EAST AFRICAN INNOVATION HACKATHON

EAST AFRICAN INNOVATION HACKATHON is a hands-on innovation challenge that brings together developers, students, designers, innovators, and technology enthusiasts to build practical solutions to real-world problems. ‎ ‎Participants are encouraged to use AI, machine learning, software, data, and emerging technologies to address challenges across areas such as financial inclusion, healthcare, agriculture, education, climate and sustainability, government services, cybersecurity, and smart communities. ‎ ‎The goal is not simply to build impressive technology, but to create solutions that are useful, scalable, accessible, and capable of making a meaningful impact in people’s lives and communities. ‎ ‎Who Should Join? ‎ ‎The hackathon is open to developers, software engineers, students, designers, AI/ML enthusiasts, entrepreneurs, researchers, and innovators who are interested in using technology to solve meaningful problems. ‎ ‎You can participate individually or as part of a team. Whether you are an experienced developer or a student building your first serious project, you are welcome to participate. ‎ ‎What Can You Build? ‎ ‎Build anything that fits the theme and solves a genuine problem. Your project could be an application, platform, AI system, developer tool, financial solution, healthcare technology, agricultural solution, educational product, cybersecurity tool, or another technology-driven innovation. ‎ ‎Think boldly. Build practically. Solve real problems. ‎ ‎

Prizes

Judging Criteria

Judged against clear criteria. Participants receive a private score breakdown per criterion.

Allowed Technologies

Rules

1. Eligibility ‎ · ‎The hackathon is open to developers, students, designers, innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers, and technology enthusiasts. · ‎Participants may compete individually or in teams. · ‎Participants must provide accurate information during registration. · ‎Participants must comply with all applicable laws and regulations. · ‎There is no restriction on the programming language, framework, operating system, or development platform used. ‎ 2. ‎Project Requirements ‎ · ‎Projects must address the hackathon theme: AI & Emerging Technology for Real-World Impact. · ‎A project must demonstrate a meaningful use of technology to solve a real-world problem. · ‎Projects must be submitted before the official submission deadline. · ‎Participants must provide the required project information, including a description of the problem, proposed solution, technologies used, and how the project works. · ‎Participants may be required to provide a working demonstration or presentation of their project. · ‎Projects submitted after the deadline may be disqualified unless the organizers officially grant an extension. ‎ 3. ‎Use of AI ‎ · ‎AI tools and AI-assisted development are allowed. · ‎Participants may use AI coding assistants, generative AI, APIs, open-source models, and other AI technologies. · ‎Participants remain responsible for understanding, testing, and taking responsibility for the code and technologies used in their projects. · ‎Participants must comply with the terms and licenses of any AI models, APIs, datasets, libraries, or third-party services they use. ‎ 4. ‎Existing Projects & Intellectual Property ‎ · ‎Participants must have the right to use and submit all components of their project. · ‎Third-party libraries, APIs, open-source software, datasets, and other resources may be used where their licenses permit. · ‎Participants must properly comply with applicable licenses and attribution requirements. · ‎Participants must disclose significant pre-existing code or components used in their submission. · ‎Participants must not submit another person's work as their own. · ‎Participants retain ownership of the intellectual property they create, unless they voluntarily agree otherwise with a sponsor, partner, or other party through a separate agreement. · ‎The organizers do not claim ownership of participants' projects. ‎ 5. ‎Code of Conduct ‎ ‎All participants are expected to: ‎ · ‎Treat other participants, organizers, judges, mentors, sponsors, and volunteers with respect. · ‎Maintain a professional and inclusive environment. · ‎Not engage in harassment, discrimination, intimidation, threats, cheating, or abusive behavior. · ‎Not attempt to disrupt the hackathon platform, infrastructure, judging process, or another participant's project. · ‎Not engage in plagiarism, fraud, impersonation, or deliberate misrepresentation. · ‎Follow instructions issued by the organizing committee. ‎ ‎Serious violations may result in disqualification and removal from the event. ‎ 6. ‎Fair Competition ‎ · ‎Participants must compete fairly and honestly. · ‎Attempts to manipulate votes, judging, submissions, or competition results are prohibited. · ‎Participants must not intentionally interfere with another team's project or infrastructure. · ‎Judges and organizers may request clarification, demonstrations, source code, or other evidence to verify a submission. · ‎The organizing committee reserves the right to disqualify projects that violate these rules. ‎ 7. ‎Prohibited Content & Activities ‎ ‎Projects must not: ‎ · ‎Promote illegal activities or facilitate criminal behavior. · ‎Contain malicious software or intentionally harmful code. · ‎Infringe intellectual property, privacy, or other legal rights. · ‎Contain hateful, threatening, exploitative, or abusive content. · ‎Deliberately compromise or attack systems, networks, accounts, or infrastructure without authorization. ‎ 8. ‎Allowed Technologies ‎ ‎Any technology is allowed. ‎ ‎Participants are free to use: ‎ · ‎Programming languages · ‎Web and mobile frameworks · ‎AI/ML models and APIs · ‎Open-source software · ‎Cloud services · ‎Databases · ‎Hardware and IoT · ‎Developer tools · ‎Third-party APIs · ‎No-code and low-code platforms · ‎Other relevant technologies ‎ ‎There is no requirement to use a specific programming language, framework, AI model, or technology stack. ‎ 9. ‎Organizers' Rights ‎ ‎The organizing committee reserves the right to: ‎ · ‎Interpret and enforce these rules. · ‎Verify project submissions and participant eligibility. · ‎Disqualify submissions that violate the rules. · ‎Modify event details where necessary, with reasonable notice to participants. · ‎Make final decisions regarding disputes, eligibility, and rule violations. ‎ 10. ‎Acceptance of Rules ‎ ‎By registering for and participating in the hackathon, participants acknowledge that they have read, understood, and agreed to follow these rules and the decisions of the organizing committee.