In June 2026, AIMS Senegal will officially inaugurate its new Satellite Campus in The Gambia. Rather than marking this historic milestone with traditional ceremonies alone, the campus is launching its inaugural event as a direct call to action: the AIMS Innovation Challenge.

This is a 72-Hour Hybrid Hackathon (48 hours online, final day in-person) designed to bridge the gap between scientific excellence and market impact. The initiative brings together the continent’s brightest scientists, researchers, engineers, entrepreneurs, and innovators to design, build, and deploy deep tech solutions for Africa’s most pressing developmental gaps.

Five Thematic Areas

Every solution must target one of these critical pillars:

• AgriTech & Food Security: Boosting smallholder productivity and eliminating post-harvest losses.
• HealthTech & Prevention: Building AI-assisted diagnostics and low-bandwidth telemedicine for underserved areas.
• FinTech & Financial Inclusion: Structuring mobile payment trust, alternative credit scoring, and digital identities.
• CleanTech & Renewable Energy: Optimizing off-grid solar, smart micro-grids, and sustainable community energy.
• EdTech & Skills Development: Scaling adaptive learning, STEM literacy, and local-language digital training.

From Scientific Idea to Scalable Venture This challenge serves as a structured pathway from scientific idea to commercial reality. The highest-performing teams will secure direct entry into the AIMS RIC Momentum Incubator, one of Africa’s most rigorous deep tech incubation programs.

Winners will receive:

• 6 months of intensive incubation.
• Seed funding.
• Cloud infrastructure and compute credits.
• Curated introductions to prominent African and international venture capital partners.

Key Information & Timelines

• Eligibility: Open globally to university students, academic researchers, STEM practitioners, and the global African diaspora. Applications must be submitted as pre-formed teams of 2 to 4 members.
• Applications Close: June 15, 2026 (23:59 UTC)
• Hackathon Dates: June 21 to June 23, 2026

Apply Now Do not let groundbreaking research remain locked in lab notebooks. Complete the application form via the link below to participate.

Application Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScgteHCs_D1wvSAuGmKaTF0AyB84hj4oZ4Ozs6l7DNCh6OoCA/viewform?usp=header

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