An Afghan-led team triumphed at the world’s largest AI hackathon in Paris, showcasing innovation and resilience, and highlighting Afghanistan’s growing presence in global tech competitions.
An Afghan-led team has secured first place in the Qualcomm Edge AI Consumer Utility Track at RAISE Your Hack 2025, the world’s largest AI hackathon, held at the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris. The event hosted over 6,200 participants, 923 teams, and 220 AI projects from across the globe.
The team behind SignBridge includes developers Ahmad Zia Yousufi, Ahmad Zamir Yousufi, Carlo Fritz, Alina Aliaskerova, and Benjamin Salon (Lartifroid). The project was submitted through Lablab.ai, a platform dedicated to AI innovation and the official host of the hackathon.
Supported by leading tech firms such as Meta, Groq, and Qualcomm, RAISE Your Hack featured a $150,000 prize pool and highlighted solutions across edge AI, multi-agent systems, and real-world utility. SignBridge was recognized for its strong technical foundation, inclusive design, and immediate societal impact.
This win underscores the growing contribution of Afghanistan’s professionals in global tech and demonstrates the potential of AI to create inclusive tools that bridge communication barriers worldwide.
The winning project, SignBridge, is an AI-powered application that translates spoken English into sign language using edge-based models. Designed with a focus on accessibility and privacy, the tool enables real-time communication for Deaf and hard-of-hearing users through offline functionality and visual translation systems, including SignWriting and animated sign language.
