Hack The Mara Hackathon 2022 for Developers in Africa

You are encouraged to participate in this competition by submitting suggestions for a DeFi application that has the potential to act as a payment system for the Maasai Mara tourism industry.

The leading eight proposals will be invited to participate in a live hackathon that will take place in the Maasai Mara in Kenya. The winners of the competition will receive not only cash prizes but also access to funding, startup accelerator programmes, mentorship, and other resources to help them develop their solutions.

What to Build on Hack The Mara Hackathon Challenge 

Decentralized Finance (DeFi) applications are built on blockchain platforms with the goal of providing financial services that are normally offered by centralised entities such as banks, lenders, or insurance firms. You should provide applications that allow partners in the Maasai Mara ecosystem to see the distribution process and ensure that the intended recipients are credited.

Your solution should be able to service anyone, anyplace, regardless of distance. This includes providing service in places with limited internet penetration and smartphone use. The solution must include:

• Offer transparency to all relevant stakeholders
• Use low-tech payment confirmation technology like USSD, MPESA and Identity
• Must adhere to best practices including KYC/AML policies
• Use the blockchain of your choice

Hack The Mara Hackathon Challenge Eligibility

• Interested members of the public who are resident on the African continent are invited to apply to join the Hackathon.
• Individuals who apply must be older than 16 years, and must have the required skills and permission to participate.
• Shortlisted teams would be required to travel down to the Ishara Mara in Kenya, to participate in the one-week physical hackathon.
• All Submission materials must be in English or, if not in English, the Entrant must provide an English translation of the demonstration video, text description, and testing instructions as well as all other materials submitted.

Hack The Mara Hackathon Challenge Prizes

• 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners stand a chance to win both cash and in-kind prizes.
• $100,000 in prizes (cash in USDC, and in-kind).
• Acceptance into Antler’s Nairobi incubation program.
• Access to follow-up funding from Mara and partners.
• Mentorship from Mara and partners.

Other benefits include:

• Developer Badges for everyone that completes a successfully submitted app or web service
• Access to partner companies looking to hire developers
• Access to partner companies with project managers with experience building or managing blockchain applications.

Hack The Mara Hackathon Challenge Judging Criteria

• Originality – 20 %
• Innovation – 25 %
• Analytical Skills – 10 %
• Strategic Thinking – 15 %
• Practical Implementation – 30 %

How to Apply for Hack The Mara Hackathon Challenge 

The first four stages must all be completed before August 5 for your team to be eligible for the fifth and final stage to be held in the Mara.

• Stage 1: Join the Mara Discord and Telegram channels to start engaging with fellow builders and creators.
• Stage 2: Register the team on Zindi. Participation in the hackathon is dependent on completing Stage 1. Only registered members of Discord & Telegram can participate in the hackathon. Each individual must fill out this Google Form to participate.
• Stage 3: Every team that has successfully registered will be required to take a short practical test on HackerRank for the first level of shortlisting.
• Stage 4: The shortlisted teams will be required to send in their ideas for the hackathon. This is a team effort and will ensure that the team discusses the hackathon and think of innovative solutions to be built during the hackathon. This is the second stage of shortlisting.
• Stage 5: After the second stage of shortlisting, the top 8 teams will be invited to come to Kenya for the hackathon. The invitation will be sent on August 15, 2022.