About the challenge
Kenya is home to one of Africa's most dynamic youth populations. Africa has the largest free trade area on earth. Yet the two have barely met — not because of policy failure, but because of a communication gap that no one has been paid to close.
The MATA Youth Hackathon 2026 brings together Kenyan youth from all 47 counties to design the communication tools, guides, and systems that bridge that gap. This initiative is convened by Marketers Accelerating Trade in Africa (MATA), endorsed by the State Department for Broadcasting and Information, and funded by the Communication Authority of Kenya.
The solutions built here will not sit on a shelf. The three winning teams will have their work deployed inside real government communication systems — making this one of the few hackathons in Africa where winning means your solution actually gets used.
Get started
- Read the three tracks and decide which problem your team is best placed to solve
- Register your team - you need 2 to 5 members, all enrolled in a Kenyan tertiary institution
- Find your County PRO Officer at mataafrica.com/counties — they can connect you with mentors and resources in your area
- Join the WhatsApp support group [link at launch] for updates, Q&A sessions, and peer connection across counties
- Start building - the submission window opens on [date] and closes on [date]
Requirements
What to Build
You are building a communication solution — not necessarily an app, not necessarily a website. The format follows the function. Choose your track first, then choose the format that best solves that track's problem.
Track 1 — Translate the Deal
Build a tool or campaign that explains AfCFTA to an ordinary Kenyan in Kiswahili and at least one other local language, without jargon or acronyms, in under 3 minutes of reading or viewing time. This could be an explainer video, an illustrated guide, a radio script series, a WhatsApp message flow, or anything else that works.
Track 2 — Open the Border
Build a digital guide or tool that tells a young trader exactly what they need to legally cross into Tanzania, Uganda, or Ethiopia with their product — in under 3 minutes. This could be a step-by-step web guide, a chatbot flow, a printed reference card with a digital companion, or a structured WhatsApp information system.
Track 3 — Make Kenya the Brand
Design a continental branding strategy that positions Kenyan youth-made products as the premium choice for African buyers under AfCFTA, across at least 3 African markets. This could be a brand playbook, a campaign strategy with executional specifics, or a digital toolkit for young Kenyan exporters.
Whatever format you choose, it must be real enough to hand to a government communication officer and say: use this next month.
What to Submit
All four items are required. Incomplete submissions will not be judged.
1. Pitch deck (PDF, maximum 15 slides)
Cover: the problem as you understand it, your solution, how it works, who it is for, and how government deploys it. No fluff. Judges read fast.
2. Demo or prototype
A working link, a video walkthrough (maximum 5 minutes), or a downloadable file. This is your solution in action — not a description of it. If it cannot be demonstrated, it will not score well on feasibility.
3. One-page government brief (PDF)
Written for a senior government communication officer who has 90 seconds. Tell them what the problem is, what you built, and what they need to do to deploy it. No jargon. No bullet-point padding.
4. County impact statement (200 words maximum)
How does your solution specifically serve your county? What language, context, or local knowledge did you bring to it? This is where your local roots become your competitive advantage.
Prizes
winners
There are no cash prizes. The three winning teams — one per track — each receive a funded Proof of Concept development pathway. Their solution is built into a real government communication system, with the Communication Authority of Kenya funding development and MATA managing deployment. Total PoC fund: KES 2.9 million across three winners. Winners are also flown to Nairobi for the one-day Winners' Conference, with all travel, accommodation, and meals covered by CA.
winners 2
There are no cash prizes. The three winning teams — one per track — each receive a funded Proof of Concept development pathway. Their solution is built into a real government communication system, with the Communication Authority of Kenya funding development and MATA managing deployment. Total PoC fund: KES 2.9 million across three winners. Winners are also flown to Nairobi for the one-day Winners' Conference, with all travel, accommodation, and meals covered by CA.
Devpost Achievements
Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:
Judges
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google organisation
star
microsift
simon
capri dem
Judging Criteria
-
Relevance to government communication - 25%
Does this solve a real gap in how government communicates trade policy? Judges assess whether a government communication officer would recognise the problem and see the solution as directly useful. -
Feasibility of deployment within 6 months - 25%
Can this be handed to a government unit and deployed within 6 months using realistic technology, budget, and skills? A working WhatsApp flow beats a half-built app every time. -
Innovation of approach - 20%
Is the approach genuinely new? Not technology for its own sake — a new format, language, channel, or problem framing counts. Repackaging existing government materials does not. -
Communication quality of the solution itself - 15%
Is the solution itself clearly communicated? Judges assess the deck, brief, and demo. If it cannot explain itself in 90 seconds, government will not deploy it. -
County and local context specificity - 15%
Does the solution reflect the language, culture, or economic reality of the team's county? Local rootedness is a competitive advantage here, not an afterthought.
Questions? Email the hackathon manager
Invite others to compete
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