SafeTech Africa HackLab 2026: Up to $10,000 for Innovators

SafeTech Africa HackLab 2026

SafeTech Africa HackLab 2026

Applications are open for the SafeTech Africa HackLab 2026, a hackathon and innovation incubator launched by the Spotlight Initiative, a joint programme of the United Nations, the European Union and their partners. The programme is aimed at young African innovators developing digital solutions that create safe, inclusive spaces and tackle gender-based violence.

Mobile applications, reporting platforms, awareness tools, AI-powered safety systems: every technology project adapted to African realities is welcome.

Students, young professionals, startups and community organisations based in Africa can apply. Four winners will each receive a seed grant of USD 5,000 to 10,000, together with technical support, mentorship and implementation funding.

Application deadline: 18 October 2026

No closing time is published for the application form. Google Forms are usually closed manually by the organisers, which can happen at any point on the deadline day. Submit at least 48 hours early rather than planning around the final evening.

Contents

• At a glance
• About the SafeTech Africa HackLab
• Programme objectives
• Priority themes
• Eligibility requirements
• Benefits for winners
• Timeline
• How to apply

At a glance

Criterion	Details
Organiser	Spotlight Initiative (UN, European Union and partners)
Type	Hackathon and innovation incubator
Target audience	Young innovators based in Africa
Award	USD 5,000 to 10,000 for 4 winners
Support	Mentorship, technical support, implementation funding
Deadline	18 October 2026

About the SafeTech Africa HackLab

The SafeTech Africa HackLab 2026 is an initiative of the Spotlight Initiative, a joint United Nations and European Union programme. It supports young Africans putting technology at the service of social justice, with a specific goal: designing digital tools that make physical and online spaces safer, particularly for women and girls.

The programme combines a hackathon with an incubation phase, so that the strongest ideas become solutions actually deployed across several African countries from 2027.

If you are leading an entrepreneurial project, the Jim Leech Mastercard Foundation Fellowship on Entrepreneurship is another funding route worth looking at.

Programme objectives

• Drive digital innovation against gender-based violence
• Design inclusive technology solutions: applications, platforms, reporting tools, AI-based safety systems
• Strengthen the skills of young Africans in using technology for social justice
• Build regional collaboration between developers, institutions and civil society

Priority themes

Every project must fall under one of the following areas:

Theme	Example solutions
GBV prevention and reporting	Alert applications, anonymous reporting platforms
Safety of women and girls	Online and offline protection tools
AI and big data	Data analysis for safety and resilience
Digital awareness	Educational tools, prevention content
Governance and social inclusion	Civic participation and service access solutions

Eligibility requirements

• Be an individual or an organisation based in Africa, engaged in a technology or social project
• Accepted profiles: students, young professionals, startups, community organisations
• Propose a solution that is realistic, innovative and adapted to the African context
• Commit to taking part in the mentorship and in every development phase

No prior company registration is required. Students and informal community groups are explicitly listed among accepted profiles, so an idea at prototype stage is enough to apply.

Young leaders working on social change can also look into the Mandela Washington Fellowship (YALI) in the United States.

Benefits for winners

• Seed grant of USD 5,000 to 10,000 for each of the 4 winners
• Technical support to develop the solution
• Mentorship from experts
• Funding for project implementation
• Possible deployment across several African countries in 2027

Timeline

Stage	Period
Application deadline	18 October 2026
Project selection	November 2026
Hackathon and incubation	December 2026 – January 2027
Solution deployment	2027

The hackathon and incubation phase runs from December 2026 to January 2027. Check your availability over that period before applying: selected teams commit to every development phase, not just the pitch.

How to apply

Applications are submitted online through the official Spotlight Initiative form. Your submission must include:

1. A presentation of the project
2. A description of the technical or social innovation
3. The profile of the applicant or applicants
4. Full contact details

Apply before 18 October 2026

If you are closer to the venture-building stage, the Anzisha Venture Building Fellowship for young entrepreneurs is also open to young Africans.

Official links

Resource	Link
Application form	Apply to the SafeTech Africa HackLab
Official website	spotlightinitiative.org

Read also

• Jim Leech Mastercard Foundation Fellowship on Entrepreneurship
• Anzisha Venture Building Fellowship for young entrepreneurs
• Mandela Washington Fellowship (YALI)

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