To achieve this goal, the NCC has extended an invitation to Tech Hubs and Innovation-Driven Enterprises (IDEs) across Nigeria to enroll their start-ups and innovative solutions in the Talent Hunt Research Hackathon. The competition will focus on three critical areas: Blockchain-enabled Data Protection Solutions for Enhancing Regulatory Compliance, Assistive Technology Solutions for the Elderly and People with Disabilities, and Technology Solutions for Renewable Energy in Rural Areas.
The NCC Talent Hunt Research Through Hackathon leverages emerging digital technologies to facilitate the creation of home-grown innovative solutions and local content development within the telecommunications sector, while simultaneously promoting economic growth and social advancement in Nigeria.
The competition offers a platform for translating creative ideas into the development of hardware and software solutions that address both industry-specific and societal challenges. The top three solutions, one from each of the three thematic areas mentioned above, will each receive grants of N10 million to further develop their solutions.
Eligibility criteria for participation in the competition include the requirement that the enterprise must hold a certificate of registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), should not have previously received support from the Commission, and must present a project relevant to one of the three specified thematic areas. The proposal should include a clear problem statement, proposed solution, and deployment roadmap.
Additional requirements include a proof of concept, a declaration of ownership of intellectual property, the development of a prototype within six months of receiving the grant, and a detailed commercialization plan for the prototype.
Applicants are required to submit their proposals online, following the stipulated entry format, and there are no financial costs associated with participation. Importantly, the intellectual property rights of the developed solutions will remain with the Commission.
Applicants should submit all requested documents in a zip folder to the designated website with the subject of the email titled “Submission from <business name>” and the zipped file named after the business. The application deadline is Friday, September 22, 2023.
The NCC has been running an advertisement campaign for the Hackathon for three weeks and encourages stakeholders in the startup ecosystem to take note of the approaching deadline. This initiative aims to drive tech innovation, foster local content development, and contribute to the growth of Nigeria’s technology sector.
