The U.S. – West Africa Tech Challenge is an initiative that seeks to promote and support innovative technologies that can address the challenges of disinformation, propaganda, and violent extremism in the Coastal West African region. The challenge is open to technologists from across Africa who have solutions that can help expose, understand, or counter these threats to peace and stability.
Overview of Us-West Africa Tech Challenge ?
The challenge is a two-part event that will take place in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire on September 27-28, 2024. The first part will be a demo day, where up to eight selected organizations will present their technologies to a panel of judges and an audience of government, civil society, and private sector stakeholders. The second part will be a series of panels and discussions among the participants and experts to share lessons learned and opportunities for cooperation around addressing the challenges.
The challenge is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Global Engagement Center, in collaboration with U.S. Embassy Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy, United Nations Development Programme, She Code Africa, Impact Hub Abidjan, and Becera.
What are the Benefits of Us-West Africa Tech Challenge ?
The challenge offers a unique opportunity for African technologists to showcase their solutions to a diverse and influential audience, network with potential partners and supporters, and receive feedback and mentorship from experts in the field. Moreover, up to three organizations will be selected as winners of the challenge and will receive funding totaling $250,000 USD to further develop and implement their technologies for the benefit of countries in Coastal West Africa.
Some of the benefits of participating in the U.S.-West Africa Tech Challenge are:
- Funding: Up to three organizations will be selected as winners of the challenge and will receive funding totaling $250,000 USD to further develop and implement their solutions.
- Exposure: The selected organizations will present their solutions to a diverse and influential audience of government, civil society, and private sector stakeholders, as well as media and academia.
- Support: The participants will receive feedback and mentorship from experts in the field of disinformation, propaganda, and violent extremism, as well as opportunities for networking and partnership-building.
Who Can Apply for Us-West Africa Tech Challenge ?
The challenge is open to organizations domiciled and headquartered across Africa, not just those based in Coastal West Africa. The organizations should have technologies that offer innovative solutions to help expose, understand, or counter disinformation, propaganda, and violent extremism within Coastal West Africa. The technologies can be at any stage of development, from prototype to scale-up.
How many Us-West Africa Tech Challenge ?applications were received for the 2023 edition?
The exact number of applications received for the 2023 edition of the U.S.-West Africa Tech Challenge is not publicly available. However, according to the official webpage of the challenge, only up to eight organizations will be selected to demonstrate their technology to a panel of judges. The challenge is open to organizations domiciled and headquartered across Africa
How to Apply for Us-West Africa Tech Challenge ??
The deadline for submissions is July 16, 2024, 11:59 pm UTC. To receive the full details of how to apply, complete the form here https://opportunitydesk.org us west-africa-tech-challenge-2023/). The detailed instructions will be shared in English and French.
How will the Winners be Selected?
According to the official webpage of the U.S. West Africa Tech Challenge , the winners will be selected based on the following criteria:
- Relevance: The technology should address a clear and specific problem or challenge related to disinformation, propaganda, or violent extremism in Coastal West Africa.
- Impact: The technology should demonstrate a measurable and positive impact on the target audience or beneficiaries, as well as the potential for scalability and sustainability.
- Innovation: The technology should offer a novel or creative solution that is different from existing approaches or tools in the field.
- Feasibility: The technology should be technically sound and reliable, as well as cost-effective and user-friendly.
The winners will be announced in Part II of the challenge, which will take place on the margins of East Africa Com on 11-12 May 2024.
Conclusion
The U.S. West Africa Tech Challenge 2024 is a great opportunity for African technologists to present their solutions to combat disinformation, propaganda, and violent extremism in the region. The challenge will provide funding, exposure, and support to the winners, as well as foster collaboration and learning among the participants and experts. The challenge is open to organizations from across Africa, and the deadline for submissions is July 16, 2024. If you have a technology that can help address these challenges, don’t hesitate to apply and join the U.S. West Africa Tech Challenge 2024!
