The local CATS Hackathon in the Democratic Republic of Congo marked a major milestone for the Cardano ecosystem in Africa, especially for the Goma and Nyiragongo Hubs.
Following a rigorous evaluation process, Wenze has been selected to officially represent the DRC at the continental Hackathon in Nairobi on February 11–12, 2026.
Acknowledging the Organizers
We want to recognize the professionalism and expertise of WADA, with support from PRISM, their implementing partner.
This success was made possible by:
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Involving more than 10 external evaluators,
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Allocating sufficient time to evaluate projects thoroughly,
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Clear and relevant evaluation criteria:
- Clearly defining a real problem,
- Relevance to local community needs,
- Clear plan for using Cardano tools and standards,
- Practicality, scalability, adoption potential,
- Sustainable business model.
These criteria allowed the identification of the projects with the highest potential, and we are pleased with the results.
Results – Goma & Nyiragongo Hubs
The Goma Hub was represented by three projects:
- MkulimaChain
- Wenze
- ProofChain
Scores:
- Team 4 – Wenze: Average 4.000 points, Total 8 points, 2 evaluations
- MkulimaLabs: Average 3.000 points, Total 9 points, 3 evaluations
- Team 8 – ProofChain: Average 2.000 points, Total 4 points, 2 evaluations
Wenze is the winning project of the Goma and Nyiragongo Hubs and will represent the DRC in Nairobi.
About Wenze
Wenze is a modern and secure marketplace built specifically for Goma, DRC, leveraging the Cardano blockchain to ensure total security through a decentralized escrow system.
How it works:
- Users can safely buy and sell products/services.
- Transactions are secured by Aiken smart contracts, which lock funds until the buyer confirms receipt.
Main Features:
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Cardano Escrow
- Transactions are secured through the Cardano blockchain via escrow smart contracts.
- Funds remain locked until receipt confirmation, ensuring security and trust.
- This method earns users WZP rewards.
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Mobile Money Payment
- A direct payment option for convenience.
- No WZP rewards, as it does not use Cardano escrow.
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Cash Payment
- For high-value products or services.
- Flexible option, without WZP rewards.
Additional Options & Features:
- Price negotiation with real-time chat
- Multi-language support (French and Swahili)
- Modern, mobile-optimized interface
- Online/offline service availability
- Price types: fixed or negotiable (min-max range)
- Integrated AI to help users learn about Cardano and Wenze
- ADA ↔ Congolese Franc exchange tag via an integrated external partner app
- Two local exchangers in Goma, contactable via WhatsApp directly from Wenze
Test Wenze MVP by using a cardano prepred network.
Africa-wide Hub Winners – Selected Projects from Each Hub – CATS Hackathon 2026
What’s Next?
At the Nairobi Hackathon:
- All winning Hub projects will be presented,
- 5 top projects will be shortlisted,
- The top 3 will then undergo a 6-month incubation program, aimed at implementing their solutions in the target communities.
Acknowledgements
The Cardano community in DRC thanks the entire Cardano ecosystem, especially WADA, for their continued trust in innovative local projects.
This hackathon is just the beginning. We look forward to further contributing to the ecosystem and seeing projects like Wenze make a tangible impact.
Onward to Nairobi. Onward to impact.
