Jörg Fischer, group chief information officer of Standard Bank.

This week, the Standard Bank Group is hosting its tenth annual Kuunda Disrupt Hackathon. 

 The hackathon is open to all Standard Bank Group workers, regardless of employment status, from South Africa, the rest of Africa, and across the world. 

The bank said that this engaging two-day event will use its teams' inventive spirit to address client challenges. 

According to a statement from Standard Bank, the solutions produced would use advanced technology and match with the bank's digital strategy and core principles.

395 submissions were received this year from across the bank’s global footprint. The top 47 teams, totalling over 250 hackers, have been chosen 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 5 teams, with the winners announced on the final day, 12 September.

Standard bank said 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," said the bank.

Jörg Fischer, group chief Information officer at Standard Bank Group, commented: “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.

“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 prioritizing our clients’ evolving needs.” 

Fischer added: “Based on the innovative ideas submitted, we are confident that this year’s Hackathon will be our best yet. We look forward to the learning and growth it will bring to all participants.”