Orange Middle East and Africa, The Hashgraph Association, and Dar Blockchain have joined forces to create a rare mix of reach, resources, and real opportunity. Together, they will train thousands of developers on Hedera technology, certify their skills, and then give them a chance to compete for more than $1 million in prizes. This isn’t just a single event. It’s a coordinated effort spanning 15–16 countries and more than 20 cities, running through Orange Digital Centers both online and on-site. The plan brings Web3 tools and skills to places where connectivity and creativity are already shaping new markets. It also connects those local talents directly to a global blockchain ecosystem.
The Hedera Africa Hackathon
The program’s centerpiece is the Hedera Africa Hackathon, which opened August 1, 2025, and runs until September 30. The competition will bring together more than 10,000 participants, from students to seasoned professionals. Hybrid by design, it offers in-person hubs for collaboration alongside virtual entry points for remote teams. Orange Digital Centers in cities from Tunis to Cairo will provide infrastructure, mentorship, and a place to meet. Online, participants can access submission portals, workshops, and live Q&A with technical experts. Four themed tracks—finance and tokenization, supply chain and ESG, AI and DePIN, and consumer apps—encourage solutions that address both local challenges and global opportunities.
🚨 NOW LIVE: $1M HEDERA HACKATHON — OPERATIONS TRACK
— Generation Infinity (@GenfinityIO) August 12, 2025
Inside the @Hedera Africa Hackathon w/@evercityeco & @RecordsShamba — transforming climate, agriculture, and supply chains with Hashgraph tech.
Open to All | Online | Global@The_Hashgraph @Exponential_Sci @Hedera_Hacks pic.twitter.com/tIZzOy1bpo
Connecting Global Expertise with Local Talent
The Hashgraph Association (THA)
The Hashgraph Association operates from Switzerland with a mission rooted in education, innovation, and measurable impact. It focuses on expanding adoption of Hedera technology through structured training, certification programs, and venture-building initiatives. THA invests in projects that solve practical challenges in finance, supply chain, identity, and sustainability. Its approach links technical capacity with funding, giving builders a clear pathway from concept to deployment. By aligning with ESG priorities, the association ensures its efforts contribute to long-term economic and social benefits in the communities it serves.
Orange Middle East and Africa (OMEA)
Orange MEA is more than a telecom provider. It is a network woven into the daily lives of 161 million people across 18 countries. In 2024, the region delivered €7.7 billion in revenue, underscoring its role as Orange Group’s most dynamic growth engine. Its mobile money platform, Orange Money, reaches over 100 million customers in 17 countries, making it one of the largest digital financial ecosystems in the region. Through its Orange Digital Centers, OMEA offers open doors to training, mentoring, and innovation spaces. These centers stand at the intersection of connectivity and opportunity, giving entrepreneurs and developers the resources to turn ideas into real products.
Dar Blockchain
Dar Blockchain is a Tunisia-based hub that thrives on connecting local talent to global Web3 opportunities. It works across Africa and the Middle East, organizing hackathons, developer meetups, and educational workshops. The organization has been instrumental in introducing Hedera to North Africa, helping launch numerous early-stage projects. Its network reaches into universities, startup communities, and regional tech clusters. By staying close to the ground, Dar Blockchain understands both the ambitions and the constraints of local innovators, making it an effective bridge between emerging builders and the wider blockchain world.
Training as the foundation
The partners know that building capacity matters as much as running a competition. That’s why the hackathon is preceded by a certifying Hedera training program delivered through Orange Digital Centers in 16 countries. These programs give participants structured learning in Hedera’s network architecture, smart contract tools, and dApp deployment. They also ensure that teams enter the hackathon with a shared technical baseline. Certification can open doors well beyond the event—graduates can pursue roles in startups, corporate innovation labs, or public-sector projects. In regions where formal blockchain education is rare, this model creates a repeatable path from learning to launching.
Day 1 done! 🚀
— kaminova Labs (@Kaminovalabs) August 12, 2025
Kicked off our first training session for the Hedera Africa Hackathon, operated by @DarBlockchain.
Exciting conversations, new ideas, and a room full of builders shaping Africa’s Web3 future on #Hedera 🌍 pic.twitter.com/Gv9KYiuzLW
Why these partners make a difference
Orange MEA operates in 18 countries, serving 161 million customers as of 2024. Its mobile money platform, Orange Money, has over 100 million customers in 17 countries. This scale means a hackathon prototype can quickly reach potential users for testing. The Hashgraph Association adds funding, structured programs, and a focus on applications with economic and social value. It has a mandate to promote digital inclusion and supports projects from idea stage to production deployment. Dar Blockchain brings the local networks, experience in running Web3 events, and connections to regional developer communities. Each partner plays a distinct role, but together they form a pipeline that starts with training and ends with products ready for real-world use.
Beyond the event
While the $1M+ prize pool will create buzz, the longer-term value lies in what follows. Winning teams can enter The Hashgraph Association’s incubation programs, gaining access to funding, mentorship, and enterprise connections. Orange’s ongoing digital transformation work in MEA offers a potential landing zone for successful pilots. Dar Blockchain’s on-the-ground relationships mean standout teams can keep building within active communities. The focus on specific tracks—like on-chain finance or ESG traceability—also increases the odds that projects will align with government priorities and corporate ESG goals.
Implications for the region
For developers, this partnership offers something rare: direct access to training, certification, infrastructure, and funding in one coordinated package. For enterprises, it offers a chance to engage with ready-to-deploy solutions built by local teams who understand local needs. For policymakers and NGOs, it provides a platform to explore blockchain applications that can strengthen supply chains, improve financial inclusion, or support identity systems. Most importantly, it builds technical capacity across a diverse region, ensuring that blockchain talent in Africa and the Middle East is not just participating in global innovation but shaping it.
How to get involved
Interested participants can register through the official Hedera Africa Hackathon portal, review the rules, and choose a track. Orange Digital Centers will host meetups, training sessions, and workspace events throughout August and September. Online platforms will host mentoring hours, workshops, and progress showcases. Whether joining from a city hub or coding from home, every participant gets access to the same technical resources, certification program, and prize opportunities.
*Disclaimer: News content provided by Genfinity is intended solely for informational purposes. While we strive to deliver accurate and up-to-date information, we do not offer financial or legal advice of any kind. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with qualified professionals before making any financial or legal decisions. Genfinity disclaims any responsibility for actions taken based on the information presented in our articles. Our commitment is to share knowledge, foster discussion, and contribute to a better understanding of the topics covered in our articles. We advise our readers to exercise caution and diligence when seeking information or making decisions based on the content we provide.
