BongoHive
The DataHack4FI Innovation Competition promotes the use of data and data analytics to solve challenges experienced by individuals or communities. The competition encourages Pan-African collaboration by creating opportunities for data enthusiasts and emerging tech companies to partner in developing solutions that address local financial and economic inclusion-related challenges.
Building on the previous seasons of the competition, Season 3 of DataHack4FI, serves as a platform for each participating team to showcase the solution they develop to potential investors, partners and clients (while vying for the overall cash prize). Data enthusiasts and emerging tech companies from Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda and Zambia are invited to apply.
Competition format
Participating tech companies will be paired with a data enthusiast and these teams will have access to mentorship from data science and business experts during the competition. Teams will need to engage with relevant data to design innovative products/services, which will be judged during the in-country finals.
The most promising teams will progress to the second stage of the competition, where they will showcase their prototype solutions to the judges at the Grand Finale.
The overall DataHack4FI Season 3 winner will be selected based on:
- Engagement with data science in solution design
- Viability of the business
- Potential impact in terms of financial and economic inclusion
DataHack4FI prizes
- In-country winners each receive US$ 5,000 in seed capital
- In-country winners + runners-up are sponsored to attend Grand Finale
- Grand Finale winning team receives US$ 25,000 in seed capital
- Certificate of participation awarded to paired data enthusiasts
Only applicable to data enthusiasts
Season 3 requirements (1) 18 to 35 years of age
(2) Currently studying towards, or completed, a bachelor’s degree (Subjects: mathematics, statistics, computer science, finance, economics, data science or a related field).* Applications of applicants below the age of 18 who are confident in their abilities will be considered.
Only applicable to emerging tech companies
Season 3 requirements (1) Must be a registered tech business
(2) Must be an emerging company that is based in one of the DataHack4FI countries and has a tech solution in the market. The company must be keen to use data to make its products/services more inclusive
(3) Must already have generated data that enables the development of new or improved products/services aimed at advancing financial and economic inclusion