Young Innovators Compete for $40,000 as Zimbabwe Bets on AI Talent

The creative energy of Zimbabwe's youth took center stage today as the UNDP AI and Innovation Week 2025 kicked off, featuring high-stakes competitions designed to solve real-world industry challenges.

The spotlight is on two major events: the **MineTech Innovation Challenge** and the **Lithium Value Chain Hackathon**. Young programmers, engineers, and entrepreneurs from across the country are competing for a share of a **$40,000 Youth Innovation Challenge Fund**, backed by UNDP, the Government, and CBZ.

"The solutions we prototype today can become national and global success stories tomorrow," a UNDP representative told attendees, placing youth at the heart of the country's digital future.

The winners of the MineTech and Lithium Hackathons will receive significant seed funding, with the first-place teams in each category awarded **$10,000** to develop their ideas. The second and third-place teams will receive $6,000 and $4,000, respectively.

In her opening address, the Minister of ICT, Hon. Dr. Tatenda Mavetera, hailed the youth as Zimbabwe's "greatest national asset." She reinforced President Mnangagwa's vision, stating, "We are promoting innovation, hard, honest work and entrepreneurial mind-sets that produce goods and services which enhance national development."

The week's agenda dedicates a full day to ecosystem engagement, featuring the hackathon finals, exhibitions, and networking opportunities with industry leaders, investors, and academics. The event culminates in an Awards Ceremony to recognize excellence and the transformative potential of the nation's young innovators, cementing a new chapter where "our youth build new industries."