CATS Hackathon 2024-2025

Next Trend Hub serves as the local organizing partner for the CATS Hackathon in Lagos, Nigeria. This innovative hackathon runs from November 1, 2024 to January 9, 2025, bringing together 13 teams to build solutions that truly matter to their communities.

Program Philosophy: “Build What Matters”

Unlike traditional hackathons with predefined tracks and problem statements, the CATS Hackathon follows a regenerative approach centered on community-driven discovery through action-learning. Teams identify real problems by engaging directly with their communities, ensuring solutions address genuine needs.

Learn more about our philosophy →

Timeline Overview

🗓️ Complete Schedule

Program Duration: November 1, 2024 - January 9, 2025 (10 weeks)

Phase	Dates	Focus
Phase 1	Nov 1-7	Onboarding & Orientation
Phase 2	Nov 8-21	Community Problem Discovery
Phase 3	Nov 22 (Sat)	🏢 In-Person: Idea Shaping
Phase 4	Nov 23 - Dec 5	Concept Development & Team Formation
Phase 5	Dec 6 (Sat)	🏢 In-Person: Prototyping Workshop
Phase 6	Dec 7-12	Full Build Sprint
Phase 7	Dec 13 (Sat)	🏢 In-Person: Final Hack Day
Phase 8	Dec 14 - Jan 6	Local Evaluation Period
Final	Jan 9	🏆 Continental Evaluation

📅 Weekly Check-in Calls

Continuous throughout the program:

Wednesdays - 6:00 PM WAT
Saturdays - 1:00 PM WAT

These calls track progress, answer questions, and provide guidance throughout the journey.

View check-in protocols →

Three In-Person Sessions

Session 1: Idea Shaping (November 22)

Focus: Review community problems, validate ideas, refine problem statements

Session 2: Prototyping Workshop (December 6)

Focus: Build prototypes, receive mentor feedback on Cardano integration feasibility

Session 3: Final Hack Day (December 13)

Focus: Present final MVPs, official project submission, local winner selection

Prize Structure

Local Prize Pool: 1,000 ADA per Hub

For hubs with fewer than 150 participants (< 15 teams):

🥇 1st Place: 500 ADA
🥈 2nd Place: 300 ADA
🥉 3rd Place: 200 ADA

For hubs with 150+ participants (≥ 15 teams):

🥇 1st Place: 500 ADA
🥈 2nd Place: 300 ADA
🥉 3rd Place: 200 ADA
🏅 4th Place: 200 ADA

Continental Grand Prize

Additional ADA rewards
Sponsored trip to Kenya for top 5 teams
Selected from all participating African countries by January 9, 2025

View complete prize details →

Participating Teams

13 teams with 5 members each are building solutions at Next Trend Hub:

Catalyst
TechKR
Ratify
Colossus
CivicChain
CardanoAid
Blockprint
OSWEB
Clarity4good
K33P
Team Cryptex
$READS
Last Team

View all team documentation →

All Hackathon Phases

Nov 1-7 | Registration and orientation

Phase 1: Onboarding

Nov 8-21 | Community problem discovery

Phase 2: Discovery

Nov 22 | In-person session 1

Phase 3: Idea Shaping

Nov 23 - Dec 5 | Concept development

Phase 4: Team Formation

Dec 6 | In-person session 2

Phase 5: Prototyping

Dec 7-12 | Full-time development

Phase 6: Build Sprint

Dec 13 | In-person session 3 + presentations

Phase 7: Final Hack Day

Dec 14 - Jan 9 | Evaluation and selection

Phase 8: Wrap-Up

Key Resources

Technical guidance for blockchain integration

Cardano Integration

Meeting schedule and reporting format

Weekly Check-ins

Published notes from check-in calls

Meeting Minutes

Four quadrants methodology

Action-Learning Guide

Important Dates

Date	Event
Nov 1	Program kick-off
Nov 22	First in-person session
Dec 6	Second in-person session
Dec 10	First prototype submission
Dec 13	Final Hack Day & presentations
Jan 6	Local selection deadline
Jan 9	Continental evaluation & grand prize winners

Contact & Support

For questions, support, or guidance throughout the hackathon:

WhatsApp Community: Join our group
Twitter/X: @nextrendlabs
Email: [Contact Next Trend Hub]
Weekly Check-ins: Wednesdays 6PM & Saturdays 1PM

Next Trend Hub | CATS Hackathon Local Partner | Lagos, Nigeria