What is it?
Typically, a hackathon (a hacker buzzword) is an event where teams of computer programmers collaborate and compete against each other to come up with the best solutions to a defined problem in a very short time frame (~24-72 hours). We instead, are having people (not just computer programmers) compete over the weekend (Feb 26th – 28th) to come up with solutions for African healthcare initiatives. After a Friday evening kick-off event, teams will have the weekend to work on a challenge that a business/organisation faces in Africa. The team that presents the best solution as determined by expert judges will win the challenge prize and potential seed-funding money.
Individuals and teams of people in Africa will also be taking part.
The Kopfadeyemi Challenge is about more than just thinking up good ideas for leading African healthcare organisations. You’ll experience how to work (or compete!) with colleagues and friends on the Continent as well as dreaming and building, failing and finishing in rapid time. The Kopfadeyemi community is built around opportunities to work with emerging African Healthcare organisations and future leaders on really interesting challenges. Make change happen with your ideas.
Is it for you?
The Kopfadeyemi Challenge is a great and really fun way to use your unique talents to affect positive change in the world. Great ideas push the world forward. And they can come from anywhere. This event will bring together business professionals, students and researchers who are passionate about improving things in Africa and supporting organisations to solve their challenges. You will not be expected to be an expert in the healthcare industry in Africa. You are someone that thinks a little bit different from everyone else and has the ability to solve problems with a little ingenuity. This challenge will bring together smart, talented people from a diversity of backgrounds with a variety of strengths and passions. Techies and non-techies will get involved. Medical and non-medical people are welcome. Community workers, developers, entrepreneurs, artists, educators, business professionals, students, everyday people and more! We’ve learned that teams with people from different backgrounds come up with REALLY great ideas and form relationships that last beyond the weekend.
Our attendees will typically consist of smarter-than-the-average type people; most will have a passion for Africa and there will be a good mix of medical and non-medical type people. At the London end, we will have people with a passing-knowledge of Africa and people from the Diaspora who are well versed in the challenges businesses face in Africa. We will have junior developers looking to improve their skills and senior developer types looking to expand their horizons. We will have students who can stay up the whole weekend thinking and working on ideas, and we will have experienced professionals who can flex their phonebooks and bring strong insights at the drop of a hat.
Do I need to come with a team?
It is not 100% necessary. If you don’t have a team now, don’t worry. We will have team formation processes before things kick off, including opportunities for you to form teams with individuals on the Continent who want to participate and don’t have teams.
What do I need to bring?
You might want to bring your own computer or mobile devices, Google Campus do not provide computers or laptops. We will provide high-speed Wi-Fi, power strips, whiteboards, and plenty of caffeine! The ticket price covers food, drink and nibbles for the entire weekend.
Is this an overnight competition / ‘hackathon’?
No, but it can be if teams want it to. The competition starts right after the Friday evening kick-off. Google Campus will be open at all times during the weekend and people are welcome to bring their own pillows and sleeping bags if they want to work that hard!
What are the African healthcare organisations, businesses and initatives taking part?
We have an interesting range of organisations taking part. They are important national or sub-regional African organisations working to improve healthcare in Africa. A couple are not-for-profit organisations and a couple will be profit-making businesses. We have lined up organisations that will be interesting, some of which you will have heard of. Further details will be provided to those who register and are selected.
Further details of the event, including schedule and judging process will be provided to those who register and are selected to participate.