About
A hackathon built around Mbarara's problems, not a template.
Hackathon Mbarara is an annual product-building event for Western Uganda. Over two days, teams of developers, designers, entrepreneurs and students take a real local problem in AgriTech, HealthTech, Trade and Micro-SME Tech or AI and turn it into a working prototype and a pitch.
Why it exists
Talent is here. The practice is not.
Mbarara has universities, a growing number of developers, and thousands of small businesses, farmers and clinics that run on paper and phone calls. What is missing is the habit of sitting the two together and building something that gets used.
The hackathon is a forcing function. Two days, a real problem, a working demo, and judges who ask hard questions. The third edition builds on two years of lessons: a tighter two-day format, sharper problem statements and more mentor time per team.
The event is organised by Joshtecs Solutions, a software company based in Mbarara, together with partners from the local business community.
The theme
Solving real local problems with technology
Every team builds in one of four tracks: AgriTech, HealthTech, Trade and Micro-SME Tech, or AI. The brief is the same in each: a clear problem, a named user, a prototype they could try, and a reason to believe it could grow beyond the weekend.
We do not reward the most complex demo. We reward the one a SACCO manager, a farmer or a clinic nurse in Mbarara would actually pick up.
- Dates
- 16 to 17 April 2027
- Where
- Mbarara, Uganda
- Organiser
- Joshtecs Solutions
- Edition
- Third
Mentors stay with you for both days
Every team gets a technical and a business review on Friday and a dry run before pitching on Saturday. Mentors come from local companies, partner organisations and previous editions.
What we want to come out of it
- Working prototypes for problems people in Mbarara actually have
- Teams that keep building after the weekend
- Two or three solutions worth incubating and introducing to partners
- A stronger, more connected tech community in Western Uganda
Who should come
- Developers and engineers, any stack
- UI and UX designers
- Founders and people with a business idea
- Students in tech, business, agriculture or health
You do not need a team or a finished idea to register.
How teams work
Teams are three to five people with mixed skills, formed on Friday morning. Mentors rotate through teams on both days to help with technical direction, user experience and the business case. Saturday afternoon ends with a five-minute pitch and demo to the judges.
Register