ICT4D.at Idea Contest – the winners!

🎉 THE WINNING IDEAS HAVE BEEN SELECTED!

After inspiring submissions, community voting, and in-depth jury discussions, we are proud to announce the winning ideas of our global idea contest:

🥇 1st Prize: Mkulima AI: Offline, Swahili AI Bringing Digital Knowledge to Farmers Without Internet by Erwin Nanyaro

Mkulima AI is an offline, Swahili-based AI that empowers smallholder farmers without internet access. It turns indigenous knowledge and agroecology into practical guidance, reducing costs, improving yields, and restoring dignity for marginalized rural communities.

🥈 2nd Prize: Braille4UG (Braille For Uganda): Low-Cost Interactive Braille Learning Device for Visually Impaired Children in Uganda by Michael Mugisha

Braille4UG (Braille For Uganda) is an affordable, audio-guided Braille learning device designed to address the deep educational exclusion faced by visually impaired children in Uganda.

🥉 3rd Prize: AgriOrigin: Ethical Proof-of-Origin and Commons Licensing for Rural Agricultural Innovation by Anila Kasa

AgriOrigin is a high-tech, ethical platform that enables small-scale farmers to document agricultural innovations, obtain cryptographic proof of origin, and define fair usage conditions. By combining blockchain timestamping, AI-assisted accessibility, and community validation.

Congratulations to the winning teams — and a heartfelt thank you to everyone who submitted ideas, voted, mentored, and contributed their expertise! 🌍

Check out all ideas here: https://my.ideaspace.cc/v4/explore/challenge/730ad149-95f6-4c92-a0f5-089bb6dd5699/challenge

🛠️ Next step: PROJECT FORGE
On February 25 (5:30–8:30 PM CET), we will host the Project Forge — an online session where the winning teams will further develop their ideas together with mentors and experts.
👉 Everyone interested is welcome to join:
https://mobilizon.fr/events/b42aa1a2-2d8e-4672-9983-932f6dd340f0

This contest is hosted on the IdeaSpace Ideenplattform – the open innovation platform by Salzburg Research.

🌍 Open Innovation Idea Contest 2025: Opening Opportunities – Digital Tech for All

Hurray – it’s time to get creative again! 🎉

Our next Open Innovation Idea Contest is live, and we’re looking for your ideas on how digital technology can open doors for everyone.

💡 How can we make sure digital tools empower people instead of excluding them?
🌐 How can we use tech to create equal opportunities, bridge divides, and make the digital future more human?

If you’ve got an idea — big or small — that tackles these questions, we want to hear from you!

Who can join?

Everyone with a spark for change:

• 🌱 Students & young innovators
• 💪 NGOs & social entrepreneurs
• 💻 Tech tinkerers & community builders
• 🌍 Anyone who believes digital tech should serve all of us

Why join?

Because your idea can make a difference — and we’ll help you make it real:
🗓️ Submission period: November 10, 2025 – January 7, 2026
🏆 Awards: up to €500
🌱 Mentorship Program (optional): January–March 2026
🛠️ Project Forge (online): February 2026
🚀 Project funding: up to €5,000

Let’s co-create a digital future where no one is left behind — where innovation means inclusion.

👉 Submit your idea now via the IdeaSpace Plattform

#ICT4DAt #ideacontest #innovation #project

Join Us for an Inspiring Event in Vienna: Connecting Communities through Learning, Technology & Transformative Design

Please register here via Mobilizon (no account needed) or here via LinkedIn

📅 Date: Friday, 11th April
🕜 Time: 13:30 – 17:00
📍 Venue: Re:Kompany Café, Schönburgstraße 36/8-9, 1040 Vienna

This is an official invite for joint event hosted by ICT4D.at (Austria), Project DEFY (India), and The Agami Project (India/Austria) – bringing together voices from education, technology, and transformative architectural design. This in-person gathering will feature the team from Project DEFY (India) visiting Vienna and offer a unique opportunity to explore the intersections of self-designed learning, open-source technologies, and community-centred architecture projects.

Together, we will:

• Share Project DEFY’s mission to radically reimagine education by replacing traditional schooling with spaces for curiosity, self-direction, and community-driven learning.
• Present ICT4D.at’s impactful work in India since 2017 to improve computer science education and empower local communities through inclusive, tech-based initiatives.
• Introduce the new self-learning center in South India, co-designed by Project DEFY and The Agami Project.
• Explore future visions and collaborative opportunities over delicious Indian snacks and chai!

About the organizing partners:

• Project DEFY – With over 5,000 people empowered across 33 Nooks (self-learning centers) in 5 countries, Project DEFY creates spaces that challenge conventional education by giving individuals the tools to shape their own learning journeys. Among numerous international accolades, the organization has been recognized as one of the most impactful and scalable innovations globally by the education non-profit HundrED, earning a place in the prestigious HundrED 2022 Global Collection.
•  ICT4D.at – As an Austrian-based NGO, ICT4D.at leverages information and communication technologies for global development, with long-standing projects in India, EU and Africa. With projects on 3 continents, ICT4D.at is a member of the Internet Government Forum Austria, a partner of the ICT4D Collective, and part of Global Responsibility Austria.
• The Agami Project – Based in India and Austria, The Agami Project explores sustainable architecture as a catalyst for social and environmental resilience, designing community-rooted Spaces of Possibilities. Avinash Ankalge, co-founder of The Agami Project and the architecture office A Threshold, was recently awarded the ‘AR Emerging Awards 2024’ by the prestigious publication The Architectural Review, recognizing him as one of the most promising young architects on a global scale.

We’d be delighted to welcome you and exchange perspectives on how to empower communities through shared knowledge, inclusive technology, and spatial transformation!

#education #ICT4D #ICT4DAt #india #innovation #project

Meet Us at the Next ICT4D.at Stammtisch!

📅 Date: March 28, 2025
🕕 Time: 18:00
📍 Location: Das Café, Burggasse 10, 1070 Vienna

Please register here via Mobilizon (no account needed) or here via LinkedIn

Dear ICT4D-Community,

we are thrilled to invite you to the next ICT4D.at Stammtisch! Whether you’re an experienced professional, a researcher, or simply curious about how technology can drive social impact, this is the perfect space to exchange ideas, share experiences, and meet like-minded people in a relaxed setting.

Expand your network by connecting with a diverse group of ICT4D professionals, students, and enthusiasts.
Get inspired by hearing about recent projects, innovations, and best practices in the field.
Collaborate by finding potential partners for new ideas and initiatives.

Mark your calendars, bring your curiosity, spread the word, and join us for an evening of meaningful interactions!

We look forward to seeing you there!

#event #ICT4DAt