Kinshasa/Goma/Nyiragongo, November 10, 2025 - The Cardano Africa Tech Summit (CATS) is accelerating its local hackathon phase, a continental movement turning ideas into concrete, Cardano-based solutions. Sixteen such events are taking place simultaneously across Africa until December 15.
In North Kivu, this initiative arrives at a critical moment. The Goma and Nyiragongo hubs are becoming an indispensable catalyst, offering young talent a framework to experiment with the highly sought-after Web3 and blockchain technologies in the region.
A Structured Process Focused on Local Impact
The hackathon follows a precise timeline, aiming to build autonomous developers and produce locally relevant solutions:
- Week 1 (Regenerative Exploration): Identifying and refining local problems to obtain a solid problem statement.
- Weeks 2 to 5 (Technical Learning and Building): Mastering the Cardano stack (Mesh SDK, Plutus, Aiken, APIs) and potential integration with SingularityNET/ASI AI. Training combines asynchronous modules, live sessions, and collaborative mentorship.
- Weeks 5 to 6 (Prototyping and Iterations): Project development, testing, bug fixing, and preparation of the final pitch.
| Metric | Target |
|---|---|
| Fully Engaged Teams | 125 |
| Active Developers on GitHub | 250 |
| Projects Selected for Nairobi Summit | 40 |
| Network | Growing continental network of hubs and mentors |
Strengthened Coordination: Goma Hub and Nyiragongo Hub
Local organization is consolidating. the virtual meeting on Friday, November 7, brought together the leaders of both hubs and key facilitators:
- Bandu Balume Boaz (Goma Hub Leader)
- Baudouin Muvunga (Nyiragongo Hub Leader)
- Martin Musagara (Goma DRep Pioneer)
- Olivier Mwatsimulamo (Team Follow-up)
- Olivier Matabaro Rishi (Logistics)
The goal is to ensure a solid organizational base before the intensive work begins.
Day 3: Technical Documentation and Team Classification
Saturday, November 8, 2025, marked a decisive step with an in-person meeting. Efforts focused on:
- Producing the necessary technical documentation for the teams.
- Classifying teams according to themes and their level of progress.
- Coordinating with external teams (Wada & PRISMA) by Boaz and Olivier Mwatsimulamo to clarify the use of the official workspace PRISMA.
Key Day 3 Participants: Benedicto Mirindi, Olivier Mwatsimulamo, Martin Musagara, Baudouin Muvunga.
“This third day confirms that the region possesses solid, often overlooked potential, capable of producing relevant solutions once a structured framework is established.”
Next Step: Official Local Hackathon Launch
The upcoming session is crucial for the operational start and the unification of the Goma and Nyiragongo hubs:
- Date: Monday, November 10
- Time: 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM (Maputo/Goma Time Zone)
- Format: Online Meeting (connection details communicated to participants)
This unified meeting aims to provide every team with a clear direction and a coherent structure.
Key Agenda Points:
- Presentation of the full CATS Hackathon 2025-2026 process.
- Clarification of participation criteria and program expectations.
- Team formation or reorganization based on themes and skill levels.
- Identification of technical and logistical concerns.
- Introduction to the PRISMA workspace and available resources.
- Setting the local activity calendar (training, follow-up, technical sessions).
The objective is to ensure that every team starts the building phase with tailored support, thus proving that the region can be visible, influential, and innovative at the final Nairobi Summit in 2026.
