Hedera Africa Hackathon Launches with $1M Prize Pool to Accelerate Africa's Digital Future
The Hashgraph Association, a Swiss non-profit organisation driving global adoption of Hedera-powered solutions by funding innovation, training, certification, and venture building programs, in collaboration with Exponential Science Foundation, a not-for-profit foundation accelerating responsible tech adoption, via research, education, and innovation activities, today announces the launch of the Hedera Africa Hackathon 2025 to enable the next generation of Web developers and empower economic inclusion in Africa with a digital future for all.
This biggest Web3 Hackathon initiative combines online participation with onsite events in over 20 African cities, with a goal of attracting over 10,000 participants across more than 15 countries on the African continent. Developers, students, and entrepreneurs are invited to collaborate to build decentralized solutions on Hedera across industries such as Finance, Healthcare, Telecoms, Sustainability, Agriculture, and Manufacturing, while leveraging the convergence of other deep technologies such as AI, IoT, Robotics, and Quantum Computing, with a prize pool of more than $1 million on offer for the winning teams and projects.
With global participation officially open from August 1 to September 30, 2025, the hackathon tasks applicants to develop blockchain/distributed ledger technology (DLT)-based, scalable solutions tailored to the continent's most urgent challenges and needs. All solutions will be built on the Hedera network – the world's most energy-efficient and cost-effective DLT, which offers cost predictability, the highest levels of security, and the ability to support reliable, scalable, and enterprise-grade applications.
Already having secured the backing and participation of more than 50 global and regional partners to be announced over the next few weeks, as well as over 100 universities and tech hubs, the hackathon is designed to be the largest of its kind on the African continent. The event will offer extensive technical education, certification, and hands-on support from Hedera-Certified engineers, with hacking stations to be established in cities such as Lagos, Cairo, Nairobi, Kinshasa, Cape Town, Casablanca, and Tunis for in-person collaboration, alongside a fully virtual Hackathon track accessible worldwide.
'Africa is home to one of the youngest, most enthusiastic and dynamic tech communities in the world; its future will depend on digitization,' said Kamal Youssefi, President of The Hashgraph Association. 'By equipping developers and entrepreneurs with Web3 skills and next generation toolkits, we're not just solving today's problems, we're shaping the future of decentralized innovation in one of the world's most significant growth markets, fostering a digital future for all through financial, identity, and communication inclusion.'
The hackathon aims to catalyze continuous innovation across four key tracks: On-Chain Finance and Real-World Asset (RWA) Tokenisation; ESG Sustainability and Traceability; Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) and AI; and Gaming, Metaverse, & NFTs.
Developers of all skill levels and backgrounds are encouraged to participate — no prior blockchain experience is required. Extensive training resources will be provided through the Hedera Academy, with access to a thriving developer community.
The Hashgraph Association and the Exponential Science Foundation will be carrying out awareness and training campaigns to prepare participants for the hackathon before the official start date on August 1st 2025.
'Initiatives such as the Hedera Africa Hackathon encourage the next generation of tech builders, researchers, and entrepreneurs. As well as driving blockchain education and innovation within a continent that is showing incredible growth potential. We encourage anyone with an interest in blockchain technology to sign up and start developing the next wave of practical solutions across multiple industries to gain valuable experience and a chance to claim the prize pool. Our hope is that participants will go on to launch their own ventures and share their learnings,' said Paolo Tasca, Co-Founder & Executive Chairman of Exponential Science Foundation.
The Hedera Africa Hackathon 2025 is operated and supported by a strong network of partners, under the experienced leadership of DAR Blockchain, a Tunisian-based Web3 Hub that has been operating in the Web3 industry since 2017. DAR Blockchain plays a significant role in magnifying the impact of this hackathon initiative across the continent and builds on THA's previous efforts to support blockchain innovation in Africa.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Biz Bahrain
6 hours ago
- Biz Bahrain
NBB and INJAZ Bahrain Conclude Second Season of Entaliq
The National Bank of Bahrain (NBB), in partnership with INJAZ Bahrain, hosted the closing ceremony of the second season of the Entaliq with INJAZ Powered by NBB programme. The event brought together participants of the INJAZ Bahrain Company Programme, members of the INJAZ Board of Directors, VIP guests, representatives from contributing entities, and NBB mentors to celebrate the achievements of the young entrepreneurs who took part in this year's edition. Entaliq with INJAZ Powered by NBB provides aspiring entrepreneurs with structured mentorship, seed funding, and incubation opportunities. The attendees receive 20 hours of professional guidance and hands-on support to shape their business ideas into sustainable and growth-oriented startups. A rigorous selection process ensures that only the most dedicated teams progress, reinforcing the project's goal of fostering innovative enterprises with the potential for long-term success. Her Highness Sh. Hessa bint Khalifa Al Khalifa, INJAZ Bahrain Chairperson stated: 'Entaliq with INJAZ Powered by NBB is a powerful extension of the INJAZ Bahrain Company Programme, designed specifically to support our alumni as they take their entrepreneurial journey to the next level. It reflects our commitment to nurturing a sustainable pipeline of youth-led enterprises by providing continued mentorship, funding, and guidance beyond the classroom. We are proud to witness these young founders transform their student-led startups into scalable, impact-driven ventures. Our heartfelt thanks go to the National Bank of Bahrain for their continued partnership and support in bringing this programme to life. Together, we are enabling Bahrain's youth to turn their vision into reality and contribute meaningfully to the Kingdom's economic growth.' Commenting on the occasion, Usman Ahmed, Group Chief Executive Officer of NBB, said: 'Entaliq reflects the strength of our partnership with INJAZ Bahrain and our shared commitment to nurturing young entrepreneurs. We have seen this talent grow from ambitious individuals into founders with structured plans, scalable ideas, and the mindset to lead. Such initiatives are vital to cultivating the creativity, resilience and value-oriented mindset that will accelerate the growth of our economy. We are proud to play a role in empowering Bahrain's youth and look forward to witnessing the continued progress of these ventures.' The closing ceremony also saw each team present their business progress and outline their future plans, demonstrating the tangible impact of the programme on their entrepreneurial development. Their work underscored Entaliq's goal of cultivating innovative solutions that respond to real-world challenges and contribute to national economic advancement. Certificates of completion were also distributed by Hana Sarwani, CEO of INJAZ Bahrain; Hisham Abu Alfateh, NBB's Chief Corporate Communications Officer and NBB Mentors: Walaa Abdulrahman, Dalal Al Kooheji and Ali Assiri, to the graduating participants in recognition of the dedication, learning, and collaboration they exhibited throughout the programme. NBB remains committed to supporting initiatives that help young Bahrainis translate their aspirations into impact. Entaliq with INJAZ continues to stand as a testament to what is possible when opportunity meets preparation, and when institutions work together to invest in the country's future leaders.
