More than 250 innovators from across Africa have converged in Johannesburg for the 11th Standard Bank Group Technology Hackathon, tasked with turning artificial intelligence into practical solutions for some of the continent’s most pressing challenges.
Seen Here: Khomotso Molabe, Deputy Chief Information Officer at Standard Bank, says artificial intelligence presents an opportunity to develop uniquely African solutions to some of the continent’s most pressing challenges, as the 2026 Standard Bank Group Technology Hackathon brings together innovators from across Africa. Photo Credit: Supplied
The three-day event, which officially got underway on 16 September 2026 at the Standard Bank Global Leadership Centre in Morningside, follows a record response that saw 1 208 ideas submitted, almost double the number received in the previous year.
From those submissions, 44 teams comprising more than 252 participants were selected to compete in the Hackathon, which is placing artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, automation and digital platforms at the centre of its innovation challenge.
Rather than focusing solely on incremental improvements, participants have been challenged to identify problems where emerging technologies can fundamentally change what is possible for customers, businesses and communities.
The approach reflects Standard Bank’s broader view that Africa’s technology opportunity lies in developing solutions shaped by the continent’s distinctive needs and circumstances.
Khomotso Molabe, Deputy Chief Information Officer at Standard Bank, says artificial intelligence could become an important catalyst for growth and development across African markets.
“Artificial intelligence gives us an opportunity to solve uniquely African problems with uniquely African solutions.”
Molabe draws a parallel with the role mobile technology played in expanding financial inclusion across the continent, arguing that AI could similarly enable new approaches to challenges ranging from access to financial services to healthcare, economic development and business growth.
The bank is encouraging participants to resist the temptation to begin with technology and instead identify the underlying problem first.
“We want our teams to start with the problem, not the solution,” Molabe says.
He says the most significant opportunities lie beyond simply making existing processes faster or more efficient, particularly where AI can address challenges that previously appeared difficult or impossible to solve.
That philosophy is reflected in the range of technologies being explored during the Hackathon, with teams expected to develop working concepts that can demonstrate practical value rather than technology for its own sake.
The event forms part of Standard Bank’s wider investment in innovation and artificial intelligence, with the financial services group already implementing AI initiatives across its businesses to improve customer experiences, increase operational efficiency and enable more personalised financial services.
Importantly, the Hackathon is also designed to serve as a pipeline for implementation rather than ending with the announcement of winners.
Four of the five winning teams from Standard Bank’s 2025 AI-led Hackathon subsequently moved into implementation, providing evidence of a process that can take ideas generated during the competition into the organisation’s operational environment.
The 2026 finalists will face their final test in a Dragon’s Den-style presentation, where teams will pitch their solutions to an executive judging panel.
Their projects will be assessed according to innovation, feasibility, potential business impact and scalability across Standard Bank and wider African markets.
The emphasis on scalability is particularly significant. A successful prototype may demonstrate what technology can do, but the larger challenge for financial institutions is determining whether an innovation can operate reliably at scale, deliver measurable value and adapt to different markets and customer needs.
As the 44 teams begin their three-day sprint, the Hackathon is therefore about more than competition. It represents a testing ground for how Africa’s emerging technology talent can apply AI to real-world problems — and how promising ideas can move from concept to solutions capable of creating lasting value.
For Standard Bank, the ambition is clear: to explore what becomes possible when African innovators are given the tools, platforms and mandate to tackle African challenges from the ground up.
