About WPI AGSA

Building a thriving community of African graduate students

Welcome to the African Graduate Student Association (AGSA) at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. We are dedicated to building a thriving community of African graduate students at WPI, fostering academic excellence, professional development, and cultural exchange.

Our annual AFRIDEV Hackathon brings together students from diverse backgrounds to collaborate, innovate, and develop solutions for real-world challenges facing the African continent and its diaspora, while also supporting the integration of African students in the global academic community.

African Pattern

WPI AGSA AFRIDEV HACKATHON 2025

Shaping Africa's Future Through Innovation

Hackathon Kickoff

October 23, 2025 - 4:00 PM

Hackathon Kickoff & Guest Spotlight

(In collaboration with the WPI Global School)

Special Guest: Mouhamadou Diagne

Vice President of Integrity, World Bank

Presentations & Judging

October 25, 2025 | 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Project presentations, judging, and awards ceremony

Venue: UH520, WPI Campus

What You Get

CASH PRIZES!! (To be won)

✓ Free T-shirt for all participants

✓ Certificate of Participation

✓ Access to mentors, faculty and sponsors

Hackathon Challenges

Choose a challenge that inspires you and create impactful solutions!

Tech Leap: Reimagining Global Innovations for Africa

Adapt global technologies to create viable, accessible, and impactful solutions for African communities.

Key Focus Areas:

  • Identify barriers to technology adoption
  • Innovate new use cases or simplified versions
  • Design culturally appropriate solutions
Example Technologies:

Self-driving delivery, AI health diagnostics, smart agriculture, digital identity, renewable microgrids

Sustainable Futures: Tech Solutions for Africa's Development

Develop technology-driven solutions supporting UN SDGs with a focus on African communities.

Key Requirements:

  • Address critical SDG challenges
  • Integrate appropriate technology
  • Ensure cultural relevance and scalability
Focus Areas:

Clean water, quality education, affordable energy, sustainable agriculture, climate resilience

Bridging Worlds: Tech for Student Integration

Create solutions that help international and African students thrive in American academic environments.

Key Objectives:

  • Foster inclusion and community building
  • Enhance cultural understanding
  • Support academic and social integration
Potential Deliverables:

Prototypes, student journey maps, digital campaigns, campus policy proposals

Integrity for Development

Explore how corruption undermines sustainable development, human rights, and social stability, and develop solutions to promote transparency and good governance.

Key Issues:

  • Impact of corruption on sustainable development
  • Strengthening governance and transparency
  • Technology solutions for accountability
Potential Focus Areas:

Anti-corruption tools, transparent governance systems, accountability frameworks, public service delivery, civic engagement platforms

Empowering African Startups: SAMIS AI Challenge

Supporting: SAMIS AI

Design a solution that helps technicians and operators automatically comply with FAA maintenance regulations and internal SOPs during day-to-day tasks.

Your Mission:

  • Create tools or platforms that enforce step-by-step procedures
  • Generate audit-ready records automatically
  • Ensure regulatory alignment without slowing workflows
  • Enable real-time compliance checks and documentation
Key Objectives:

Empower technicians to focus on safe and efficient execution while the system handles compliance checks, documentation, and reporting — reducing the risk of costly errors, fines, or operational delays.

Partner Startup: SAMIS AI - Aviation Maintenance Compliance Solutions

Need help choosing a challenge or have questions? We're here to help!

Contact Our Team

Guest Spotlight

Featuring distinguished leaders in global development and integrity

Mouhamadou Diagne
Keynote Speaker

Mouhamadou Diagne

Vice President of Integrity, World Bank

Leading expert in institutional integrity, anti-corruption, and sustainable development. Mouhamadou brings decades of experience in promoting transparency and good governance across global institutions.

More speakers to be announced soon!

Judges Panel

Distinguished professionals evaluating your innovative solutions

Meet Our Judges

Our 2025 judging panel brings together experienced professionals and thought leaders across technology, research, and community development — united by a shared commitment to empowering African innovation.

Jorge Cabrera - ACEDONE

Jorge Cabrera

Director of Development & Loan Officer, ACEDONE

Director of Development and Loan Officer at ACEDONE, leading strategic initiatives for the organization’s Worcester expansion. Combines expertise in technology, storytelling, and impact-centered design to help mission-driven organizations grow and scale community impact.

Dr. David Clement

Dr. David Clement

Research Scientist, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Computer scientist and research scientist at WPI specializing in AI, machine learning, and wearable healthcare technology. Currently works on an NIH-funded project using AI to identify biopsychosocial markers predicting mindfulness-based stress reduction outcomes in chronic pain patients.

Sam - IT Project Manager

Samuel Yusuf

IT Project & Program Manager

Experienced IT Project Manager with 8+ years leading digital transformation initiatives across industries and continents. Former Google Sub-Saharan Africa Ambassador and Community Manager for Product Manager Africa, guiding a network of 3,000+ technology professionals in 54+ countries.

Our Sponsors

Partnering with organizations committed to African innovation

Event Schedule

Mark your calendars for these important dates

Kickoff Event - October 23, 2025 @ 4:00 PM

Hackathon Kickoff & Guest Spotlight

(In collaboration with the WPI Global School)

  • 4:00 PM - Participant Registration, Networking & Refreshments
  • 4:30 PM - Guest Spotlight by WPI Global School: Mouhamadou Diagne (VP of Integrity, World Bank)
  • 5:30 PM - Hackathon Opening Ceremony
Venue: UH520, WPI Campus

AfriDev 2025: Project Presentations & Judging

October 25, 2025 | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

WPI Campus | Venue: UH520

  • 10:00 AM - Arrival & Light Breakfast
  • 10:30 AM - Welcome Remarks & Overview
  • 10:45 AM - Project Presentations Begin
  • 12:30 PM - Networking Lunch & Judges' Deliberation
  • 1:45 PM - Awards Ceremony & Closing Remarks
Venue: UH520, WPI Campus

What to Expect:

Team Formation and Idea Pitching Membership and Networking Exciting Prizes and Rewards Free T-shirt for All Certificate of Participation

Registration is ongoing

Spots may be Available on Thursday 23rd at event venue

Register here

Contact Us

Have questions? We'd love to hear from you

Get In Touch

gr-agsaexecboard@wpi.edu

@wpi_agsa

@wpi_agsa