Call For Aplications
National Digital Public Goods Accelerator
A five-month programme designed to support youth-led startups in building open-source Digital Public Goods (DPG) that advance Sierra Leone’s priorities in education, health, climate resilience, and digital public infrastructure.
The accelerator fast-tracks teams through ideation, open-source development, pilot testing, and DPG registry readiness.
The Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation (MoCTI), under the Sierra Leone Digital Transformation Project (SLDTP), invites young developers, engineers, innovators, and enthusiasts to apply for the Big 5 Artificial Intelligence & Blockchain Hackathon 2025.
This edition is designed to train, mentor, and challenge participants in building solutions from scratch using AI and blockchain technologies, aligning with Sierra Leone’s Big Five Game Changers
What We Are Looking For
- Youth-led startups with an existing MVP
- Solutions aligned to national needs
- Teams willing to open-source their technology
- Commitment to building responsible, secure, interoperable digital tools
Cohort Details:
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Cohort size:
4–5 startups -
Format:
Hybrid sessions in Freetown and online
Programme Structure
Phase 1: Ideation and DPG Foundations
Find all the tools you’ll need to create advanced websites in one place. Stop waisting time searching for solutions.
Phase 2: Prototyping and Technical Development
Design clinics, architecture workshops, interoperability, and DPG compliance.
Phase 3: Pilot Testing and Validation
Pilot deployment, user testing, impact evidence, storytelling, and documentation.
Phase 4: Sustainability and Scale
Business model refinement, governance, investor readiness, and Demo Day.
What Startups Receive
- Lead mentor for each startup
- Weekly technical support clinics
- Learning Passport DPG modules
- Access to innovation lab and open datasets
- Structured DPG compliance support
- Demo Day with government, partners, and investors
Key Outcomes
- 4–5 validated Digital Public Goods
- DPG registry submission ready
- Human interest stories and product videos
- Strengthened national DPG pipeline
- One female-led startup guaranteed