Roke Telkom, a Ugandan telecom and cloud solutions company, has teamed up with the Science, Technology, and Innovation Secretariat in the Office of the President (STI-OP) to launch the Industry 4.0+ Hackathon. This month-long event, the first of its kind in Uganda, will wrap up on October 2, 2025, with the launch of the country’s Sovereign Cloud Platform, called ABQ.
ALSO READ: PesaLink, NALA, Equity Bank partner to transform remittances in Kenya
The Hackathon is part of Uganda’s push to embrace Industry 4.0+, a national plan to advance smart manufacturing, cutting-edge technology, cloud services, and blockchain solutions. David Gonahasa, head of the Industry 4.0+ Bureau, explained, “This is about sparking Uganda’s next industrial revolution. We want our youth, researchers, and innovators to have the tools to turn their ideas into solutions that boost the economy.”
Roke Telkom is playing a key role by providing technical support, mentorship, and reliable internet to help participants bring their ideas to life. Timothy Mugyenyi, Roke Telkom’s Head of Corporate Partnerships and Impact, said, “As a Ugandan company, we’re excited to support a digital, innovation-driven economy. We’re helping innovators with the infrastructure and connectivity they need for their ideas to succeed.”
The ABQ platform, set to launch on October 2, 2025, will use blockchain technology to ensure trust, transparency, and security in sectors like government, business, and personal digital transactions. Eric Mugerwa, ABQ’s Chief Technology Officer, highlighted its importance: “ABQ is Africa’s chance to build a secure digital economy. By hosting blockchain infrastructure in Uganda, we keep our data and innovations safe and under African control.”
Roke Telkom’s involvement supports its goal of expanding access to advanced digital tools and fostering innovation in Uganda. The Hackathon has also drawn other partners, showing strong support for Uganda’s digital future. Together, the Hackathon, Sovereign Cloud, and ABQ aim to create a strong, tech-driven economy, positioning Uganda as a leader in African technology.
Participants in the Hackathon will attend mentorship sessions, take part in a 72-hour coding sprint, and pitch their ideas to expert judges. Winners will receive over UGX 46 million in prizes, including cash, free internet for a year, ABQ cloud hosting credits, and support from the Deep Tech Centre of Excellence. By the time ABQ launches, Uganda will have a set of ready-to-scale innovations for its new national cloud platform.
 to launch the Industry 4.0+ Hackathon.){kind=link}