BoFiNet Engages Global Expo Hackathon Winners
Pauline Dikuelo | Monday February 10, 2020 12:51
For the past two years, BoFiNet has been partnering with Botswana Investment Trade Centre to introduce the Hackathon competition where they sponsor the most innovative prize during the global expo.
As part of the competition, Hackathon participants are expected to come up with innovative solutions to address the country’s economic challenges by coming up with viable software that can play a role in transforming the economy.
Last year, teams were required to come up with a solution to the problem statement: Public transport in the city lacks systematic routine and monitoring which results in inconvenience to the locals, as well as contributes to road dangers. What is your solution to solving this incorporating the Botswana Hotspot public Wifi?
In an interview with this publication, BoFiNet’s Digital Media and Content Management officer, Innocent Molato, said as part of their partnership, they are focused on sponsoring the most innovative solution.
“Last year participants were given 48 hours to come up with the solution that will solve public transport systematic routine whilst incorporating hotspot public Wifi,” he said.
The winners that emerged are a group of three students who came up with a platform that tracks down the combis using the Hotspot public Wifi.
They also walked away with P25,000 as the prize money.
According to Molato, BoFiNet then decided to engage the taxi association together with the Ministry of Transport and Communications to find ways of assisting the winners to realise their dreams and make the project work.
“We saw the need to come up with ways of making the project work for the benefit of the whole community as well because it can also create employment,” he said.
Previously, BoFiNet sponsored the most innovative solution during the global expo’s pitching sessions.