kood/Garage48 Empowering Women Kenya Hackathon

Overview

Challenges

6-8 December 2026 at CEMASTEA, Nairobi
Apply Now: https://form.typeform.com/to/y5nMPFjZ

Explore technology and build something that matters

You know your community. What would you build to make it better?

Join kood/Garage48 Empowering Women, a 48-hour hackathon where young people turn problems they care about into practical digital solutions. This programme puts girls and young women at the centre, creating space to explore technology, contribute ideas and take the lead in building something useful.

Your idea could make a local service easier to use, help a small business reach customers, support farming or reduce waste. We welcome a wide range of digital ideas, especially those that support communities or contribute to greener ways of living and working.

You don’t need any technical experience, a business plan or a ready-made team. Bring your curiosity, your own perspective and the willingness to try something new.

What happens during the hackathon

You’ll share problems and ideas, find teammates and get building. With support from mentors in technology, design and entrepreneurship, you’ll explore who needs your solution, test your assumptions and create a first prototype.

That could be a clickable app, a simple website, a working demo or a digital service concept. You’ll learn by doing, share skills with your teammates and get support when you get stuck. At the end, you’ll present your prototype to a jury and receive feedback on its potential and next steps.

Before the hackathon, an online preparatory workshop will introduce you to problem-solving, teamwork, prototyping and pitching. Afterwards, teams interested in continuing can join an online follow-up session to explore their next steps.

Prizes

A €1,500 prize fund for the top 3 teams!

Who is invited to join?

The hackathon is open to everyone aged 16-26, with girls and young women especially encouraged to apply. We welcome students, aspiring developers, designers, future entrepreneurs, community-minded problem-solvers and complete beginners.

Apply individually or with a team, with or without an idea. Understanding a problem, asking questions, designing an experience and explaining an idea are all valuable contributions.
PS! If you are joining the hackathon as a team, then all team members must register separately and indicate the SAME team name. Participation is free for selected participants. The event will take place in English.
For the selected participants that are coming from outside Nairobi, travel and accommodation will be provided.

Apply Now: https://form.typeform.com/to/y5nMPFjZ

Deadline for the applications is 20/11/26
All the applicants will be notified of the selection latest by 25/11/26.

kood/Garage48 Empowering Women in Kenya is organised by //kood and Garage48 with support from ESTDEV, the Estonian Centre for International Development.

What could you build for your community?

How could technology make everyday life better where you live, study or work? Your starting point could be a frustrating task, an opportunity people struggle to access or a resource that could be put to better use.

The areas below are inspiration, not fixed tracks. The best problems often come from your own experience. Bring your own idea or discover a challenge with your team. Together with mentors, you’ll turn a broad concern into a specific problem you can start solving.

1.Stronger communities

How might we make everyday services, information and community support work better for people?

Start with one group of people and one need you understand. Your solution could help with:

Finding and using public or community services.
Accessing education, health information and practical support.
Connecting residents, local organisations and community initiatives.
Making information easier to understand and services more accessible.

2. Greener lives

How might digital tools help us use resources more wisely and create a greener future?

Think about where digital tools could help people reduce losses, save resources or find new value in things that would otherwise go to waste.

Reducing food waste and improving how products reach markets.
Making repair, reuse, recycling and sharing easier.
Using water and energy more efficiently or helping communities respond to changing weather.
Any solutions that support farmers and both green and digital transformation- like sustainable agriculture

3. Opportunities and livelihoods

How might we help people build skills, grow businesses and access new opportunities?

A useful idea might help a person find their first opportunity or make an existing small business work better.

Connecting people with learning, mentoring and work opportunities.
Helping women and young people find business support and networks.
Making everyday business tasks simpler with digital tools.
Helping local entrepreneurs reach customers and collaborate.

4. How might we help people access digital opportunities more safely and confidently?

From learning and finding work to running a business, many opportunities involve being online. What would help people, especially girls and young women, participate with greater confidence?

Think about solutions for:

Recognising suspicious job offers, messages and online transactions.
Protecting personal information and digital accounts.
Finding support when experiencing online harassment.
Making practical digital-safety guidance easier to access and use.

5. Bring your own idea

Bring it. You’re welcome to work on any digital solution that responds to a real community need or supports the green and digital transition. You don’t need a polished startup idea. Start with a problem you care about and explore what you can build in 48 hours. Join us in Nairobi and discover what you can build together!