Kenyan Innovators to Compete at Continental Hackathon
AI-powered Fintech Solution for Gig Workers and Persons with Disabilities Earns Top National Honour
Four young Kenyan women, the minds behind the AI-powered fintech platform “Jasho – Powering Your Hustle,” will represent Kenya at the continental finals of the Absa Bank Kenya–GirlCode Women-in-Tech Hackathon after emerging top in the national round.
Their team, Avytria, made up of women aged between 21 and 26, impressed judges with an innovative financial solution tailored to gig workers and persons living with disabilities. The platform uses artificial intelligence to provide real-time expenditure tracking, personalised financial coaching, and enhanced fraud protection. It also integrates accessibility features such as facial recognition and voice commands, making it inclusive for all users.
This year’s hackathon attracted 112 participants aged 18 to 35, responding to the theme “Future-Proofing Africa: Innovation at the Intersection of FinTech, Cybersecurity, and AI.” Over a 30-hour challenge, participants built secure and sustainable solutions while gaining hands-on experience in digital innovation.
The GirlCode Hackathon continues to empower women in technology, aligning with Kenya’s national goals of youth empowerment, digital inclusion, entrepreneurship, and sustainable economic growth. As Team Avytria prepares to compete with peers from Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa, Botswana, and Ghana, their success highlights the growing influence of Kenyan innovators in Africa’s tech scene.
Absa Bank Kenya’s Vice President, Head of Sustainability and Corporate Affairs, Charles Wokabi, praised the participants for their creativity and resilience:
“These teams have shown great creativity and problem-solving under very intense conditions. Each team pitched innovative ideas around financial inclusion, cybersecurity, and fraud prevention to a highly experienced panel of judges. The winners will now receive hardware and software tools to further their learning and innovation.”
He added that the top three teams will join an incubation programme through a partnership between the Absa Kenya Foundation and ALX, gaining access to workspaces, mentorship, business development guidance, and investor engagement opportunities.
The Pan-African grand prize winner will receive USD 5,500 (approximately KES 700,000). Last year’s hackathon drew 280 women from nine African cities, and this year’s event grew to over 450 participants across seven cities — a clear sign of expanding female participation in tech innovation.
GirlCode CEO and Founder, Zandile Mkwanazi, noted that the initiative was created to help address gender gaps in technology:
“This hackathon gives women a platform to showcase their skills, innovate, and create real solutions for their communities. It’s been inspiring to witness talented young women collaborate and design impactful tech solutions.”
The judging panel in Nairobi included Muthoni Kanyana, CEO of MK-Africa; Lucy Mbuthia, Country Manager of Women in Tech Kenya; and Absa Bank Kenya’s Chief People Officer Mumbi Kahindo, Chief Information Officer Moses Okundi, and Head of Digital Marketing and Next Gen Seline Awuor.
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