MEDIA RELEASE
August, 2020
Immediate Release
On the 24th of July, the first Hackathon Challenge for the PNG Digital ICT Cluster was launched by the Deputy Prime Minister, Hon Davis Steven and also Patron of the association at the Gateway Hotel. The challenge called Hack4Change Be the Problem Solver provides an opportunity to encourage and give direction to the efforts of PNG Tech talent, innovators and entrepreneurs.
The launch serves as an introduction and awareness to give better visibility and clarity to existing PNG techies, innovators and entrepreneurs to achieve their goals, and to create products to find solutions with the help of mentorship, tech support and guidance during the Hackathon.
The initiative Hack4Change vision will be to work with key stakeholders to help create champions in PNG, by providing support in ideation, incubation, prototyping, rollout and market access.
The challenge was open for those who have a working product or for those who feel that they have the vision and expertise to create such products for PNG aligning with the UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals. A total of 7 teams of 4 members (at least 1 female and 1 software coder) participated in Hack4Change where 3 winners were declared on Pitch day Monday 27th July in front of a panel of Judges who judged pitching and prototype in action.
It is evident within the ICT Sector that there is tremendous opportunity and scope across the multi-sectors for innovative products which will solve specific issues for PNG and contribute towards digital transformation and a self-reliant PNG.
Whilst Covid-19 pandemic has brought about disruption and a new normal, tackled through use of technology to aid daily lives, accelerating government’s need for digital transformation process and policy and Cyber Security is a crucial part of creating awareness on the need for change. At
the center of this will require supported curriculum that meets Industry relevance and competency in Software engineering and computer programming through Mathematics and Computer Science and ICT fields. “We are therefore pleased to partner with networks such as Switch Maven,
Academia and InvestInMe to support this change” said Vice President International and Co Founder Ms Priscilla Kevin.
There will be two Hack4Change every year and the tech community and young entrepreneurs are encouraged to join.
For more information, visit us at www.ictcluster.org.pg/membership.
ABOUT PNG DIGITAL ICT CLUSTER
The PNG Digital ICT Cluster is a not-for-profit organization initiated in 2014 to drive inclusive innovation and entrepreneurship especially for startups and existing entrepreneurs. The ICT cluster aspires to accelerate capacity for innovation, support and provide visibility for projects With
the objective to be a one-stop shop for financing collaborative research and development of digital ICT projects.
The association’s key strategic pillars are focus on
- Innovation & Entrepreneurship investments in activities that accelerate the market uptake of digital technologies
- Entrepreneurial Education Investments in activities that bring entrepreneurial skills and digital leadership to PNG
- Activities that will support our PNG ecosystem of partners and are centered around our PNG and Pacific locations, physical spaces where we promote cross-pollination and an agile way of working
Leave a Reply