Omdena Partners with EIT Climate-KIC and Sahara Ventures to Host The First Grassroots AI Climathon Event in Tanzania

Omdena is excited to announce the resounding success of the first-ever Climathon event in Tanzania, a three-day hackathon focused on developing AI solutions for climate change challenges. The event featured 50 participants passionate about leveraging AI to tackle climate challenges. The winning team, Kesho AI, proposed to build a more granular location-based early warning system to predict floods, heavy rains, and heat waves while offering citizens tailored preparedness measures. 

The event was organized by EIT Climate-KIC, the leading European climate innovation organization and community, in partnership with Omdena, and Sahara Ventures, an innovation hub that supports and accelerates startups and entrepreneurs. The event aimed to foster cross-disciplinary collaboration, knowledge sharing, and the development of impactful initiatives that can contribute to a more sustainable future.

The Climathon attracted nearly 200 applicants, showcasing significant interest. Out of those applicants, we carefully curated a cohort of 50 participants based on their motivation to join, the majority were university students, passionate about leveraging technology to tackle climate issues.

The Climathon provided a platform for participants to engage in lively discussions, brainstorming sessions, and hands-on workshops focused on idea framing, prototyping, and pitching.

Throughout the event, participants had the opportunity to learn from industry experts. Henry Kazula, a climate expert, provided insights into the Tanzanian climate landscape; and Essa Mohamedali, Co-founder & Community Manager of Tanzania AI Community, shared examples of AI solutions deployed globally. 

Inés Mas de la Peña from EIT Climate-KIC and Emmanuel Senzighe from Sahara Ventures also guided participants through innovation methodologies while Necta Richard served as our master of ceremonies. From Omdena, Damian Mwalewela and Christiano Raphael served as the tech mentors for the participants. Photography and Videography was handled by Ismail Adama and Mohamed Ramadhan Makongoro. 

Inés said of the Climathon, “​​The goal of the Climathon Dar es Salaam is to encourage participants to develop solutions for various climate challenges while equipping them with the necessary tools, knowledge, and experience to succeed. As our first Climathon in Tanzania, we were very impressed that participants finished the event with well-elaborated pitches and some even with prototypes. The Climathon serves as a platform to raise awareness about local climate challenges, build the local climate and innovation ecosystem and inspire others!”

On the final day of the Climathon, teams presented their AI solutions to a panel of esteemed judges, including Rudradeb Mitra, CEO of Omdena; Essa Mohamedali; and Catherine Pye, Senior Policy Officer at the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office.

The teams pitched various innovative solutions ranging from smart agriculture solutions to improve yield, SMS-based information systems for farmers, and optimized irrigation and leak detection systems using sensors. Some of the teams even developed a demo despite time constrictions.  

The winning team, Kesho AI, proposed to build a more granular location-based early warning system that leverages historical data and information from the Tanzania Meteorological Authority to predict floods, heavy rains, and heat waves while offering citizens tailored preparedness measures. As one of Kesho AI’s members reported, “Entering the Hackathon with no prior soft-tech experience, I anticipated significant challenges. To my surprise, the facilitators conveyed complex concepts in a manner that was both accessible and comprehensible. Furthermore, collaborating within hackathon teams proved invaluable; it facilitated the exchange of complementary skills and knowledge, fostering a rich environment for learning and networking.”

As a key partner of the Climathon event, Omdena will provide support to the winning team to help them further develop and refine their innovative idea. Through this collaboration, Omdena aims to empower the Kesho AI team to bring their solution to fruition and make a meaningful difference in the lives of Tanzanian citizens.

The success of the Climathon event in Tanzania demonstrates the immense potential of collaboration between organizations like Omdena, EIT Climate-KIC, and Sahara Ventures in fostering grassroots innovation and empowering local communities to address pressing climate challenges through AI-driven solutions.

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