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Hackathon Humanitarian Logistics 2026

The second edition of the Hackathon in Humanitarian Logistics in Ho Chi Min City, Vietnam, was a great success, growing from 800 participants in 2025 to more than 1,000 in 2026. The event, hosted on 28-29th March, brought together high school and university students passionate about collaborating on solutions to some of the most pressing challenges in disaster response.

The hackathon, directed by the Vietnam National Union of Students in Ho Chi Minh City, Kühne Logistics University (KLU), Startup Support Center (BSSC), InnoEx and supported by HELP Logistics and the Red Cross, connected global expertise with local innovation. KLU President Andreas Kaplan emphasized the importance of global collaboration: “At KLU, we believe innovation in logistics can save lives, and that international collaboration is key to advancing humanitarian logistics. This hackathon empowers young talent from Asia and Europe to turn their ideas into real humanitarian solutions.” All participants shared one goal: improving humanitarian response systems so that no one is left behind. Each proposed solution not only demonstrated creativity and technological innovation but also carried the potential to save lives in critical situations.

International Participation with a Regional Focus

Vietnam provided a highly relevant context for testing ideas. Students from Cambodia pointed out the similarities between regional cities: “We see many common challenges between Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Penh, such as frequent flooding, traffic congestion, and limited coordination between stakeholders.”

Vietnamese students, participating in the event for the second time, expressed strong motivation to continue developing their ideas: “The greatest appeal of the Humanitarian Logistics Hackathon is its high practicality and humanitarian impact. I participated for the second year because I wanted to continue developing my ideas and learn more from international teams.”

Students from Germany highlighted the importance of designing solutions that address the needs of elderly and vulnerable populations, emphasizing accessibility and efficiency in humanitarian response.

Participants emphasized that the experience not only strengthened their technical and teamwork skills but also deepened their understanding of how logistics can make a big difference in people’s lives.

Over two intensive days, participants developed a final presentation of five minutes, followed by a short Q&A session with the jury. The competition concluded with an award ceremony recognizing the top 20 teams, including 10 high school teams and 10 university teams.

A total of 60 teams competed in the semi-final and final rounds, working through two key challenges. Beyond the economic prizes, awarded to the top-performing teams, all participants gained something more valuable: a deeper understanding of the humanitarian logistics field and a unique experience of learning and peer collaboration.

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More Information

Official Website 

Facebook KLU Asia 

Contact KLU Asia

Email: asia@klu.org

Phone: +84 345 366 481

 

Photo Impressions

A panel of judges sits at a long table in a formal indoor venue, watching the event and applauding. They are dressed professionally, with nameplates, microphones, and drinks arranged in front of them.
A group of five people stands together in front of a blue event backdrop, posing for a photo.
A team of four young participants stands in front of a blue event backdrop, holding a KLU flag.
A group of participants stands together in front of a blue event backdrop, smiling and posing with hand gestures.
A judge reaches out to shake hands with a group of students standing on stage in white shirts.
Two judges are seen from behind, seated and facing a stage where a team stands in front of a large screen displaying their presentation.
An audience of students sits in rows, attentively watching the event.
A group of students sits in the audience, clapping and smiling.
A team presents on stage in front of a large screen displaying slides, while judges sit at tables on either side.
A panel of judges sits at a long table in a large venue, focused on the stage.
A judge shakes hands with a participant on stage while other team members stand nearby, smiling and watching.
A group of students stands on stage, smiling.
A young participant stands in front of a lineup of teams on stage, speaking into a microphone while the others watch.
A judge presents a gift to a participant on stage, handing it over while other team members stand nearby.
A judge hands a certifikate to a group of students in uniforms on stage, while they smile and gather around.
A judge hands a certificate and gift to a team on stage, while the participants smile and gather around.
Two participants stand on stage holding a certificate together, posing for a photo in front of the event backdrop.
A judge stands in front of a line of students in blue uniforms, handing out awards one by one.
An audience of attendees sits closely together, watching the event with focused and engaged expressions.
A group of performers dances on stage in coordinated movements, entertaining the audience.
A group of dancers sits together in the stands, smiling and posing with playful gestures.
A group of participants in yellow shirts sits on the floor, working together with laptops and materials spread around them.
A group of participants stands on stage in front of a blue event backdrop, posing together for a photo.
A group of participants sits together around a table, collaborating over laptops and notes.
Participants sit in small groups on the floor, working collaboratively with laptops and materials spread out.
A large group of people sits in stadium-style seating, smiling and posing for a group photo behind a banner.
A group of attendees stands together, clapping and smiling as they take part in an interactive game.

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