The CATS Hackathon Taster III took place on October 10th, 2025 on Zoom. It was the final taster session before the main phase began in the subsequent week. This call shifted from inspiration to action.
Host Megan opened with a reminder from the 2022 Summit where local teams in Cameroon taught tech concepts through outdoor games. She encouraged everyone to return to that decentralized and grounded spirit. Mercy added that Africa’s originality is its strength, thus using M-PESA as an example of how local solutions can scale globally.
Prisma then explained their role as facilitators for this hands-on journey. The process is simple — taster calls first, then register on Luma, then enroll by selecting a role (Hub or Participant) and finally move into hub-run hackathons.
- Hubs should complete enrollment by Monday, October 13.
- Participants are encouraged to enroll by Thursday, October 16, with some flexibility.
Enrollment includes three calls — October 16, 23, and 30 — plus light assignments and shared communication spaces. The goal is to surface fifty place-based projects for the Summit with the top five invited to Nairobi in February 2026 for an in-person intensive. Participants are encouraged to document their progress as data-backed stories that connect building and storytelling.
To bring this to life, Abdulrahman from Accra shared his project, “Bin-to-Cash.” His team discovered that neighborhood flooding was tied to poor waste management. Their idea allows households to sort waste and request collectors who deliver to recyclers. A Cardano smart contract tracks and rewards everyone involved. This simple flow aims to reduce flooding, improve recycling and strengthen local economies — showing how strong solutions start with real community problems.
During the Q&A, the team clarified that participants don’t need to have teams yet. Teams will form naturally during enrollment. Coordination will take place on Telegram and links are shared in registration emails and forms. The two-step process — Register on Luma, then Enroll via Hub or Participant form — was reviewed live with questions addressed.
The call ended with clear next steps:
- Complete registration and enrollment.
- Join the Telegram groups.
- Bring one or two local problems to the first enrollment session.
Hubs were reminded of the October 13 deadline so logistics can move forward. Everyone was also asked to block the next three Thursdays for workshops that will move ideas into concrete, community-driven problem statements.