10 October
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From Hackathon Winners to Founders: Inside Our First Scalable Business Training with Erin Petrey
- Hana Tech Technical Writing Team
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The hardest part isn’t winning. It’s what comes next.
On Saturday, October 10, 2026, the five winning teams of the US–Libya Global Innovation Bridge Hackathon took their first step beyond the podium — sitting down (virtually) with Erin Petrey, former Amazon Web Services leader and former Board Member of the National Council on US–Libya Relations, to explore what it truly takes to build a scalable business.
From Idea to Venture: The Hackathon That Started It All
On September 14, 2026, Hana Tech launched the US–Libya Global Innovation Bridge Hackathon in partnership with Clarkson University in New York and Libyan International University in Benghazi. For the first time, Libyan and American students came together to tackle real-world challenges in technology, artificial intelligence, and sustainability — not in a classroom, but in a live, cross-continental innovation sprint with international leaders and diplomats present.
After intense days of building, pitching, and iterating, a judging panel selected the five teams whose solutions stood out for impact, technical strength, and real-world viability:
- FinBridge (RootNodes) — a secure sandbox to test payment gateways and digital banking
- Human Experience Intelligence (My Zone) — a platform that measures user satisfaction to improve services
- Shifa (Hacktivists) — a digital care platform connecting cancer patients to doctors
- GridVeil (Tech Paradox) — AI-powered load forecasting for privacy-safe power grids
- FUELX (APEX) — QR-based tracking of fuel distribution chains
These aren’t just impressive concepts. They are real solutions to real problems — and now their creators are learning how to bring them to market.
Session Spotlight: Scaling Business Operations Smartly & Sustainably
Today’s training session was led by Erin R. Petrey, whose career spans leadership roles at Amazon Web Services and governance experience at the highest levels of US–Libya diplomacy. Her session, “Scaling Business Operations Smartly & Sustainably,” went straight to the heart of what separates a winning prototype from a fundable company.
[Editor’s note — for Hana Tech to complete before publishing: please add 3–5 key highlights or takeaways from Erin’s session here, and any quotes or student reflections you’d like to share (with permission).]
What was clear: these students are no longer just competing. They’re building.
The Road Ahead: 5 Weeks, 6 Modules, One Stage
Today’s session is the first module in a structured training program delivered by Ventureya, bringing together experts from leading global organizations to prepare all five teams for the biggest moment of the program: the Final Investor Pitch Event on November 21, 2026.
The curriculum covers business acceleration, market value proposition, funding strategy, and investor pitching — the same toolkit used by early-stage founders worldwide, now placed in the hands of Libyan students. Alongside Erin, the teams will learn from specialists who have worked at Amazon, Siemens, Google, Meta, and more.
On November 21, all five teams will pitch live to investors, business leaders, universities, banks, and media — simultaneously in Benghazi at Libyan International University and in New York at Clarkson University, and streamed live on YouTube for a global audience.
Why This Matters
Hana Tech was founded on a simple belief: talent doesn’t have a passport. Libyan students have the creativity, the drive, and the technical skills to compete on a global stage. What they’ve historically lacked is access — to world-class mentors, to investor networks, to the frameworks that turn good ideas into funded companies.
The US–Libya Global Innovation Bridge is Hana Tech’s answer to that gap. By connecting Libyan youth with experts drawn from organizations like Amazon, Siemens, Google, and Meta, Hana Tech is doing more than running a hackathon — it is building a permanent bridge between two continents, one cohort at a time.
The solutions these five teams are developing belong to them. The knowledge they’re gaining is theirs to keep. And on November 21, the opportunity to be seen by the world will be entirely earned.
Event Flyer
Join Us on November 21
The Final Investor Pitch Event takes place on November 21, 2026 at 12:00 PM New York time (6:00 PM Benghazi). Five live pitches. Two venues. One global livestream.
If you’re an investor, diplomat, expert, or partner who believes in the power of Libya’s next generation — we’d love to have you in the room, or watching from anywhere in the world.
👉 Learn more about the Final Investor Pitch Event
📅 Join virtually: meet.google.com/wqj-wfnn-zpu (Google Meet)
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