The KTC Schools Hackathon is an innovation challenge designed to empower students to think beyond today and actively design the future.
This year’s theme, Building for the Future, invites students to explore bold ideas and develop solutions that address real-world challenges. Participants are encouraged to imagine what the world might look like in the next 5, 10, or 50 years — and create tools, systems, or concepts that improve lives.
There are no rigid limitations on what can be built. The hackathon is intentionally open-ended to allow creativity and diverse thinking across disciplines.
View 2025 highlights
Participants are free to choose any meaningful problem aligned with the theme. Ideas may focus on areas such as:
apps, websites, software tools, automation systems
innovative learning platforms, access solutions, skill-building tools
clean energy ideas, recycling systems, environmental tracking tools
digital health tools, mental wellness platforms, awareness systems
transport, safety, infrastructure, civic engagement
solutions that improve access, equity, and opportunity
Collaborate in groups, make new friends, and build something amazing together.
Fun prizes.
Up to 2million for the best projects and most creative ideas.
Our 2025 in numbers
1m+
50+
20+
Our 2025 partners
Students indicated interest on the Kidsthatcode website, and our social media countdown towards registration opening began.
Students, schools, and young innovators can now plan to form teams and register for this year’s challenge.
Teams register, get verified, and are welcomed into the community. Shortlisted participants receive acceptance emails.
Submit your entry
The building phase kicks off.
Teams begin ideating and developing their solutions with some mentor sessions and progress check-ins.
Deadline for submission: March 13th, 2026
Submit your entry
Teams submit their project deliverables including GitHub repos, pitch decks, and demo videos.
Judges review submissions and shortlist the top-performing teams to advance to the next stage.
This round celebrates creativity, technical excellence, and social impact.
Semi-finalists receive advanced mentorship and feedback on their projects.
They’ll also attend a Pitch Readiness Workshop — focused on storytelling, presentation design, and technical clarity — to get them stage-ready for the grand finale.
Only the best teams move forward to the final stage.
Team arrivals, sponsor exhibitions, tech showcases, and keynote sessions. Final presentations before judges, the award ceremony for the best teams, and live streaming for viewers nationwide. Our partners take center stage, sharing insights, products, and inspiration for Africa’s next generation of innovators.
Judging
Technical Execution (40%): Is the code clean, well-organized, and easy to understand? Are appropriate naming conventions used? Does the project work as intended? Are there any significant bugs or errors? Did the team effectively use the specified or chosen technology stack?
Creativity and Originality (30%): How unique or original is the problem solved or the solution presented? Is the project visually appealing and intuitive to use for the target audience?
Presentation and Practicality (30%): Did the team clearly explain their idea, the problem they solved, and how their project works? Does the project address a real-world problem or have practical application, even on a small scale?
Submission requirements
You must submit:
A working app, website, or Scratch project
A public GitHub repository containing all source code
A live project link (GitHub Pages, Netlify, Vercel, Cloudflare, custom domain, etc.)
Team requirements
Minimum of 2 students per team
Maximum of 4 students per team
Only one team per school
A chosen team lead
Disqualification conditions
Your team will be disqualified if:
Evidence of cheating or plagiarism
Late submission or failure to provide required materials
Missing live project link
Disrespectful or inappropriate behavior toward mentors, judges, or participants
Any code changes pushed after submission deadline and before the next phase opens.
All submissions are monitored. Fairness and integrity are central to the competition, so play fair.
Submit your entry
What is Kidsthatcode hackathon?
Kidsthatcode hackathon is an annual hackathon designed to give students aged 9-19 an opportunity to showcase thier critical thinking and technical skills to come up with solutions facing their community.
Who can participate in the hackathon?
Our hackathon is open to kids within the ages of 10 and 19 in primary 5, JSS 1-3 & SSS 1-3.
Do we need to have a team to participate?
Yes, we encourage teamwork during this hackathon. We allow up to 4 students to form a team either with your schoolmates or your friends
Is there a prize for the winners?
Yes! We have exciting prizes for the top teams, inclusing cash rewards, tech gadgets and opportunities to present your project to industry leaders.
