MutualHack 2025: Transforming Ideas into Concrete Projects in 48 Hours
On May 2 and 3, 2025, the second edition of the "MutualHack" hackathon, organized by MAE Assurances, brought together around 50 students who took on the ambitious challenge of transforming them into concrete projects in just 48 hours. The goal was to emerge with innovative ideas that respond to current social, economic, or technological challenges.
At the end of the marathon, three groups of students were selected to receive three funding checks, enabling them to concretize their projects. They will also benefit from a three-month period, supervised by high-level experts.
Among the jury members, Ghazi Saddam detailed the criteria that guided the evaluation of the projects. He explained a rigorous approach, combining demand and benevolence, based on five fundamental pillars: impact, innovation, technical feasibility, economic viability, and progress during the hackathon.
"We were looking for ideas that could make a difference, not just locally but also regionally or internationally," he explains. The originality of the proposed solutions had to be anchored in real market needs. It was not enough to innovate for innovation's sake; each project had to demonstrate clear utility, a solid economic model, and the ability to evolve towards market launch.
The evaluation also focused on the teams' ability to progress within the allotted time. According to the juror, some teams were able to pivot, refine their approach, or integrate continuous feedback, resulting in almost ready-to-be-tested prototypes in areas such as automotive, agricultural, or property insurance. The final pitch, on the other hand, was a transversal exercise that had to translate the entire effort, combining analytical rigor, message clarity, and market relevance.
For Helmi Jebali, Head of the Innovation, and Prospective Studies Department at MAE Assurances, this 2025 edition stands out for its inclusive dimension. "We scouted all over Tunisia, reaching over 2400 young people, to broaden opportunities to all profiles," he affirms. Out of thousands of applications, only 103 talents were selected to participate in the hackathon, with several benefiting from support beyond the competition.
Given the high level of the projects, the organizers decided to offer incubation to five additional teams, thus offering more chances for promising ideas to become viable businesses. The proposed support includes technological mentorship, legal guidance, and financial backing.
Among the winners, Bechir Karmeni testifies to the enriching experience lived during the event. Accustomed to participating in competitions – "two to three per month," he confides – he considers this hackathon as one of the most remarkable, thanks to the quality of the mentors and participants. With his two teammates, he chose to tackle a common but little-addressed problem: chronic employee stress. Their solution? An HR platform integrating artificial intelligence to enable collaborators to express their distress and better manage it.
Buoyed by the prize won, they now aim to launch a startup in Tunisia. An incubation is already planned for the next three months to concretize this idea and introduce it to the market.
