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.
