NAIROBI, NOV 7 – Chinese telecommunications firm Huawei announced yesterday that it will host a hackathon in early December to encourage software developers in Kenya to come up with innovations that can accelerate the growth of the digital economy.
Executives said the Huawei AppCube Hackathon, scheduled from December 2 to 6, is open to young innovators who want to develop solutions that foster e-commerce, virtual learning and enhanced connectivity among Kenyans.
Lin Xiaonan, director of delivery and services at Huawei Kenya, reiterated the firm’s commitment to fostering digital transformation in the East African country through the adoption of new products and innovations.
“We believe in the transformative power of technology to improve lives and drive economic growth,” Lin said in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, during Huawei’s Empowering Digital Transformation Forum which coincided with the announcement of the upcoming AppCube Hackathon.
Huawei’s software products and solutions, including Huawei Cloud, Artificial Intelligence Contact Center, Data Operations Platform and Appcube, once deployed at scale, will drive the competitiveness, growth and profitability of Kenyan enterprises, Lin said.
To be presented at Huawei’s offices in Nairobi, the AppCube Hackathon will bring together young software developers and mentors to explore mobile and cloud-based applications that can transform livelihoods.
Brian Wahinya, engineering team leader at Huawei Kenya, said the hackathon will be an annual event that offers local developers the opportunity to showcase software products that have the potential to advance the digital economy.
According to Wahinya, Huawei AppCube is a platform that provides a seamless and cost-effective way for software developers to produce applications to improve service delivery and commerce.
In addition, Wahinya said the platform has acted as an accelerator for enterprise digitization, adding that more than 5,000 developers use it to manage business operations, foster virtual payments and education.
Mavine Rakiro, software innovation leader at Huawei Kenya, said participants at the upcoming hackathon are expected to develop comprehensive and intelligent solutions that can improve efficiency and results in the public and private sectors. – Xinhua
