#DEFEATDAYZERO Hackathon in Cape Town

Startupbootcamp (SBC) Cape Town and RCS Group have announced a water-saving hackathon to be held on 9 and 10 February to commission technology from the wider Cape community in a bid to push back Day Zero.

The H2O (Hack Two Day Zero) event will host executives from Old Mutual, Nedbank, RCS, Woolworths Financial Services and PwC to engage with entrepreneurs, students, concerned citizens and local government.

“We are in the midst of a water crisis in the Western Cape and with the implications of Day Zero fast approaching there will be wide-spread impacts. The onus is not only on the individual to conserve water, but as corporates we have a responsibility to collectively apply our minds to this challenge facing the society which we operate in. Hosting a Hackathon purely focusing on the water crisis was the perfect opportunity for RCS to show both support and desire to address this issue. At RCS we pride ourselves on being at the forefront of innovation and we believe in the agility of tech startups to make a difference. It is therefore our ambition that the event may lead to finding valuable and feasible solutions for both companies and individuals,” states Regan Adams, CEO of the RCS Group.

Hackathon participants will have two days to pitch their ideas, form teams and create prototypes under the guidance of corporate sponsors.By holding events in more than 100 cities each year, SBC supports the world’s most talented founders with hands-on mentorship and access to key industry connections. SBC is known for growing and scaling innovative solutions to modern challenges within the African continent. The cohort strives to solve pertinent issues such as the water crisis by embracing new technology and ideas.

“By creating an environment to collectively pool ideas together, we believe this hackathon can ensure that both short term and long-term solutions can be designed to deal with the crisis. We encourage everyone who has a desire to make an impact to join. By bringing ideas and skills together, we can make a difference,” said Paul Nel, Chief Partnership Officer and CFO of Startupbootcamp Cape Town.

The current dam levels for Cape Town are 26.5%. If dam levels continue to drop, day zero could be a reality by 12 April.When Cape Town dam levels drop to 13.5%, the city will begin to shut down its reticulation system in residential areas.If you or anyone you know has a tech-based idea or solution to solve the problems the water crisis is causing, this hackathon may help you get your prototype produced.

“For the winning team, there will be a cash prize, with an added incentive of building the solutions designed if they are believed they will make the impact we envision,” states Paul Nel.

If you are interested in participating in the event, please sign up here.

RCS will open their corporate offices in Golf Park to host the event which will be managed and coordinated by the SBC Cape Town team.

About Startupbootcamp

Startupbootcamp is a global network of industry focused startup accelerators currently running 21 programs in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Cape Town, Chengdu, Copenhagen, Dubai, Istanbul, London, Melbourne, Mexico City, Miami, Mumbai, New York, Rome, and Singapore. The cohort has a track record of generating innovative solutions for Smart Cities.

About RCS Group

The RCS Group (RCS) is a leading consumer finance business that offers its customers a range of financial service products under their own brand name, in association with a number of leading retailers in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. RCS collaborates with its retail partners as BNP Paribas Personal Finance South Africa. 

INFORMATION:

Dates and Times:

• 9 February          15:00 – 18:00
• 10 February        08:00 – 18:30

Venue: RCS Group Head Office opposite Mowbray Golf Club, 1 Raapenburg Road, Cape Town, 7700                        

For more information on the Hackathon, to sign up or if you have any additional queries, please contact:

Nsovo: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Mo: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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For more information about this press release, please contact:

Mika Stanvliet | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | 081 534 6237