Applications Open for Second Annual Asia-Pacific Global Health Innovation Hackathon on Maternal & Child Nutrition

Singapore, 14 May 2026 – Applications are now open for the second annual Asia-Pacific Global Health Innovation Hackathon, to be held in Singapore on 18–19 September 2026. Jointly co-hosted by two SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre institutes, the Academic Medicine Innovation Institute (AMII) and the Global Health Institute (SDGHI), alongside SingHealth's International Collaboration Office (ICO), the event will bring together 12 to 15 teams from across the Asia-Pacific region to develop transformative and scalable solutions to one of the region's most pressing public health challenges: maternal and child nutrition.

The Challenge
Asia-Pacific remains at the epicentre of the global maternal and child nutrition crisis. Despite a modest decline in undernourishment - from 7.0% in 2023 to 6.4% in 2024 - the region still accounts for nearly 40% of the world's hungry population¹. Across Asia and South Asia nearly one in three women aged 15-49 suffer from anaemia, while acute malnutrition affects 8.9% of children - well above global averages². Meanwhile, 24.4% of children under five are stunted, meaning they are too short for their age due to chronic malnutrition, with lasting consequences for their physical and cognitive development. Yet undernutrition tells only part of the story. Over 35 million children under five in the region are overweight - with Asia carrying nearly half the global burden - reflecting a deepening 'double burden' where undernutrition and rising obesity exist side by side³. Compounded by climate-related food insecurity and volatile external funding, these converging pressures demand integrated solutions that address the full spectrum of malnutrition.

The Hackathon
Teams of three to four - comprising innovators, technical experts, researchers, and healthcare professionals - will develop data-driven solutions across two tracks within the maternal and child nutrition continuum: maternal nutrition during pregnancy, and newborn, infant and young child feeding (the first two years of life). Throughout the 48-hour event, participants will receive expert mentorship from clinicians and faculty from the SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre and regional partner organisations.

What sets this hackathon apart is the direct bridge it builds between clinic and code. Participants gain hands-on access to SDGHI's global health expertise, working shoulder-to-shoulder with clinical frontliners to solve real, validated problems.

The hackathon will conclude on 19 September 2026 with a pitch session before a judging panel comprising representatives from multilateral organisations, healthcare leaders and industry partners.

Beyond 48 Hours: The Post-Event Hackathon Incubation Programme
A defining feature of the Asia-Pacific Global Health Innovation Hackathon is its robust post-event pathway. The three winning teams will embark on a six-month Asia-Pacific Global Health Hackathon Incubation Programme, hosted by SDGHI and ICO.

Each winning team will receive prizes of up to SGD 25,000 (non-cash) as a launchpad to bring their solution to life - encompassing funding support to develop and test their solution in their home context, as well as the opportunity to return to Singapore for the final phase of the programme. This culminating in-person experience includes solution refinement, stakeholder engagement, and a showcase event. Throughout the programme, teams will also benefit from targeted mentorship spanning maternal and child health, implementation science, health innovation, and partnerships.

Professor Ng Wai Hoe, Group CEO, SingHealth, shared: "SingHealth has long been committed to advancing maternal and child health, not just within Singapore, but across the region. This hackathon reflects that commitment, giving teams direct access to our comprehensive clinical ecosystem and expertise so that the solutions they develop are grounded in the real needs of patients.”

"What excites me most about this Hackathon is the diversity of minds it will bring together. When people from different countries, cultures, and disciplines sit down to tackle a shared challenge, something remarkable happens. It is that spirit of collective ingenuity - grounded in local realities - that I believe will drive truly meaningful change for mothers and children across our region," said Ms Vijaya Rao, Director, International Collaboration Office, SingHealth, and Deputy Director, Clinical Health Systems Programme, SDGHI.

“This hackathon reflects why we champion innovation - to solve pressing challenges through technology and collaboration. By engaging healthcare professionals from across the region, we empower teams to think beyond ideation to implementation, and build scalable solutions for one of healthcare’s most pressing challenges,” added Assoc Prof Goh Su-Yen, Co-Chair, Academic Medicine Innovation Institute (AMII) and Group Director, Innovation & Transformation, SingHealth.

Applications are open now through 15 June 2026: www.duke-nus.edu.sg/sdghi/our-work/our-programmes/innovation/innovation-hackathon

¹World Health Organization (WHO). 2023. Trends in Maternal Mortality 2000 to 2020: Estimates by WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, World Bank Group and the United Nations Population Division

²Rahut D. B., A. Singh, and S. Tetsushi. 2024. Continuum of Maternal and Newborn Health Care: Empirical Evidence from 10 Developing Countries in South and South East Asia. Journal of Population Research, forthcoming.

³Raina, N., R. Khanna, S. Gupta, C. A. Jayathilaka, R. Mehta, and S. Behera. 2023. Progress in Achieving SDG Targets for Mortality Reduction Among Mothers, Newborns, and Children in the WHO South-East Asia Region. The Lancet Regional Health-Southeast Asia.