Phantom Phreaks clinches grand prize at Cavista Hackathon
Laone Choeunyane | Wednesday March 4, 2026 06:00
The two-day event, which transformed the school into a vibrant hub of innovation, was strategically designed as a structured pipeline to identify commercially viable technology solutions and high-potential engineering talent. During the hackathon, 202 students from eight tertiary institutions from around the country formed 47 teams and took part in the 24-hour coding challenge. The scale of participation underscored the appetite for competitive technology platforms amongst Botswana’s youth, with every team earning its place in what quickly became an intense and high-stakes contest. Minister of Communications and Innovation, David Tshere, placed innovation at the centre of Botswana’s economic reset when officiating at the start of the event on February 21. “Innovation has been placed right at the centre of resuscitating our economy,” he highlighted. Drawing from the African Union’s Digital Transformation Strategy, the minister urged young people to move beyond passive technology use.
“We must employ the youth to be creators, not just consumers of technology... the Cavista Hackathon is an enablement of this and a reflection of our national strategy,” stated the minister. For her part, Cavista Technologies Botswana Managing Director Katlego Arnone reinforced the purpose behind the hackathon, describing it as a deliberate investment in nurturing talent. “Our decision to host the Cavista Hackathon is not just another corporate check-box to tick but a deliberate and intentional statement of who we are, what we stand for and our belief in the power of innovation to shape the future we seek to build,” she said. During the event, teams plunged into the challenge under two healthcare-focused themes: developing an AI-driven preventative health companion, or building a smart electronic medical record (EMR) and diagnosis assistant. For 17 straight hours through the night, lecture rooms turned into coding labs as students refined algorithms, designed interfaces and tested prototypes.
The pressure was palpable, but so was the collaboration, with teams racing against the clock to produce solutions that could extend beyond theory into real-world healthcare application. By Sunday morning the top 10 teams presented their solutions to a nine-member panel of judges that included Minister Tshere, Arnone and BSBS Acting Executive Director Tebogo Magang. The pitching session marked a shift from technical execution to strategic communication, as finalists demonstrated live prototypes and defended their concepts under questioning. When the winners were announced later at the closing ceremony, celebrations filled the hall. The Phantom Phreaks from the University of Botswana claimed victory in the AI-driven preventative health companion category, earning P25,000. They were subsequently crowned overall champions of the hackathon, securing an additional P50,000 grand prize and bringing their total winnings to P75,000.
Legacy Developers took top honours in the smart EMR and diagnosis assistant category, walking away with P25,000. Three other teams received P2,500 each in special subcategory awards recognising excellence in areas such as social enterprise and best collaborative team. Reflecting on the win, Phantom Phreaks team leader Jemima Manwana highlighted the perseverance required to endure the marathon coding session. “Hard work pays off. There were times when our code was not working and just putting in the hard work paid off... just find something you’re passionate about and do it and work hard, eventually you will get there,” she said. Beyond the prize money, the Cavista Hackathon offered participants national exposure and the opportunity to position themselves within a growing digital ecosystem. For one weekend, BSBS became a launchpad for ideas that could contribute to Botswana’s broader digital transformation agenda. The event was held simultaneously across Cavista locations in the United States, Nigeria, India, Botswana and the Philippines, linking young developers across continents.