Ualett and INTEC Announce the Winners of the Ualett Challenge Hackathon 2026

An innovation competition that empowered Dominican student talent to transform the future of delivery platforms.

Santo Domingo, DR – January 31, 2026 – Ualett, the financial platform focused on empowering independent workers, together with the Entrepreneurship Center of the Technological Institute of Santo Domingo (INTEC), announced today the winners of the Ualett Challenge Hackathon 2026.

Over two days of intensive work, 48 students from Dominican universities participated in the challenge to design an application that allows independent drivers to retain up to 70% of their earnings without compromising the business model’s sustainability.

Winners of the Ualett Challenge 2026

• First Place (RD$240,000): Santo Valenzuela, Albert Sanfle, Jesús Hernández, Eduardo Vicente, and Jesús Rodríguez – For an outstanding proposal in business model, user experience, and technological feasibility.

• Second Place (RD$180,000): Emmanuel Villavizar, Ismael Martínez, Uriel Rosario, Miguel Lassis, and Tomas Colon – Recognized for its innovative approach and clarity of the value proposition.

• Third Place (RD$120,000): Manuel Mancebo, José de la Cruz, Aram Musset, Elianna Castaño, Braynell Rijo, and Adriel Martínez – Awarded for its creativity and technical execution.

A Commitment to Dominican Talent and Financial Inclusion

With the Ualett Challenge Hackathon 2026, Ualett reaffirms its commitment to young Dominican talent and to the creation of fairer, more inclusive financial solutions. The initiative not only fostered technological innovation, but also encouraged deeper reflection on how to design platforms that respond to the economic realities of independent income earners. By supporting spaces where students, entrepreneurs, and future technology leaders can experiment, create, and propose new models, Ualett continues to invest in the development of the local ecosystem and in a vision of financial inclusion rooted in education, empathy, and a genuine understanding of independent workers’ needs.

This approach was reflected in the structure of the hackathon, where participating teams received specialized mentorship in user experience, technological development, and business models. At the close of the event, projects were evaluated by a jury composed of experts in technology, design, and business, as well as representatives from Ualett and INTEC. Evaluation criteria included value proposition, innovation, technical feasibility, financial model, user experience, and overall presentation quality.

About Ualett

Ualett provides fast, flexible liquidity to gig economy workers through cash advances, without relying on traditional loans or credit checks. Built on trust, accessibility, and real-time income verification, the service helps independent workers cover needs between pay cycles. Ualett serves more than 560,000 users.

Founded by Dominicans and operating across the United States, Ualett is rooted in a commitment to the Latino community and in the design of financial solutions shaped by the realities of workers who have historically been overlooked by the traditional financial system, including 1099 workers, also known as independent contractors or freelancers.