIn, the MBZUAI Incubation and Entrepreneurship Center described the hackathon as evidence of “reasoning in action,” with participants showing how quickly K2 Think’s technology can be adapted across domains: “Most of all, it’s been incredible to see reasoning in action, powered by K2 Think. From mathematical proofs to instant design generation, you showed us what becomes possible when deep thinking meets speed.”
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