The Africa’s Talking Congo 2024 Hackathon marks a historic moment for Congo’s tech community. It’s the very first hackathon organized by Africa’s Talking in the country, a unique opportunity for developers, entrepreneurs, designers, and tech enthusiasts to collaborate and create innovative solutions using the powerful Africa’s Talking APIs.

Event objective

The main goal of this hackathon is to enable participants to develop creative and practical digital solutions that can address local or global issues. This hackathon gives developers complete freedom to choose the topic they want to work on, as long as their solution uses at least one of the Africa’s Talking APIs. Whether it’s building an app for access to information, improving business communication, or offering financial solutions to unbanked communities, the possibilities are endless.

The event aims to bring together the brightest talents in the country to drive innovation and create solutions that can have a real impact on the lives of Congolese people.

Why take part?

This hackathon is a rare opportunity for developers in Congo to access cutting-edge tech resources and collaborate with other enthusiasts in the field. Africa’s Talking provides a wide range of APIs and SDK covering services from USSD, SMS, voice, airtime, all the way to WhatsApp integration, giving participants a chance to explore a wide variety of use cases.

By taking part in this hackathon, developers will be able to:

• Gain advanced technical skills through using the Africa’s Talking APIs.
• Collaborate with other experts to turn an idea into a viable digital solution.
• Benefit from the support of mentors and professionals who will guide them throughout the process.
• Get noticed by potential companies and investors.

Event schedule

The Africa’s Talking Congo 2024 Hackathon will take place over one intense day. The day will begin with a technical workshop giving participants a full introduction to the Africa's Talking APIs. This three-hour workshop will give them all the basics needed to integrate these tools into their projects.

At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to form their teams and start developing their solutions on site. Projects must be submitted before 18:00 the same day.

NB: You can start working on your solution right now

Open themes, but API use is required

The hackathon encourages creative freedom and does not limit participants to a specific theme. They can choose to solve problems in health, education, public services, agriculture, or any other relevant sector. The only requirement is that solutions must use at least one of the Africa’s Talking APIs to address a challenge or improve a user experience.

Available APIs include:

• SMS API: Send SMS at scale for notifications, alerts, or promotions.
• USSD API: Create interactive services accessible through a simple mobile phone, ideal for financial services or access to information.
• Voice API: Offer cloud-based call center services without expensive equipment.
• Airtime API: Top up user accounts or offer rewards directly via mobile.
• WhatsApp: Integrate WhatsApp messaging for customer support or marketing communications.

NB: You can start working on your solution right now

Rewards and recognition

Africa's Talking will reward the winning project with a cash prize of 100,000 FCFA, and the best solutions will have the opportunity to receive support for their development and visibility among tech partners and investors. Teams will also have the chance to present their projects before a jury made up of technology experts, business leaders, and investors.

In addition to the main prize, there will be extra prizes offered by partners and sponsors, encouraging participants to propose ambitious and well-developed solutions.

A springboard for the future

This hackathon is not just a competition, it’s also a launchpad for tech talent in Congo. Participants will benefit from local and international visibility while contributing to the momentum of Congo’s tech ecosystem.

In addition, this event highlights the key role of APIs in digital transformation. Integrating digital services via APIs simplifies processes, reduces development costs, and makes it possible to deploy solutions at scale quickly. Businesses can thus improve their communication, offer better services to their customers, and reach a wider audience.

How do you sign up?

Registration is open to all developers, designers, and tech enthusiasts living in Congo. Whether you’re a student, professional, or hobbyist, you’re invited to take part in this unique adventure by signing up on the event’s dedicated site. Just click the RSVP button to reserve your spot.

Join our community channels:

Slack :

• Join the Africa's Talking community on Slack here
• Join the Elarian community on Slack here

Follow us on Twitter for the latest updates:

• @AfricasTalking
• @ElarianHQ

Youtube :

You can find our event videos, recaps, and interviews on our YouTube channels. Subscribe to stay informed:

• Africa’s Talking YouTube channel
• Elarian YouTube channel
  

Would you like to become our partner? Please contact our developer experience team.