Jazz-Powered 5G Innovation Hackathon Sees Teams Exploring Viable 5G Use Cases

Fifteen teams from different cities across Pakistan are currently on a quest to explore practical 5G use cases in the country by participating in Pakistan’s first 5G Innovation Hackathon powered by Jazz in partnership with NUST, Code for Pakistan (CfP), and the National Information Technology Board (NITB). A mentorship session was arranged under the program on Tuesday, 12 December, at the Jazz-powered 5G Innovation Lab at NUST where some of the teams received professional guidance from prominent industry mentors. The event also offered a unique opportunity to gain insights into the future of 5G technology and its transformative impact across various sectors in Pakistan, including healthcare, education, and more. Speaking on the occasion, Khalid Shehzad, Chief Technology Officer at Jazz, said: “It’s heartening to see young talent from across Pakistan working on cutting-edge digital solutions, strengthening Pakistan’s standing on the global innovation map. The 5G Innovation Hackathon is a unique opportunity for Pakistani students to showcase their talent and help realize our purpose of leveraging technology to improve the lives and livelihoods of millions of Pakistanis.” Some of the solutions under 5G Hackathon mentorship include ‘InLights’ pioneering the integration of AI with Computer Vision and Intelligent Transportation Systems, ‘Smart Logistics for Sustainable Agriculture’ leveraging 5G technology to revolutionize agricultural logistics, ‘AI-Driven Predictive Maintenance’ using AI-driven predictive maintenance to reduce downtime in industrial settings, and ‘IoTEnviro’ developing an IoT-based environmental monitoring platform that employs 5G technology for real-time data transmission. The 5G Innovation Hackathon is hosted at Pakistan’s first and only 5G Innovation lab, established by Pakistan’s leading digital operator, Jazz, in partnership with NUST in December last year. By leveraging its high bandwidth, low latency, and advanced security, the 5G Innovation Lab is helping researchers work on potential use cases for 5G in key sectors and help build a strong case for 5G’s commercial rollout. The event features participants exploring 5G-exclusive solutions addressing critical challenges in Pakistan’s key sectors, including health, education, financial services, disaster management, climate change, agri-tech, and Industry 4.0. Besides preparing the country for the 5G technology and its practical applications, the event will also present a clear picture of 5G readiness in Pakistan, providing the govt and policymakers with useful insights to make educated decisions about the technology’s rollout.