This year’s edition of the First National Bank (FNB) Hackathon saw over 10 000 participants, in only 72 hours, racing to develop tech-driven solutions that tackle some of Africa’s most pressing social challenges.
The event, which took place at the end of October, was hosted at 22 on Sloane in Bryanston, Africa’s start-up campus and entrepreneurship hub, and joined by thousands of online participants from across the continent.
According to a statement, the annual FNB Hackathon has evolved into a continental movement, celebrating Africa’s coding talent and proving that local developers possess the creativity, skill and determination to drive meaningful change.
All participating teams who successfully submitted a solution now qualify for the Best Hackathon Solution category at the upcoming FNB App of the Year Awards in December.
A total of 607 teams participated and 328 innovations were successfully completed within the hackathon allocated time period.
Teams of developers, designers and innovators collaborated on innovative solutions addressing real-world challenges across five key impact areas:
Jobs and economic resilience: Using technology to create new pathways into the economy, reduce unemployment, and build resilience for young people and small businesses.
Infrastructure and essential services: Designing tools that improve access to reliable power, water and transport, helping communities better manage service disruptions.
Inequality and social cohesion: Harnessing digital innovation to bridge divides across income, race, gender and nationality − fostering inclusive communities.
Climate resilience and food security: Creating solutions that help communities prepare for and respond to climate-related disasters while strengthening local food systems.
Public safety and gender-based violence: Developing technologies to make communities safer and strengthen trust in emergency and safety systems.
The FNB Hackathon marked the culmination of the FNB Business App Academy, a nine-week virtual coding programme held earlier this year that saw over 33 000 participants graduate as full-stack developers.
“What we witnessed at the hackathon was extraordinary − a tenacious, talented and determined community of developers giving up their weekend to use their skills for good,” says Janis Robson, business development head at FNB.
“The innovation, teamwork and optimism shown in just 72 hours is exactly what we believe will drive Africa’s digital future. We’re incredibly proud of every participant for showcasing their brilliance, helping to bridge the digital skills gap, and opening doors to new economic opportunities.”
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