The Annual Geekulcha Hackathon took place recently and saw more than 100 coders, developers and programmers challenge each other in an online contest. This anticipated event has become a highlight in the African developer ecosystem.
This year, the event went virtual, offering ‘hackers’ the chance to develop and code from the safety and comfort of their homes. Mixo Ngoveni, one of the founders of Geekulcha, said that for the first time ever, the hackathon took place over 42 hours with various challenges in the mix to test the minds of these computer coding enthusiasts.
“Covid-19 has brought about many challenges and as such we were not able to host our usual events due to lockdown regulations. This year, we decided to make it virtual and to ensure that we maximise the event, instead of one day, hackers had 42 hours to come up with solutions under one virtual roof, using technology. We also saw all nine provinces being represented,” Ngoveni said.
Ngoveni further added that these events have shed much-needed light on coding, technology and innovation to not only the youth, but for everyone keen to learn something different. “Each event brings about something new and the Geekulcha team and I are truly humbled to be a part of this movement. We, in South Africa, have a lot to offer the world in terms of innovation and technology and all we need is support. I would like to thank all who make these events possible and I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to RS Components for always supporting our projects and endeavours,” he said.
This year, RS Components came on board with sponsored components, hardware and prizes for this year’s entrants. Wesley Hood, STEM education specialist for RS Components, said that these events truly add value to the youth of the country. “We at RS Components are passionate about education and nurturing the next generation of innovators. Events such as this Hackathon excite us and we are proud to partner up with Geekulcha and look forward to future events where we can see South Africa’s tech geniuses at work. It has been inspiring to watch the team at Geekulcha grow and adapt over the last year. Although we miss being at their physical events it was great to be part of the virtual panel of judges, the teams really showed off their skills and brought some innovative ideas to the table,” he said.
This year’s winner was Trevor Morethe who came up with an idea to digitalise street food vendors of South Africa with his Let Me Serve You (LMSY) mobile app. Morethe said that his application will provide a platform where consumers can order food and discover street food vendors in their surrounding areas. “With my developed mobile app, I want to help street food vendors track orders, streamline their processes while assisting customers, like me, to save time when ordering food as well as provide information on nearby vendors. This will assist these micro-businesses and their customers in stepping into the digital world,” he said.
Ngoveni concluded by saying that as an organisation, Geekulcha has always encouraged creativity and innovation. “We have to find creative and innovative ways to better our communities and address challenges using technology. Our annual hackathon is one way of doing this. The different teams worked on solutions that came from the challenges presented for the hackathon. On behalf of all of us, we would like to thank all the mentors and judges who dedicated their time to help guide and mentor the different teams with their solutions. We would also like to thank our sponsors, especially RS Components, for always supporting us with our projects throughout the year,” he said.
For those who wish to support or learn more about Geekulcha, email Ngoveni on [email protected] or visit the website www.geekulcha.com
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