Building Africa from Within
Hackathon State
Host by
ONE DEV
Hackathon Mode
HYBRID
Ecosystem
Venue
ALX,Kenya
Tech Stack
Participants
5,000 USD
Available in Prizes
Description
Dates: May 14 – May 22, 2025
Location: Nairobi, Kenya & Virtual
Submission Deadline: May 21, 2025
Demo Day: May 22, 2025
Code Africa Hackathon returns for its second iteration with an ambitious mission: to cultivate homegrown solutions that address local challenges while creating global impact. This year's theme, "Building Africa from Within," challenges developers to harness blockchain and AI technologies to drive sustainable development through African innovation.
Drawing inspiration from The Prosperity Paradox: How Innovation Can Lift Nations Out of Poverty, we're focusing on empowering African developers to create solutions that strengthen local ecosystems while demonstrating the continent's technological capabilities to the world.
May 15, 2025
Simple DApp Development Workshop
Time: 4:00 - 6:00 PM EAT (2 hours)
Facilitators: David Lumala & Chris
May 16, 2025
Web3 Business Models Workshop
Time: 5:00 - 6:00 PM EAT (1 hour)
Facilitators: JB of Lagos & Chris
While blockchain and AI technologies continue to demonstrate transformative potential across industries, there remains a significant gap in diverse, real-world applications—especially from emerging markets. This hackathon provides a platform for developers to build inclusive, innovative solutions that leverage Africa's unique perspectives and talents.
Build the foundation for tomorrow's decentralized ecosystems:
Developer tools for Blockchain & AI
Decentralized security and interoperability solutions
Fully on-chain e-commerce platforms
Revolutionize healthcare delivery with cutting-edge tech:
AI-driven diagnostics and data management
Blockchain for public health and misinformation
Decentralized health data transparency
Reimagine learning through decentralized platforms:
Tokenized social platforms for learners and educators
On-chain educational content marketplaces
Secure student data and credential management
Projects will be evaluated based on:
Innovation and product-market fit
Effective integration of Blockchain and/or AI technologies
Quality of code and architecture
User interface and experience design
Bonus points for:
Deploying frontend on-chain with AI integration
Launching projects on mainnet (where applicable)
Build a new project or significantly extend an existing one with features addressing a partner bounty
Teams of up to 5 members (individuals welcome too)
Judging based solely on what's built during the hackathon period
Join us as we build Africa from within and create solutions that will showcase African innovation to the world!
FAQs
Web3
4,000 USD
Web3
Web3
Judging Criteria
Smart Contract Quality (10 points): Robustness, security, and efficiency of smart contract implementation
Security Measures (10 points): Thoroughness of security considerations and mitigations for common vulnerabilities
Audit Readiness (5 points): Code documentation and preparation for external security review
Market Fit (10 points): Addressing specific financial challenges relevant to African markets
Tokenomics Design (10 points): Well-thought-out token economics that create sustainable incentives
Financial Inclusion (5 points): Consideration for unbanked/underbanked populations
Mechanism Design (10 points): Quality of financial mechanisms and game theory considerations
Interoperability (10 points): Ability to connect with existing financial systems and other blockchain protocols
Governance Structure (5 points): Thoughtful approach to protocol governance and future development
Onboarding Flow (10 points): Ease of user onboarding, especially for crypto beginners
Interface Clarity (10 points): Clear presentation of complex financial information and risks
Mobile Optimization (5 points): Adaptation for mobile-first African users and low-bandwidth environments
AI
1,000 USD
AI
AI
Judging Criteria
Model Selection & Implementation (10 points): Appropriate choice and implementation of AI models for the problem space
Data Processing & Ethics (5 points): Quality of data pipelines, responsible data usage, and bias mitigation strategies
Integration Architecture (10 points): Seamless integration with other systems, including blockchain components where relevant
Problem Identification (5 points): Clear articulation of the problem and why AI is the appropriate solution
Novel Application (10 points): Uniqueness of the AI approach or application to African contexts
Scalability Potential (10 points): Ability for the solution to scale across different regions or use cases
Accuracy & Efficiency (10 points): Demonstrable performance metrics appropriate to the problem
Resource Optimization (10 points): Consideration for computational requirements and optimization for African infrastructure constraints
Testing Methodology (5 points): Rigor of evaluation approach and understanding of limitations
Accessibility (10 points): Usability across different technical literacy levels and adaptability to local contexts
Explainability (10 points): Transparency in how AI decisions are made and communicated to users
Interface Design (5 points): Intuitive interaction with the AI system
Schedule
Resource
alchemy.com/university
Infrastructure & Tooling Track
Create a blockchain-based identity verification system that allows small businesses to establish digital identities, build reputation, and access services without traditional banking infrastructure.
Develop a blockchain-powered payment protocol optimized for African mobile money systems, enabling seamless cross-border transactions with minimal fees.
Build a no-code platform for creating and deploying legally compliant smart contracts tailored to African business contexts and legal frameworks.
Create a tool that analyzes on-chain data to provide insights into regional economic trends, helping businesses make data-driven decisions.
Build an on-chain platform where African developers can offer services, collaborate on projects, and build reputation through verifiable credentials.
Develop a tool that uses AI to help developers convert traditional applications to blockchain-compatible formats, lowering the barrier to blockchain adoption.
Education Track
Create a blockchain-based platform where educational institutions and employers can verify skills and issue portable credentials to learners.
Build a platform where teachers can create, share, and monetize educational resources using tokens, with AI tools to help develop personalized content.
Develop a decentralized application connecting students with tutors, using a blockchain-based reputation system and smart contracts for payment.
Create a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) that pools resources to fund educational opportunities, with community-based governance.
Build an AI-powered language learning tool focusing on African languages, using blockchain to verify native speaker contributions and track learning progress.
Develop a system tracking distribution of digital educational materials to schools in low-connectivity areas, ensuring equitable resource allocation.
Cross-Track Innovation Ideas
Build a decentralized application where citizens can report and verify the status of local infrastructure (roads, water, electricity), creating transparent records for accountability.
Create a platform connecting farmers with buyers, using AI for price predictions and blockchain for transparent supply chain tracking.
Develop a solution for protecting intellectual property of African creators (music, art, designs) using NFTs and smart contracts for royalty distribution.
Build a decentralized system for collecting, verifying, and sharing environmental data across Africa, supporting climate action with reliable information.
Create a blockchain-based solution to increase citizen participation in local governance through secure voting, proposal systems, and transparency tools.
Healthcare Track
Create a privacy-preserving system for storing and sharing medical credentials, vaccination records, and health certifications on the blockchain.
Develop an AI tool that helps community health workers diagnose common conditions with limited equipment, using blockchain to securely store patient data.
Build a solution tracking medicine authenticity from manufacturer to patient, combating counterfeit drugs with blockchain-verified authenticity.
Create a platform aggregating anonymized health data to identify disease outbreaks and public health trends while maintaining individual privacy.
Develop a community-based health coverage system using smart contracts to manage contributions and claims without traditional insurance overhead.
Build a system that uses AI to create personalized health education content in local languages, with blockchain-verified information sources.