The Cortex Accelerator Hub

Kimberley · Northern Cape

MICT SETA National Skills Challenge Hackathon

Northern Cape · 28–29 August 2026

AI and IoT Solutions for Rural Landscapes

A 48-hour hackathon for students and young innovators in the Northern Cape, delivered by The Cortex Accelerator Hub and funded by MICT SETA. Teams of three to five take a real provincial problem from idea to working prototype.

Register

Counting down to kick-off

  • 03Days
  • 05Hours
  • 51Minutes
  • 51Seconds

The 48 hours

  1. Hour 0

    Hackathon opens

  2. Hour 10

    First mentor check-in

  3. Hour 22

    Second mentor check-in

  4. Hour 48

    Prototypes locked

Dates
28–29 August 2026
Prize pool
R200 000
Where
Sol Plaatje University, Northern Cape
Registration closes
Thursday, 27 August 2026

Funded by

MICT SETA logo

Delivered by

The Cortex Accelerator Hub logo

Hub partner

UCT Financial Innovation Hub logo
Read about every partner

Who can enter

  • South African citizens or permanent residents aged 18–35 at the date of registration
  • Registered students at an accredited TVET college or university in the Northern Cape
  • Not formally employed in the ICT sector at the time of registration
  • Teams of three to five members
  • At least one TVET college student per team is strongly encouraged and recognised within the hackathon framework
  • Maximum 50 teams accepted; reserves are waitlisted and notified within 48 hours of registration closing

The four challenge tracks

  1. Stop 01

    Agri-Agro Processing

    AI and IoT solutions that strengthen agriculture and agro-processing across rural landscapes.

  2. Stop 02

    Fintech

    Accessible financial technology solutions for people, producers and businesses in rural communities.

  3. Stop 03

    Transport, Trade and Fisheries

    Connected solutions that improve transport, trade and fisheries across long distances and rural markets.

  4. Stop 04

    Mining and Renewable Energy

    AI and IoT solutions for safer mining, renewable energy and resilient rural infrastructure.

See every track in detail

What the 48 hours look like

A team working on a laptop and a small robotics rig at a field site, with solar panels and a windpump behind them
A facilitator mapping ideas on a whiteboard while a team follows on laptops
Five people building around one laptop and a robotics kit on a workbench
A team presenting a product screen to seated reviewers
A team celebrating around a table of laptops after a submission

Illustrative · not photographs of this hackathon

How the 48 hours work

  • 120 minutes

    Ideation

    Teams document their problem statement, solution concept, target users and anticipated impact in a one-page Ideation Canvas.

  • 20 hours

    Development

    Teams build a functional prototype, MVP or proof of concept. Mentors rotate every four hours, with progress check-ins at Hour 10 and Hour 22.

  • 30 minutes

    Iteration

    Teams test their prototypes against the judging criteria, address mentor feedback and prepare presentation materials.

  • 10 minutes plus 5 minutes Q&A

    Presentation

    Each team presents to the judging panel, including a live demonstration.

MICT SETA National Skills Challenge

28–29 August 2026

Register