The Hedera Africa Hackathon 2025 is a continent-wide tech event focused on Web3 innovation.
Organized by The Hashgraph Association and Exponential Science, it targets developers, students, entrepreneurs, and innovators worldwide.
The event features a total prize pool of 1 million dollars and real-world challenges in finance, operations, gaming/NFTs, and AI/DePIN.
Participants can join individually or in teams of up to seven members.
Moreover, the hackathon promotes bold ideas to solve practical problems in Africa and beyond.
About the Program and Target Participants
The hackathon runs from March to November 2025 and offers four main innovation tracks:
- Onchain Finance & Real-World Assets (RWA): Build inclusive financial tools and tokenize real-world assets.
- DLT for Operations: Use Hedera to enhance healthcare, agriculture, and supply chain systems with secure transparency.
- AI & DePIN: Create smart decentralized solutions using AI and community-driven infrastructure.
- Immersive Experience: Develop games, digital collectibles, and player-owned NFT economies.
Thus, participants can select a track that aligns with their expertise and passion.
In addition, the program aims to attract over 10,000 attendees from Africa and internationally.
Eligibility Criteria for Participants
To join the Hedera Africa Hackathon 2025, participants must meet these requirements:
- Be of legal age in their country of residence.
- Participate individually or as a team of up to seven members.
- Organizations including corporations, nonprofits, or partnerships can apply.
- Residents from prohibited countries like Israel, Russia, Iran, or North Korea cannot participate.
- Judges, employees of organizers, and immediate family members are ineligible.
Furthermore, all projects must be original and comply with intellectual property regulations.
Benefits of Participating
Joining the Hedera Africa Hackathon 2025 provides multiple advantages:
- Access to a total prize pool of 1 million dollars for top projects.
- Mentorship and guidance from The Hashgraph Association and Exponential Science.
- Opportunity to present a working prototype or MVP to an international jury.
- Increased visibility and potential to expand into African and global markets.
Therefore, this hackathon combines funding, support, and networking to maximize project impact.
Key Dates of the Competition
The competition follows a structured timeline:
- Submission Period: August 1, 2025 (9:00 GMT) – September 30, 2025 (23:45 GMT)
- Judging Period: October 1, 2025 – November 2, 2025
- Winners Announcement: Around November 3, 2025
These dates ensure fair evaluation and selection of the most innovative projects.
How to Apply
Applications are submitted online only.
👉 Apply for The Hedera Africa Hackathon 2025
Steps to participate:
- Create a free DoraHacks account or log in to an existing one.
- Access Hedera tools and start building your project.
- Submit the project with description and a demonstration video (<3 minutes).
- Ensure compliance with functionality, intellectual property, and platform requirements.
Projects may be newly created or significantly updated after the hackathon begins.
Explore Other Funding Opportunities
Besides the Hedera Africa Hackathon 2025, African startups can access other funding programs:
📌 Discover more competitions for entrepreneurs in French
📌 Explore other calls and competitions in English for African startups
Thus, African startups have multiple platforms to develop, fund, and scale their innovative projects.
Conclusion
The Hedera Africa Hackathon 2025, organized by The Hashgraph Association and Exponential Science, is a unique opportunity for African startups.
It offers funding, mentorship, and international visibility, helping innovators bring their Web3 projects to life.
Participating provides access to networks, real-world challenges, and potential expansion across Africa and beyond.