The Microsoft Student Summit Africa hackathon is a hackathon that aims to get students to apply their creativity and problem-solving skills to hack on real-world problems using Microsoft's technologies. The hackathon is aimed at college/university students passionate about problem-solving with technology.

Challenges

The challenges come from 4 categories. Teams are required to pick a challenge from one category.

Healthcare

1. Create an app/product that assists medical practitioners in to remotely examine medical patients.
2. Create an app/product that improves access to health technology in rural areas.
3. Improve Medical and Emergency Communication.

Education

1. Provide a means which helps educators integrate blended/hybrid learning into their classroom
2. Create a software solution that will help students balance their mental health and virtual learning
3. Create a software solution that will help educational institutions transition from physical to online learning and/or vice versa

Greentech

1. Air pollution causes 1 in 9 deaths. It is the most important environmental health risk of our time. Your challenge is to take an interdisciplinary approach to combat air pollution.
2. Extreme hunger and malnutrition remain a huge barrier to development in many countries. There are 821 million people estimated to be chronically undernourished as of 2017, often as a direct consequence of environmental degradation, drought and biodiversity loss. Your challenge is to come up with solutions that promote sustainable agriculture, eradicate hunger and malnutrition, improve agricultural productivity and access to markets.
3. Africa is mystic, Africa is beautiful. If that isn't enough, Africa is blessed with fascinating wildlife. It's one of those destinations that never truly leave you. However, nature is declining globally at rates unprecedented in human history – and the rate of species extinctions is accelerating, with grave impacts on people around the world now likely. In this challenge, you are required to develop innovative ways in the domains of tracking ecosystems diversities, endangered species and making predictions over time.

Fintech

1. Create a system that integrates facial recognition and your pin to access your bank for transactions
2. Create a system where SMEs can upload their verification certificate to receive a loan and a tracker that ensures anyone who hasn't paid back the loan as per the stipulated time, is tracked down and the necessary action is taken against them
3. We are trying to help parents enlighten their children on responsible banking. Create a product that will achieve this objective and facilitate financial freedom  to young teenagers without having to depend on their parents' credit cards

• Make Something (15%)
  Does the project make or create something tangible that can be shown or demonstrated, going beyond an idea?
• Address the Challenge (25%)
  Does the project address the Challenge, and present a clear and relevant solution?
• Customer Focus (20%)
  Who is the project primarily for? Why is this solution different and compelling for the customer?
• Business Value (20%)
  What business value does your project provide?
• Feasibility (10%)
  Does the project have actionable next steps and a reasonable chance of success in its implementation?
• Inclusion (10%)
  Does the project create an inclusive experience, making others feel valued, respected, and sense of belonging?