AIS’s JUMPTHAILAND Hackathon is mobilising thousands of innovators to design AI and 5G-powered solutions that transform daily life for seniors and persons with disabilities, while strengthening Thailand’s digital economy.
Challenge
Thailand stands at a demographic crossroads. By 2040, nearly one in three citizens will be over 60. At the same time, more than 2 million people live with disabilities, many facing persistent barriers to education, healthcare and employment. Ageing populations and accessibility gaps create pressure on families, welfare systems and the wider economy. Without systemic innovation, these groups risk being excluded from Thailand’s digital future.
Telecom services, smartphones and 5G networks have transformed how Thais connect and work, yet vulnerable groups are often left behind. Existing welfare programmes, while valuable, cannot fully close the gap. The question is urgent: how can technology be harnessed not only for convenience, but for inclusion—ensuring independence, opportunity and dignity for those who need it most?
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Solution
Advanced Info Service (AIS), Thailand’s largest telecommunications provider, decided to answer that question head on. In 2024, it launched the JUMPTHAILAND Hackathon: Sustainable Future of Inclusive Communities, designed to mobilise talent and technology to confront inequality at scale.
The format is deceptively simple: gather students, entrepreneurs, universities and community groups and invite them to design innovations that improve life for seniors and people with disabilities. AIS contributes what only a national telecom can—advanced 5G infrastructure, mentorship from engineers and business experts, and guidance on turning prototypes into viable products.
But unlike a typical hackathon, this is not a one-off contest. Winning teams receive support packages, including SIM cards and year-long subscriptions, to ensure their solutions can move quickly from idea to real-world use. With partnerships that span ministries, universities and social organisations, the best solutions are channelled into welfare programmes and community initiatives, giving them a path to scale.
Between February and October 2024, more than 3,300 participants from 31 universities formed 114 teams.
Impact
The scale of participation has been remarkable. Their ideas reached an audience of 175,000 people through digital and physical platforms, and over 2,800 attended the final pitching events. Behind the numbers are stories of breakthrough innovation. Teams developed practical tools ranging from AI mobility aids for seniors to autism communication platforms and health monitoring apps that improve daily life and reduce hospital visits.
AIS staff played a crucial role as mentors, guiding teams through technical hurdles and shaping business models to help good ideas survive beyond the pitch stage. The results extend well beyond the prototypes. The hackathon is inspiring a generation of young innovators to see technology as a tool for social change, not just commercial success. It is also building a talent pipeline for AIS itself, ensuring that its future workforce is skilled, motivated and aligned with inclusive values.
For AIS, the business case is clear. The initiative supports its goal of generating seven per cent of revenue from new digital services by 2027. By integrating winning solutions into its platforms, AIS not only drives higher customer engagement but strengthens its position as a leader in inclusive digital transformation.
Future outlook
The next step is scaling impact. In 2025, AIS will pilot assistive technologies with 1,000 seniors and persons with disabilities in partnership with the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security. By 2027, the aim is to reach 50,000 beneficiaries nationwide, including families and caregivers.
The hackathon model itself will expand, addressing new challenges such as healthcare access and digital education. With each cycle, AIS is proving that large-scale innovation can be rooted in inclusion, creating not just a stronger business but a more resilient and equitable society.
Advanced Info Service Public Company Limited (AIS), is a digital infrastructure service provider driving Thailand's digital transformation through four business groups, serving a customer base of over 51.1 million. These include mobile phone services on the 5G network with the highest frequency band of 1460 MHz, catering to over 46 million users; Broadband internet services under the AIS 3BB FIBRE3 with over 5.14 million users; corporate customer services; and digital service businesses. All of these are in line with the vision of becoming a leading telecommunications and smart technology organization – Cognitive Tech-Co, supporting the strength of the digital economy and elevating the quality of life for Thai people. Meet us at www.ais.th (as of June 2025).
Learn more about Advanced Info Service (AIS) through their website. To collaborate or connect, reach out directly to our SL25 team.
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