Gulf Insider
3 days ago
- Gulf Insider
UAE's Dollar-Millionaires: Another 13,000 Join Resident Base In 2024, Says UBS
An additional 13,000 made it to the ranks of UAE's dollar millionaire resident base in 2024, according to the latest UBS 'Global wealth Report 2025', which is an increase of 5.8% from the year before. A good number of these newly created millionaire base in the UAE came about from re-locations, as has been the case for four years now. 'This year there has been some significant movement in the number of millionaires in many of parts of the world, both upwards and downwards,' according to the Swiss bank's findings. 'In 2024, Turkey stands out from the crowd thanks to an 8.4% increase in its number of dollar millionaires over 2023, equivalent to a boost of roughly 7,000 people in a single year. The UAE (had) a rise of 5.8% in millionaire numbers, thanks to approximately 13,000 new entrants in this category.' 'Having looked at long-term trends, we concluded that wealth is far from static.' In the UAE, that's been the case. Banking and property market sources talk about the multi-million dollar deals that have been shaping the UAE investment landscape. The property firm Knight Frank in a recent report points to the influx of Saudi, Indian, Chinese and UK high networth individuals committing sizable investments in the UAE. At some locations such as Jumeira Bay island, the deal sizes are getting bigger. There are an estimated 240,343 dollar-millionaires in the UAE with a combined $785 million. Saudi Arabia, according to UBS, has 339,029 dollar-millionaires, with a combined wealth holdings of $958.3 million. 'In an era marked by rapid economic shifts, increasing volatility and unprecedented market developments, understanding the trends and drivers of wealth creation is more crucial than ever,' said Robert Karofsky, co-President of UBS Global Wealth Management. In the UAE, around 62% of gross wealth is allocated to financial assets, and it's almost 58% in Saudi Arabia. Assets such as real estate as well as land make up about 48% of what the super-rich spend on in both the prime GCC markets. (Debt levels among these investors is close to 9% in the UAE and 'only 5.7% in Saudi Arabia, one of the lowest levels in our sample of 56 countries', according to UBS.) Niels Zilkens, Head Wealth Management Middle East at UBS Global Wealth Management, said: 'Saudi Arabia and the UAE are not only seeing rising millionaire numbers, but also meaningful gains in median wealth – especially in the UAE, where it rose over 23% since 2020. 'With a combined $122 billion in expected wealth transfers ahead, both markets are entering a pivotal phase of generational transition.'
Biz Bahrain
3 days ago
- Biz Bahrain
Gulf Air and CFM strengthen LEAP-1A Engine Support for A320neo Fleet
In a sign of a long-standing and trusted collaboration, Gulf Air and CFM International have extended the airline's long-term CFM LEAP-1A Services for A320neo family aircraft. Signed during Paris Airshow 2025, held from 16 to 22 June 2025, this strategic extension, along with the purchase of additional spare engines, forms a strong and reliable foundation for comprehensive engine support, enhancing fleet reliability and operational continuity. Being the Kingdom of Bahrain's national carrier, Gulf Air operates one of the region's most modern and efficient fleets, which includes 29 LEAP-1A-powered A320neo family aircraft, continued collaboration with CFM is key to operational excellence; and a renewed affirmation of CFM's support and technical expertise. 'We are delighted to strengthen our partnership with CFM, who have been a key partner of our growth since our first CFM engine operations in the 1990s', said Dr. Jeffrey Goh, Chief Executive Officer of Gulf Air Group. 'This agreement will enable us to secure MRO capacity for our fleet and maintain our growth.' 'It's an honor to further expand our relationship with Gulf Air, a long-standing member of the CFM family', said Gaël Meheust, President and CEO of CFM International. 'This agreement commits us to provide Gulf Air with the best CFM standards in terms of support, reliability, and utilization for its LEAP fleet.'
