The second edition of a four-part gender-based violence (GBV) hackathon series will be hosted at Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, later this month.
This after the inaugural event was held in Cape Town last year in partnership with Silicon Cape. It saw participants come up with numerous ideas, ranging from apps and wearable devices, to panic buttons and educational games.
According to SA Police Service crime statistics, Gauteng experienced the highest number of recorded crimes against women out of all nine provinces between 2018 and 2019, with 45 238 cases reported during that time.
Initiated by the US Embassy in SA, the “South Africa: Digital Solutions for Real World Challenges” hackathon series aims to come up with digital solutions to address the scourge of GBV in the country.
The Johannesburg instalment of the hackathon will take place on 28 and 29 March.
This edition, being hosted in partnership with the Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct in Braamfontein, will see attendees exploring what can be done to make communities safer, investigating how best to respond to threats, and producing tech that could save lives.
To help take their concepts to the next level, they will also be paired with mentors who can provide expert guidance.
The winning team in Joburg will walk away with R25 000, the runner-up will receive R15 000 and there will be R5 000 in spot prizes up for grabs.
In addition, the winner will be connected with accelerators, mentors and other relevant community members, such as developers, angel investors and venture capitalists, to help bring their solution to life.
Amazon Web Services will also give the winning team access to the low cost, easy-to-use infrastructure needed to scale and grow via the AWS Activate programme, which includes benefits like $10 000 worth of AWS promotional credits, valid for two years; AWS Business Support valued at $5 000, which is valid for up to one year; and a solution architect technical white-boarding session.
To sign up, click here.
Share