ZuluLand Innovators Hackathon 2025

📝 About ZuluLand Innovators Hackathon

The Moses Kotane Research Institute (MKRI), through its Commercialising Innovation and Research (CIR) Programme, in partnership with local municipalities, invites youth, SMMEs, cooperatives, schools, and informal traders from the Zululand District to participate in the upcoming Grassroots Hackathon.

This dynamic grassroots innovation challenge offers a platform for community-led problem solving and idea development, focusing on practical, affordable, and locally driven solutions.

Theme

"Zululand Innovates - Empowering Local Minds | Transforming Rural Futures"

The hackathon encourages community-driven innovations in agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, and other relevant sectors. It focuses on low-tech, indigenous, frugal (economical), and service-based solutions.

🌱 Focus Areas

• Agriculture and Food Security: Manual or solar-powered tools, frugal irrigation systems, composting solutions
• Tourism and Cultural Preservation: Indigenous artefacts, rural hospitality models
• SMMEs and Manufacturing: Product/process innovations, low-cost vending systems
• Sustainability and Waste-to-Value: Recycled material tools, clean energy devices
• Youth and Community Services: Mobile community services, rural training models

🎁 Benefits of ZuluLand Innovators Hackathon

Participants will receive:

• In-kind support (equipment, tools, training) and other relevant support for their solution/idea
• Access to MKRI's CIR and other Innovation Programmes
• Mentorship and pilot project opportunities

✅ Eligibility Criteria

Open to:

• Local youth and community
• Local inventors, creatives, and makers
• Informal traders, schools, cooperatives, and SMMEs
• Elders and traditional knowledge holders from the following municipalities: AbaQulusi, eDumbe, Nongoma, Ulundi, and Pongola

🏆 Judging Criteria

Submissions will be evaluated based on:

• Relevance to local problems
• Cost-effectiveness and simplicity
• Use of local/recycled materials
• Scalability and replication potential
• Community benefit and inclusivity

📅 Application Date and Process

Interested participants must submit their proposal topic ideas, which should include:

1. A brief background
2. A clear problem statement
3. A proposed solution

Submission Guidelines

• Submissions must not exceed three (3) pages in total.
• Applications should be submitted by August 8, 2025 to hackathons@moseskotane.com.

📌 Key Dates

• Date Published: July 19, 2025
• Application Deadline: August 8, 2025

🌍 Opportunity Locations

• South Africa

📧 Contact Information

For inquiries, email: hackathons@moseskotane.com

🔗 Application Portal

View details and apply for the ZuluLand Innovators Hackathon here.

• In-kind support (equipment, tools, training) and any other relevant support to the solution/idea.
• Access to MKRI's CIR and other Innovation Programme
• Mentorship and pilot project opportunities