AfriLabs has announced the launch of the Llama 3.1 Impact Hackathon for Sub-Saharan Africa sponsored by After and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).
The project aims to promote AI innovation that addresses social impact issues across Africa.
Details
The program will be implemented in two phases. The first phase of the program, the hackathon, will bring together participants from Sub-Saharan Africa from startup founders to developers, tech enthusiasts, students in technical fields, gender and language studies professionals and more.
These participants will collaborate in interdisciplinary teams to develop AI-driven solutions that address gender bias and ensure linguistic inclusion and diversity in digital content, also focusing on economic development, science and innovation, public services or training and skill development using Meta’s Llama AI Technology.
To facilitate in-person participation, travel and logistical expenses will be covered for all selected participants attending the Hackathon at Kigali, Rwanda from October 8 to 10, 2024.
The second phase of the program, the post-hackathon phase, will focus on mentoring, product development, market validation and refinement, and business development for the top-performing teams identified by the Hackathon.
These teams will receive expert feedback and input from Meta, BMGF and AfriLabs to help refine and develop their prototypes. This phase will prepare them to apply for the global Llama 3.1 Impact grant program, which offers up to $100,000 in funding to further develop and scale their projects, as well as the ability to secure up to $500,000 to seed funds through a global call for proposals.
What They Say
Nanko Maduthe Director of Programs at AfriLabs stated, “The Llama 3.1 Impact African Hackathon” is more than just a competition—it’s a call to action for innovators across Africa to harness the transformative power of AI to drive social change on the continent. This hackathon is an opportunity for participants to not only push the boundaries of AI innovation, but also ensure that the solutions we build are inclusive, fair and impactful for all.”
Speaking of the hackathon, Balkissa Idé SiddoDirector of Public Policy for Africa, Meta commented:We are excited to partner with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on the Llama Impact Sub-Saharan Africa Hackathon, which embodies our shared commitment to advancing innovation and social impact in Africa. Through this hackathon and the broader Llama 3.1 impact grant program, Meta aims to empower local developers and entrepreneurs to create AI-based solutions that address critical societal challenges and bring about positive change in our communities.“
Recording
Applications are open until September 21, 2024. To apply, visit this link and take the first step in contributing to a future where AI is inclusive, diverse, and free of racial and linguistic bias.
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