The City of Joburg has partnered with Wits University through the Joburg Centre for Software Engineering (JCSE) to launch the second Hack.Jozi Challenge.
The #Hack.Jozi Challenge is a boot camp for start-up entrepreneurs and aims to contribute towards fostering skills, innovation and entrepreneurship in the digital technology space.
Ravi Naidoo, executive director from the Department of Economic Development, says: "We aim to accelerate visionary entrepreneurs in the ICT sector. This is important because ICT is central to improved productivity, economic growth and job creation.
"We are a young city with a young population and we have excellent business and research capacity, which can create the perfect environment for us to develop advanced ICT products and services."
According to a statement, interested applicants can use the challenge to address issues ranging from access to healthcare to affordable education.
"If you have an idea about how you can use technology to help your community and grow the economy, we want to hear from you," says Naidoo.
The City of Joburg says it has committed R5 million to fund the second challenge, which includes R1 million for the winner and R350 000 for two runners-up, and a boot camp for the top 100 ideas.
Applicants can be individuals or teams, one of whom must live in the Johannesburg area.
The top 100 contestants will be offered after-hours entrepreneurship and business training that will help them to refine the ideas. These contestants will be hosted and mentored in the Jozi digital innovation hub in Braamfontein, where they will have access to various resources, mentors, advisors as well as partners to make their vision of helping their community a reality.
The top 20 finalists will receive additional business mentorship and all who make the top 10 will win a one-year membership of the ICT Hub in Braamfontein.
The deadline for submissions is Friday, 25 March.
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