2017 MTN App Challenge Live Blog: Developers Tussle to Come up With Innovative Ideas

Nathan Ernest Olupot May 12, 2017

3 minutes read

MTN Uganda's Senior Manager for Digital; Suzan Kayemba (Black shirt with glasses) attending to some of the innovators at the 2017 MTN App Challenge hosted at the MTN Offices in Kololo. (Photo Courtesy: MTN Uganda)

MTN Uganda in partnership with Outbox Hub once again brings on the MTN App Challenge this year following the success of 2015 first annual challenge. The even holds a 3 day Hack-a-thon at the MTN offices, Nyonyi Gardens in Kololo which will see talent from all over the country innovate and create mobile apps in five chosen categories; M-Health, M- Media & Entertainment, M-Education, M-Finance, and M-Agriculture.

DAY THREE: Sunday 14th May, 2017

8:17 p.m (EAT)
Announcing the winners!!!………….Giving you the 2017 MTN App Challenge Winners.

7:20 p.m (EAT)
All participants take off time to relax with a cocktail as the judges take time to choose which apps will be emerged winners.

7:08 p.m(EAT)
Richard Zulu welcomes the Chief Executive Officer of MTN Uganda; Wim Vanhelleputte to give brief remarks.

7:05 p.m(EAT)
All teams conclude with the pitching.

6:25 p.m(EAT)
The second last category M-Media and Entertainment pitching, the M-Agriculture will be pitching last.

6:05 p.m(EAT)
Teams from the M-Education category pitching next.

5:30 p.m(EAT)
Teams from the M-Health up next. Each team being given 3 minutes to pitch. Team Blood Finder pitches first.

4:54 p.m(EAT)
Team JustGo is pitching first, followed by team Akorion, team Vugaco, and finally team Thunder.

4: 46 p.m(EAT)
Each team has been given 3 minutes to pitch and 2 minutes for the judges. Teams in the M-Finance category will be pitching first.

4:39 p.m(EAT)
Founder at Outbox Hub Uganda; Richard Zulu takes on the stage. Introducing some of the guests; the acting Chief Marketing Officer at MTN Uganda and Huawei representatives, the final judges.

3:30 p.m (EAT)
Teams are now getting ready to make their final pitches to the judges.

1:50 p.m (EAT)
Richard Zulu and mentors guiding teams on how they will be pitching their final products to the judges.

10:30 a.m (EAT)
Solomon Opio; Capacity Development Lead at Outbox Hub calls for teams to submit their APKs.

10:00 a.m (EAT)
Suzan kayemba calls teams to submit their Business Canvas that the final judges will base on.

DAY TWO: Saturday 13th May, 2017

8:45 p.m (EAT)
Finally, teams from the M-Media and Entertainment category presenting their prototypes to mentors.

8:00 p.m (EAT)
Teams from the M-Education category presenting their prototypes

7:30 p.m (EAT)
Teams from the M-Finance category presenting their prototypes

7:00 p.m (EAT)
Teams from the M-Health category, with Team Blood Finder – now pitching their prototype to a panel of mentors.

Team @BloodFinderIn showing their working prototype to a panel of mentors at #MTNAppChallenge 2017 pic.twitter.com/439XKt0MI9

— Outbox (@OutboxHub) May 13, 2017

6:50 p.m (EAT)
Richard Zulu gives a countdown to the pitching session. Team Blood Finder from the M-Health category will be pitching first.

All teams in the M-Heath category will be pitching first.

3:00 p.m (EAT)
Teams now receiving mentorship. Expected to present their working prototypes at the next check in which has been scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

10:37 a.m (EAT)
Richard Zulu calls Project Managers from each team to a private pitch session to the judges and mentors.

10:09 a.m (EAT)
MTN Uganda’s Senior Manager for Digital; Suzan Kayemba welcomes back innovators to DAY 2 of the 2017 MTN App Challenge.

9:45 a.m (EAT)
Richard Zulu; Founder of Outbox Hub Uganda, welcomes the developers to the day two of the MTN App Challenge. By 10:30 a.m teams will be visited by several mentors to check in on their progress.

DAY ONE: Friday 12th May, 2017

6:00 p.m (EAT)
Hackathon begins! Teams building innovative mobile apps in Health, Finance, Education, Media & Entertainment, and Agriculture get their hands dirty to redefine ideas for the MTN App Challenge

5:43 p.m (EAT)
Richard Zulu takes on questions from participants.

5:30 p.m (EAT)
Richard Zulu gives a weekend roadmap, all participants ought to follow.

5:20 p.m (EAT)
Solomon Opio invites Richard Zulu to brief the participants on what to expect at the the 3 day hackathon. He urges all participants to work in a team if they want to pull this off.

5:18 p.m (EAT)
Solomon Opio finally invites developers in the M-Media & Entertainment category pitching their ideas, with team MunoWatch pitching first.

5:11 p.m (EAT)
Solomon Opio invites developers in the M-Health category pitching their ideas, with the team Blood Finder pitching first.

5:07 p.m (EAT)
Solomon Opio invites developers in the M-Finance category for a 60 second pitch.

5:00 p.m (EAT)
Solomon Opio; Capacity Development Lead at Outbox Hub invites developers in the M-Education category presenting next – with team SomaAfrica pitching first, Somessa App come second and finally the students hub Uganda team come last.

4:55 p.m (EAT)
Richard Zulu invites developers to start pitching their innovate ideas in 60 seconds. He invites developers in the M-Agriculture category first.

4:40 p.m (EAT)
Gerald Otim takes questions from the participants as he urges them to work as a team to deliver a good product that can have potential investments.

Founder of award winning Ensibuuko, Gerald Otim, keynote speaker at the 2017 MTN App Challenge. (Photo Courtesy: MTN Uganda)

4: 20 p.m (EAT)
Richard Zulu invites Fintech Entrepreneur and founder of award winning Ensibuuko, Gerald Otim to deliver a Keynote address to the participants.

MTN Uganda’s Senior Manager for Digital; Suzan Kayemba. (Photo Credit: MTN Uganda)

4:10 p.m (EAT)
MTN Uganda’s Senior Manager for Digital; Suzan Kayemba invited on stage by Richard Zulu – gives brief remarks and journey about the MTN App Challenge.

4:00 p.m (EAT)
Outbox hub founder Richard Zulu officially opens the 2017 MTN App Challenge. Gives a few remarks on the previous winners ‘Yoza App Team’ who won the challenge in 2015.