Africa Innovate Conference Hackathon

Our virtual conference and hackathon for sustainable development in Africa took place this summer from 21-23 July 2021.

Why participate?

Africa Innovate is a free online conference and hackathon offering a diverse programme of engagement between learners (aged 18+), educators and industry experts to exchange knowledge and develop innovative solutions for sustainable development in Africa.

Challenges

The Africa Innovate conference and hackathon focuses on tackling sustainable development challenges.

About the Conference

21 July

Introduction

Discussion on Economy & Employment

Discussion on ICT

Discussion on Community

Discussion on Health & Well-being

22 July

Discussion on Clean Energy

Discussion on Environment

Discussion on Education

Discussion on Sanitation & Water

23 July

Discussion on Fundraising

Final pitches

Hackathon winners announced

Closing remarks

About the Hackathon

Our hackathon is a short, intensive competition spanning three days where teams of three to six participants (from diverse backgrounds nd disciplines) develop an innovative solution to a sustainable development challenge in Africa. Each team is assigned a mentor to accelerate their progress.

Hackathon Timeline

21 June

Ideation session

Team formation

21 July

Online access to mentors

First round of submissions

Second round team selection

22 July

Online access to mentors

Final round of submissions

23 July

Hackathon winners announced

Featured Speakers

Sola Mahoney

Non-Executive Director
Guaranty Trust Bank Gambia Ltd
The Gambia

Professor Kenneth Amaeshi

Chair in Business and Sustainable Development and Director of Scaling Business in Africa
University of Edinburgh
United Kingdom

Dr Samia Chasi

International Education Association of South Africa
South Africa

Dr Lamy Mamdoh Mohamed Hamed

Assistant Professor
Soil and Water Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University
Egypt

Elizabeth Adeshina

Founder and CEO
Wazima Health
UK, Nigeria

Robin Todd

Executive Director
Transforming Teaching, Education & Learning (T-TEL)
Ghana

Nicholas Mukisa

PhD Researcher
Auckland University of Technology
New Zealand

Stephen Kehinde Medase

Research Associate
College of Business and Economics, University of Johannesburg
South Africa

Yasser Tawfik

Co-founder
Ideas Gym
Egypt

Isaac Oladipupo

CEO and Co-founder
Afrilearn
Nigeria

Yinusa Oyekunle

Assistant Lecturer
University of Lagos
Nigeria

Dr Iva Peša

Assistant Professor in Contemporary History, University of Groningen
The Netherlands

Dr Philipp Trotter

Honorary Research Associate
Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of Oxford
UK

Dr Moses Samje

Researcher
University of Bamenda
Cameroon

Sara Eklund

CEO and Founder
Noble Cup
Ethiopia

Mulugeta Gebremariam Gebremeskel

Environmental and Climate Change Officer
Ethiopian Roads Authority
Ethiopia

Abdishakur M. Ahmed

Former CEO at SomLite, Energy Specialist at RTI
Somalia

Blandine Umuziranenge

Founder and CEO
Kosmotive
Rwanda

Ari Jacobovits

Managing Director
MIT-Africa Program, MIT International Science and Technology Initiatives (MISTI)
MIT Centre for International Studies
US

Minga M Kongo

Researcher
Department of Social Anthropology, University of Cape Town
South Africa

Lindsey Noakes

Co-founder
Gather
UK

Dr Daniel Ramotsoela

Lecturer
Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Cape Town
South Africa

Dr Ebenezer Forkuo Amankwaa

Urban Geographer and Lecturer
Department of Geography and Resource Development, University of Ghana
Ghana

Tony Joy

Founder and Director
Durian Nigeria
Nigeria

Joseph Nsengimana

Head, Regional Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning
Mastercard Foundation
Rwanda

Maimuna Yakubu Mohammed

Chief Executive Officer
Society for Women Development and Empowerment of Nigeria
Nigeria

Dr Hailay Abrha Gesesew

Postdoctoral Research Fellow (NHMRC)
Flinders University
Australia

Dr Miguel Angel San Joaquin

Senior Health Economist
World Bank
Mozambique

Dr Joy M. Kiiru

Senior Lecturer
School of Economics, University of Nairobi
Kenya

Japheth Otieno Ondiek

Director
Technology and Innovation
Instream Consulting Group
Kenya

Olatomiwa Williams

Cloud and Digital Transformation Director, Microsoft Middle
East and Africa Multi Cluster Countries (MEA MCC)
Microsoft
Nigeria

Isaac Onim Afwata

Program Coordinator, Nutrition, Food Security and Livelihoods, Organization for Peace, Relief and Development
Sudan

Moses Abolade

Executive Director
Peace Education and Practice Network
Nigeria

Arthur Chupeau

Head of Ventures
The Baobab Network
Kenya

Takunda Chingonzoh

Founder
The Village Innovation Network
Zimbabwe

Catherine Nyaumwe Munyarari

Project Coordinator
Scene Connect Ltd
UK

Dr Anastasia Anagnostou

Senior Lecturer, Department of Computer Science, Brunel University
UK

Adam Jagich

Investment Advisor
Chandaria Capital
Kenya

Tongayi Choto

Co-Founder and CEO
AfriBlocks
Zimbabwe

Stephan Eyeson

CEO
Survey54
London, Johannesburg

Denise Mensah Domfe

Trust and Foundations Officer
The Africa Centre
UK

Belvin Tawuya

Chief Marketing and Communications Officer
The Africa Centre
UK

Farida Danmeri

Founder and CEO
Learning Connected
UK

Mentors

Elizabeth Kperrun-Eremie

CEO
Zenafri
Nigeria

Toby Martin Hughes

Lead Product Manager
Tesco
UK

Duro Oye

Chief Executive
20/20 Change
UK

Angie Madara

Founder & CEO
Growd Global Ltd
UK

Elohor Thomas

Co-founder and CEO
CodeLn
Nigeria

Eyram Amedzor

CEO and Co-founder
Jumeni
Ghana

Yinusa Oyekunle

Assistant Lecturer, University of Lagos
Nigeria

Charles-Antoine Kuszli

Engineer and Data Analyst
State of Geneve
Switzerland

Avaye Kiruma

Head of Product
MESA
Kenya

AnnRita Njiru- Mugo

Chief Operating Officer
Growd Global Ltd
Kenya

Alicia Drucker

Project Management, Delivery Leadership, Operations, Leadership Facilitation/Coaching
US

Habeeb Kolade

Programme Manager
Wennovation
Nigeria

Margaret Jastrebski

Chief Growth Officer
Table XI
US

Pre-final round judges

Waleed Arshad

Product Manager
Snyk
UK

Elizabeth Adeshina

Founder and CEO
Wazima Health
UK, Nigeria

Isaac Tshiteta

Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer
BlueAvo
South Africa

Gilles Ametepe

Snr. Partner, Policy & Institutional Relations
Ghana for Startups
Ghana

Jide Ayegbusi

Founder
Edusko Africa
Nigeria

Final round judges

Marwa Soudi

Co-founder and Project Coordinator Edtest Estonia
Egypt

Professor Kenneth Amaeshi

Chair in Business and Sustainable Development and Director of Scaling Business in Africa
University of Edinburgh
United Kingdom

Takunda Chingonzoh

Founder
The Village Innovation Network
Zimbabwe

Arthur Chupeau

Head of Ventures
The Baobab Network
Kenya

Adam Jagich

Investment Advisor
Chandaria Capital
Kenya

Samuel Akinosho

Chief Executive Officer
Spydar Africa
Nigeria

Akash Maharaj

CEO
Endorphin Global
South Africa