Youth innovators won a combined $16,500 in investment grants and secured a six-month incubation programme valued at over $10,000 at the maiden edition of the state-backed Enugu Campus Hackathon.
The Campus Hackathon is designed as an innovation platform to strengthen the state’s position as a rising hub for youth-led digital enterprise and venture creation. It aligns with the Enugu State Digital Transformation Strategy and focuses on supporting young founders building technology-driven solutions.
The grand finale was held at the International Conference Centre, Enugu, where Governor Dr Peter Mbah witnessed the event. He described the hackathon as part of his administration’s bold innovation drive to move the state from a consumption-driven economy to a productivity-led economy.
Speaking at the event, Mbah said young people are central to the state’s future. He described the youths as the heartbeat of a knowledge-driven and digital economy.
In the main category of the hackathon, delivered in collaboration with Genesys Tech Hub, The Garage, and Capitis Global Ventures, Growdex emerged as the overall winner. Growdex is an AI-powered advertising automation platform that enables creators and businesses to create, publish, and optimize adverts across multiple channels from a single dashboard. The startup won the star prize of $5,000 in investment grant.
Zaddy Express came second and received a $3,500 investment grant. The startup operates as a tech-enabled logistics and on-demand delivery platform, providing fast and reliable last-mile solutions for individuals and businesses.
Linia Finance secured third place and won US$2,500 in investment grant. The fintech platform provides accessible, data-driven credit and financial tools to Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, MSMEs, and underserved individuals.
In the DeepTech category powered by the African DeepTech Foundation, Ambu Gynacare emerged winner. The health-tech startup develops biodegradable sanitary pads made from banana fibers to help combat menstrual poverty and reduce plastic waste. It received US$2,500 in investment grant.
Beyond the cash prizes, the winners will undergo a six-month post-hackathon incubation programme with Genesys Tech Hub. The programme is valued at over US$10,000 and will provide structured mentorship, product refinement, investor readiness, and scaling support.
According to the Special Adviser to the Governor on Digital Economy and MSMEs, Arinze Chilo-Offiah, the incubation support is a key part of the initiative. Chilo-Offiah, who also serves as the Director-General of the Enugu State SME Centre, said the focus on universities was intentional.
“This is an incubation programme that goes to the heart of the startup ecosystem, which is our universities. That is where innovation starts,” he said.
He explained that the top 10 teams advanced to the grand finale after emerging from campus rounds and participating in a 10-day intensive boot camp.
Governor Mbah said the Enugu Campus Hackathon was created to identify and accelerate high-potential technology talents across tertiary institutions in the state. He added that the hackathon reflects his administration’s deliberate strategy to build a modern, innovation-driven economy anchored on enterprise, technology, and private-sector growth.
Represented by the Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, the governor stressed that the administration’s guiding philosophy “is a clear shift from consumption to productivity.”
“Enugu State must move from a consumption-driven structure to a productivity-led economy powered by enterprise, technology and a vibrant private sector. Today, we are not merely providing a platform for competition.
“We are architecting systems and institutional frameworks designed to unlock the vast potential of our youth. Our mission is to build a modern economy capable of competing on the global stage,” he stated.
Mbah further described the initiative as part of a broader investment in what he termed intellectual infrastructure.
“We are redesigning our educational system to produce problem-solvers rather than mere certificate holders. By modernising our curriculum and enabling technology-driven learning, we are preparing our young people for the demands of the future global workplace. This is what we call intellectual infrastructure,” he said.
