Standard Bank hosts hackathon for entrepreneurial female hackers
Computer hacking sometimes makes headlines for the wrong reasons, but for 32 female entrepreneurs in Gauteng testing their IT skills during a 24-hour ‘Hackathon’ their efforts will be for all the right reasons.
Expertise, flexible fingers, key-board skills, and endurance came to the fore when the women, selected for their entrepreneurial backgrounds gathered in Rosebank, Johannesburg to take part in the Hackathon. The Hackathon which took place on the 19 th and 20 th is part of the Standard Bank Incubator’s programme that concentrates on assisting women entrepreneurs with the development and expansion of SME startups. “Our premises in Rosebank provide a space for entrepreneurs to gather, share ideas and network” says head of Standard Bank Incubator Jayshree, Naidoo.
The winners of the event will be considered for inclusion in an accelerator programme which focuses on women in the technology industry which will take place on 30 May 2017. They will be offered free access to many of the business development courses and workshops led by experienced veterans of the SME sector.
“It is in this spirit that women in the IT space, working in 8 teams of four, have been offered the opportunity to showcase their skills. Over 24 hours, they will not only participate and compete but will have the opportunity to meet like-minded women who are active in IT and the development of applications and websites.”
The Hackathon were encouraged the women to identify challenges and develop digital solutions that are focused on bringing benefits to townships. The focus will be on creating IT applications and websites to promote businesses and broaden township economies. Participants with ideas on revolutionising the financial sector and education will also be encouraged to put forward their proposals.
Increasing numbers of women are joining the ranks of entrepreneurs, says Ms. Naidoo. In many cases, the businesses they launch are focused on meeting challenges and issues presented to women and their families in their communities. Harnessing IT skills could see these businesses reaching new heights.
“Technology is becoming ever more important in our everyday lives. Standard Bank believes that by using this programme, it can encourage women to explore the possibilities offered by technology as a sector for personal and business growth. South Africa, and Africa as a whole would benefit by women with their focus on societal issues entering the IT field.”
“On a broader scale, by highlighting IT and computer skills, we believe the Hackathon will encourage women to look at improving their technical skills so that they can take their businesses to new levels.”
“The ultimate beneficiaries of more women entering the technical fields will be the communities within which they operate and society as a whole,” says Ms. Naidoo.