The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has released a whooping N34.5 million to support 12 tech startups which emerged winners in this year’s Hackathon edition of Talent Hunt Research.
The telecom regulator had received 81 entries for the talent hunt out of which 12 were shortlisted to participate in the tech innovation contest.
Of the eventual 12 shortlisted, three emerged as winners from three thematic categories as follows:
Blockchain Solution category: Know-Now Limited emerged winner with an N10m prize; Renewable Energy Solutions category, Solaris GreenTech Hub emerged as winner with N10m prize while Assistive Technology Solutions category saw Spex Care Limited emerge as winner with a N10m prize.
The remaining nine innovators from the 12 were given a N500,000 consolation prize each with a certificate of commendation for their participation in the annual contest hosted by the commission.
The Chairman of the panel of judges for the Hackathon, Prof. Mohammed Hajiya who announced the winners at the event commended NCC for promoting technology innovation.
He also applauded the winners and other innovators who participated and encouraged them to contribute to leveraging their solutions to develop the Nigerian economy.
By its original philosophy and design, the Talent Hunt Research Through Hackathon aligns a core objective of the NCC’s new Strategic Vision Plan (SVP) for the years 2023-2025 which is to foster the development of cutting-edge technologies through rigorous research thereby catalyzing sustainable economic growth and overall development within Nigeria.
Giving a keynote speech at the memorable event, the Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, Engr. Ubale Maska noted that in a world where innovation was paramount, the commission had often witnessed the remarkable potential of Hackathon in showcasing fresh perspectives on existing challenges.
“These events serve as instrumental tools in sustaining innovation and mobilizing the collective intelligence of the innovators to tackle pressing real-world issues, both in the business realm and within our social fabric,” he said.
He explained that throughout the years, the commission has actively promoted hackathon competitions, each with a thematic focus aimed at addressing significant challenges within the telecoms industry and society as a whole, adding that noteworthy examples included hackathons that found innovative solutions for issues such as kidnapping and banditry, E-waste management, and strategies to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic.
He contended that the competition is not limited to the grand prize of (N10,000,000.00) awarded to each winner from the three thematic areas for the development of their solutions rather it goes beyond as the commission takes a holistic approach to support promising innovations and closely monitors the progress of the solutions as they evolve into full-fledged prototypes.
The Hackathon is preceded by an Incubation and Mentorship Programme designed to equip startups, innovators and tech entrepreneurs with the necessary skills to refine their ideas. This phase embodies critical aspects such as determining product-market fit, navigating intellectual property challenges, and constructing robust business plans.
It also offers the opportunity to gauge the impact that these grants and prizes have had on the beneficiaries and the industry. There is also next stage which involves the Adoption of Digital Innovative Services and Products evolving from the Hackathons where the commission takes the lead in sponsoring the deployment of the finalized products within select government agencies and institutions.
