The third GirlCode Kenya Hackathon, hosted by Absa Bank Kenya, GirlCode, and the Technopolis Development Authority, unfolded at Konza Technopolis on the sixth day of October two thousand twenty‑six. Forty‑four participants, including students, graduates, developers, and aspiring entrepreneurs, joined the two‑day competition after receiving mentorship from industry experts. Four young women, Mary Wangui, Linet Mugwanja, Aisha Barasa, and Cynthia Chepkorir, claimed the overall championship for Naulisako, an AI‑driven digital fare collection platform.
Naulisako integrates artificial intelligence to handle public transport payments, allowing riders to complete transactions quickly while providing vehicle owners with automated reconciliation processes. The platform also produces dependable sales records that support transparency and improve financial tracking for all stakeholders involved in the sector. The second‑place team, known as The Bots, presented Biashara Bot, a solution that digitises financial record‑keeping for underserved and unbanked small enterprises. The third‑place effort, Korva Creatives Economy, consolidates creator revenues, engagement data, and intellectual property across multiple channels for digital creators.
In a statement on behalf of the champions, Linet Mugwanja observed that winning the hackathon affirms the significant role young women play in shaping technology futures. She explained that Naulisako arose from everyday challenges in the public transport sector and aims to make payments more efficient, transparent, and accessible. The top three teams walked away with laptops, tablets, Bluetooth speakers, headsets, and inspirational books as recognition of their achievements. Zandile Mkwanazi, CEO of GirlCode, emphasized that Kenya’s active innovation ecosystem continues to attract partnerships with Absa Bank Kenya and Konza Technopolis.
The Kenyan gathering marked the sixth and final stop of this year’s GirlCode Pan‑African Hackathon Series, following events in South Africa, Tanzania, Ghana, Botswana, and Uganda. On October twelfth, twenty‑twenty‑six, Pan‑African winners will be announced, with the champion team receiving one hundred thousand rand and an incubation grant. Moses Okundi, Chief Information Officer at Absa Bank Kenya, affirmed that the bank’s purpose of empowering Africa’s tomorrow aligns with supporting youth innovation through GirlCode. Josephine Ndambuki, Chief Manager for Business Development and Innovation at the Technopolis Development Authority, observed that hosting the hackathon reflects a commitment to nurturing young innovators.