Code for MENA - Civic Tech Hackathon & Fellowship 2025

Deadline: Aug 23, 2025

other

3 months (duration)

fully funded

Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Algeria, Morocco, and 2 others

To Apply

Please visit the application link below to apply.

Opportunity Overview

📖 About Code for MENA Civic Tech Hackathon & Fellowship

Ignited by the Digital Democracy Initiative and CIVICUS, with SmartGov as the regional partner, the Code for MENA Hackathon Fellowship is a unique, action-driven program. It brings together approximately 50 civil society activists, developers, and designers from across the Middle East and North Africa to design, build, and deploy bold civic tech projects that address pressing local challenges and help expand civic spaces.

Over a transformative three-month journey, selected fellows receive:

Intensive, tailored training
Hands-on mentorship from regional and global experts
Practical resources to equip them for success
Access to a supportive network of partners and peers

The program culminates in a dynamic, immersive, and unique virtual hackathon experience, where fellows pitch their solutions. Winning teams secure seed funding and continued support to scale their impact across the region.

📚 Fellowship Training Curriculum

The program includes an intensive, scale-ready curriculum covering:

Digital Security & Data Protection: Ensuring participants' safety and data governance
Design Thinking: Creative UX/UI combined with gamification and nudging techniques
Effective Coding & Testing Practices: Agile development methodologies and product-management frameworks for quality and adaptability
Storytelling & Pitching: Crafting compelling narratives
Fundraising & Proposal Writing: For sustainable impact

🎁 Benefits of Code for MENA Civic Tech Hackathon & Fellowship

All fellows receive:

Seed funding opportunities for the top four finalist teams
Hands-on training to help excel in their work
Membership in a community of like-minded peers
Networking opportunities with regional and global leaders
Personalized one-on-one mentorship
A certificate of fellowship completion
A fully-funded trip to Bangkok for winning teams to attend ICSW
Ongoing follow-up support

✅ Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

Be aged 18-40 and residents of one of the following MENA countries: Lebanon, Jordan, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, or Syria
Individuals, teams, and organizations are welcome to apply—whether or not they have a project idea
No technical background is required, but a strong commitment to civic innovation and social impact is essential

📅 Application Date and Process

Application Deadline: 23 August, 2025
To apply, visit the official application portal: Code for MENA Civic Tech Hackathon & Fellowship
Submit your application via SmartGov Grant Platform

The program is sponsored by CIVICUS.

📌 Key Dates

Date Published: July 21, 2025
Application Deadline: August 23, 2025

🌍 Eligible Locations

Residents of the following countries are eligible:

Algeria
Egypt
Jordan
Lebanon
Morocco
Syria
Tunisia

For more details and to apply, visit the official website: Code for MENA Civic Tech Hackathon & Fellowship

Benefits

Seed funding opportunities for the top four finalist teams
Hands-on training to help you excel in your work
Membership in a community of like-minded peers
Networking opportunities with regional and global leaders
Personalized one-on-one mentorship
A certificate of fellowship completion
Fully-funded trip to Bangkok for winning teams to attend ICSW
Ongoing follow-up support

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