"Mobile First" in Africa, a Hackathon

What else could an app developer want than to show off their skills with open creativity?

That’s just what the Kampala “Mobile First” Hackathon has uniquely given Ugandans the opportunity to do.

Earlier this year, promotional materials created by The Innovation Village went out to ultimately bring many applicants in, for the chance to develop a mobile or web application. Yes, any mobile app in iOS or Android, or app that runs in a web browser. These applicants entered in hopes of becoming part of a high-performing team of technologists, software consultants and developers who would solve the ever-increasing technology needs of individuals and businesses.

Considering Kampala, Uganda, is home to an educated population that embraces technology, the event’s initiator and organizer, Madrona Software, in partnership with GenUI, knew it was the perfect place to engage the developer community and assess its vitality in the region—for potentially, the greater good of the world.

Getting Started

To enter the competition, applicants have been visiting https://madrona.io/#/hat, a registration website developed by Madrona Software.

Building the Teams

To select the applicants for the “Mobile First” team, from May 26th to May 28th, a panel of judges will gather at The Innovation Village to evaluate the code quality, creativity, collaborative nature and functionality of the entries. They’ll then individually and randomly announce the top 10 scoring entries, and their developers will subsequently get the chance to present their entry to win. Learn more »

About Madrona Software

Madrona Software is a creative software studio in Seattle, Washington, that specializes in mobile, cross-platform, and geographic information system (GIS) and navigation software. The company started in mobile and responsive web, and continues as “pioneers of this brave new mobility-centered digital frontier.”

About The Innovation Village

The Innovation Village is a “destination entrepreneurs call home.” Located in Kampala, the company is motivated by early-stage investable ventures that could successfully go to market, but instead fail due to the lack of frameworks to scale them. It believes in advancing technology for society, by facilitating collaboration for its young members to harness their skills—to build solutions for real-world industry and community challenges.

About GenUI

GenUI is a world-class digital product design and delivery firm that has been doing leading innovation work in Seattle, Washington, since 2009. GenUI was founded on the idea that the user interface is the key to computing, and on the great endeavor of making computing useful to everyone.