Johannesburg – The Standard Bank Group has announced that it will be hosting its 10th annual Kuunda Disrupt Hackathon this week.
In a statement on Tuesday (1 September 2024), Standard Bank said: “This engaging two-day event aims to leverage the innovative spirit of our team to address client challenges”.
The bank added that the solutions developed will use advanced technology and align with Standard Bank’s digital strategies and core values.
“Since our inaugural event, we’ve made significant progress, uncovering emerging talent and innovative solutions, and providing our teams with opportunities for real-time problem-solving,” said Jörg Fischer, Group Chief Information Officer at Standard Bank Group.
Fischer said the Hackathon welcomes participation from all employees across the Standard Bank Group, including those in South Africa, African regions, and internationally, regardless of their employment status.
“Our commitment to integrating innovative solutions into our client services is unwavering. It reflects our mission to drive Africa’s growth and our dedication to prioritising our clients’ evolving needs,” said Fischer.
“This year, we received 395 submissions from across our geographic footprint.
“Out of these, the top 47 teams, comprising over 250 hackers, have been selected to compete.” In the initial phase, these teams will present their client-centric solutions to an experienced judging panel, which will then select 15 finalist teams.
The final round will feature these teams pitching their refined solutions to a panel of experts.
Prizes will be awarded to the top five teams, with the winners announced on the final day, 12 September.
Every team’s proposal must target a specific business issue aimed at enhancing client experience or operational excellence.
The solutions will be evaluated based on criteria such as creativity, feasibility, business value, commercial potential, and technological advancement.
For the past decade, the Hackathon has played a pivotal role in nurturing a culture of collaboration, innovation, boundary-pushing, and impactful contributions throughout the organisation.
“Based on the innovative ideas submitted, we are confident that this year’s Hackathon will be our best yet,” said Fischer.
“We look forward to the learning and growth it will bring to all participants.”
