Code4Mzansi invites a diverse group of innovators − from university students to small business founders − to build cloud‑first solutions. (Image: Supplied)
The Huawei Developer Competition, Code4Mzansi, has officially begun, offering South African innovators the opportunity to turn cloud-powered ideas into real-world solutions.
The programme, launched in partnership with the Department of Small Business Development (DSBD) and several South African universities, brings together developers, start-ups and student teams to create practical solutions that tackle real-world problems using cloud and AI technologies.
The initiative forms part of a broader international Huawei developer programme and is designed to empower micro, small and medium enterprises, youth developers and tech entrepreneurs to create practical, market-ready digital solutions.
It provides access to Huawei Cloud’s suite of tools, APIs and platforms, alongside technical mentorship, professional networking, cross-border collaboration, and support for prototyping, piloting and scaling.
“South Africa’s digital vision is both ambitious and inspiring,” states Rex Lei, president of Huawei Cloud Sub-Saharan Africa.
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“Through the Huawei Developer Competition, we are calling upon visionary builders who aspire to create lasting change for their communities and the world. Participants will accelerate cloud and AI adoption, while connecting African innovation with global opportunities.
“Cloud, big data and AI are the fuel for Africa’s next wave of growth, and South African developers are widely recognised for solving uniquely local challenges with global potential,” says Lei.
The competition has attracted 353 teams and 1 041 participants. Following the completion of the first phase of online training, participants now have three months to develop and submit their projects.
Submitted projects will undergo a preliminary online screening to select the top 20, who will pitch in the semi-finals online. The top 10 will then advance to the national finale, delivering 10-minute in-person presentations to a panel of judges.
Huawei is incentivising participants with a total prize pool approaching R1 million, alongside skills development and access to the latest cloud technology.
The DSBD sees the programme as a key vehicle for entrepreneurship and digital adoption. “South Africa’s biggest asset is its youth, and we must treat this moment as an opportunity,” says small business development minister Stella Tembisa Ndabeni.
“The continent’s youth population is expanding rapidly, with young Africans expected to make up 42% of global youth by 2030. This trend will continue well into the future.
“We cannot afford to be left behind in the digital era. We need to be inventive and innovative, and create opportunities for ourselves.”
Code4Mzansi also benefits from collaboration with leading AI experts, including professor Benjamin Rosman, director of the Machine Intelligence and Neural Discovery Institute (MIND) at Wits. Rosman will serve on the judging panel, helping to ensure innovations are ethical, socially impactful, and aligned with industry needs and national priorities.
“Ethical and socially impactful innovation is about designing systems that benefit our communities and address real-world challenges,” says Rosman. “Through developing local expertise, we guarantee that everyone has access to digital opportunities.
“A major goal of the Wits MIND is to help South Africa move from being a consumer of technology to a global innovator, shaping solutions that are locally relevant and globally competitive. I look forward to seeing what the Code4Mzansi participants come up with and encouraging strong alignment with industry needs and greater national priorities.”
