Build Local
Stop importing. Start building.
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Stop importing. Start building.
We've been stuck importing solutions that only half-work for our market. Foreign tools don't get our informal economy, our local platforms, or the way Harare actually does business.
Foreign software doesn't understand our market dynamics — the informal economy, EcoCash and Zipit workflows, WhatsApp-driven commerce, or how Harare vendors actually operate.
A 15.5% tax on foreign digital services means we're paying a premium for tools that weren't designed for us. That's a built-in advantage for local alternatives.
Every subscription dollar goes offshore. Our spending powers Silicon Valley instead of local developers, local jobs, and a local tech ecosystem.
AI has rewritten the rules. What used to take massive teams and big budgets can now be prototyped in a weekend by a single developer with the right tools.
Local is lekker. When your tech understands the market, speaks the language, and fits the workflow — it doesn't just compete with foreign tools. It replaces them.
}We aren't just building apps — we are building intelligent systems. Use Google's latest tools to make tech that feels natural and automatic.
The agent-first IDE. Delegate complex coding tasks to autonomous agents that plan, build, and test your project.
Build multi-agent systems that orchestrate workflows, call local APIs, and handle business logic autonomously.
On-device, private inference. Key for building tools that work in low-data or offline environments on Android, Chrome, or local servers.
Google's frontier multimodal model. Reason across text, images, audio, and video to build intelligent products that understand real-world context.
Secure, scalable infrastructure. Host your backend, manage data, and keep your local products responsive.
Flutter for slick UIs, Firebase for rapid development, Chrome Extensions, Vision AI, Maps, Analytics, and more.
Build local, AI-native products that replace the foreign ones we're tired of paying for. Not clones — products built for offline-first usage, USD/ZiG dual pricing, and the way Zimbabwean businesses actually operate.
Payments in Zim are still a mission. Use AI to solve trust. We want alternative payment methods or smarter ways to secure existing ones like EcoCash and Zipit.
Harare runs on the informal market. If your tech doesn't fit into a WhatsApp chat or a voice note, it won't work. Use AI to make digital tools less complex so they "just work" for vendors and traders.
How unique, novel, and creative is the solution? Does it address a problem in a new way?
Code quality, stability, complexity, and how functionally complete the features are.
Did the team successfully integrate relevant Google tools, APIs, and platforms?
How effectively did the team articulate their solution? Is the submission complete?
We'll be announcing exciting prizes over the course of the hackathon. Register and follow us so you don't miss a thing.
The investment hurdle is dead.
Build world-class tech with local context.
Faster to build. More relevant by default.
Build Local.
Register to receive Google Cloud credits and updates throughout the hackathon.
Organized by GDG Harare
Simply fill out the registration form and you're in! Once registered, you'll receive free Google Cloud Platform (GCP) credits to get started building. When your project is ready, submit it through the submission form before the deadline.
The final submission deadline is April 30, 2026 at 23:59 (CAT). Make sure to submit your project through the submission form before then. Late submissions will not be accepted.
Each participant or team can submit one project. Focus your energy on building one great solution rather than spreading yourself thin across multiple entries.
Yes! We're giving all registered participants free Google Cloud Platform (GCP) credits to get started. This means you won't need to worry about hitting free-tier limits on Colab or running out of TPU/GPU time. Register and we'll get you set up with credits.
Projects are judged on four criteria: Innovation & Creativity (30%), Technical Execution (30%), Google Tool Utilization (20%), and Presentation & Completeness (20%). Check the Judging section above for full details.
Yes, the hackathon is open to everyone! Whether you're a student, professional developer, designer, or just getting started with tech — all skill levels are welcome. You can participate as an individual or as a team.
Google tool utilization makes up 20% of the judging criteria, so we strongly encourage it. You'll receive free GCP credits upon registration, giving you access to tools like Gemini API, Vertex AI, Firebase, Cloud Run, and more.
Both! You can participate solo or form a team. If you're looking for teammates, drop a message in the WhatsApp group — there are plenty of people looking to collaborate.
Interested in sponsoring, mentoring, or collaborating on the hackathon? We'd love to hear from you.