AfCEN NextGen hackathons
Challenges for young African builders.
Every AfCEN hackathon on one platform: pick a challenge, register your team, submit and get judged on a sealed scorecard.
- AYSC 2026 Climate Hackathon
- 22–24 June 2026, Technical University of Kenya, Nairobi
- Teams and projects (AYSC 2026)
- 39 teams, 43 projects, nine tracks
- Salone AI Youth Innovation Challenge
- US$10,000 in awards across ten winners
- Salone AI submissions
- 19 October to 2 November 2026, winners announced in Freetown during WAIIS 2026
What Hackathons is
AfCEN Hackathons is where Africa's young builders compete. Every AfCEN hackathon runs on one platform: pick a challenge, register your team, submit your work and get judged on a sealed scorecard.
The challenges ask young people to build working solutions to real problems, from climate and energy to AI for public services. The first, the AYSC 2026 Climate Hackathon, ran for three days in Nairobi in June 2026. The Salone AI Youth Innovation Challenge is part of WAIIS 2026.
AfCEN runs the platform and the judging process. One account works for every hackathon, and teams that keep building stay on the platform with mentors, investors and opportunities.
Gallery
A look inside Hackathons. Select a picture to see it full size.
Introductory video coming soon
Until then, ask MANSA for a quick tour of Hackathons.
How it works
From first visit to results.
Register
Create one account, then join the challenge you want. Pick a track or pillar as you sign up.
Build and submit
Upload your deck, demo and documents before the deadline. You can edit until submissions close.
Judged on a sealed scorecard
Every entry is scored on the same weighted criteria. Results stay sealed until the announcement.
What follows
Teams that keep building stay on the platform, with mentors, investors and opportunities.
What you can do with it
One account for every hackathon
Register once and join any AfCEN challenge.
Teams and tracks
Teams register, pick a track and invite teammates from their dashboard. AYSC 2026 teams had 3 to 5 members.
Submissions
Pitch deck, prototype link and demo video, editable until submissions close.
Sealed, weighted judging
Judges score each criterion. At Salone AI, two judges score every eligible entry and a chair moderates gaps of more than 15 points.
Results and showcase
Winners are announced live, and past hackathons show what teams built.
Who it’s for
Students and young builders
Real problems to work on, a fair sealed scorecard and a route to mentors and investors.
Youth-led AI startups in ECOWAS states
A chance at Salone AI awards of up to US$1,250 per pillar winner and a stage at WAIIS 2026.
Summits and partners that set challenges
A ready platform for registration, submissions and judging.
Connected to the AfCEN intelligence layer
Challenges are drawn from the AfCEN intelligence graph, so teams work on problems that matter.
Works hand in hand with
NextGen
LiveAfCEN’s platform for young builders and new ventures. AfCEN hackathons already run on it.
View platform
WAIIS 2026
LiveThe West Africa Integration & Investment Summit brings 15 countries together around four pillars: energy trade, strategic minerals, agribusiness and digital.
View platformSectors it serves
Questions people ask
Who can enter the Salone AI Youth Innovation Challenge?
Startups registered or operating in an ECOWAS member state, with a lead founder aged 18 to 35 and a working AI product or pilot. It is not an ideas competition.
What are the Salone AI pillars?
Heal Salone (health), Feed Salone (farming), Govern Salone (public services), Teach Salone (learning) and Discover Salone (research and data).
Does it cost anything to enter?
The AYSC 2026 Climate Hackathon was free to enter.
How is judging done?
Each entry is scored on weighted criteria. For Salone AI: impact 30%, quality and use of AI 25%, traction and viability 20%, responsible AI and inclusion 15%, team 10%.
How does this connect to AfCEN?
The platform is run by AfCEN, and the Salone AI challenge sits in the Digital Transformation pillar of WAIIS 2026.
Get started with Hackathons
Create one account at aysc.nextgen.africacen.org and join an open challenge.