MATA Youth Hackathon on Government Communication, Branding & Trade Lead Ministry

Dates

Eligibility

• Kenyan citizen or resident
• Aged 18–30 at time of registration
• Currently enrolled in a university, polytechnic, or TVET institution
• Teams of 2–5 members (solo entries not accepted)
• All team members must meet eligibility requirements
• No prior experience in trade or policy required — only curiosity and the will to solv

Project and Submission Requirements

Teams choose one of three tracks and submit all of the following by the deadline:

1. Pitch deck (PDF, max 15 slides)
2. Demo or prototype — working link, video walkthrough (max 5 minutes), or downloadable file
3. One-page brief written for a government communication officer
4. County impact statement (200 words max) explaining how the solution serves your specific county

Submissions must be original work created during the hackathon window. Solutions must be in English, Kiswahili, or both.

Prizes

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.

Judging Criteria and Winner Selection