The goal of this project was to create a series of hackathon events that bring together students, startup accelerators, and NGOs to codesign solutions to challenges in developing countries. Working with established accelerators and mission-driven organisations, I organised themed innovation days or weekends in which interdisciplinary teams tackle real problems identified by partners on the ground, such as access to healthcare, education, sustainable energy, employment, and climate resilience.
Participants will receive problem briefs, mentorship, and short workshops on human-centred design, business models, and impact measurement. Teams will then prototype both the technical and business aspects of their ideas, going beyond "pitch decks" to early-stage solutions which our accelerator and NGO partners may incubate following the events.
The project has two core goals:
-This course introduces participants to the potential of emerging markets, framing developing countries not just in terms of need but also as vibrant spaces for innovation and entrepreneurship that are aligned with the SDGs.
-Empower students and young professionals from those countries, especially members of the diaspora, to start imagining concrete, hopeful pathways of change in their home communities.
I am currently in the process of getting external NGOs and companies on board and have a venue, date, and team all ready for a pilot after the Christmas break.