The West Rand narrowly missed out on a top-three finish after placing fourth overall at the 2026 Youth Tech Expo (YTE) G13 Hackathon Finale.

According to the director of communications and media relations for the Gauteng Department of e-Government, Sithembiso Ndlovu, some of Gauteng’s brightest young innovators showcased technology-driven solutions to the province’s most pressing challenges.

Hosted by the Gauteng Department of e-Government in partnership with Microsoft South Africa at the Microsoft Offices in Johannesburg, the finale followed weeks of regional competition that began in June in partnership with Algo@Work.

Sithembiso said learners from Johannesburg, Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, the West Rand and Sedibeng were challenged to use innovation and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to develop practical solutions for issues affecting communities, including crime, service delivery, water management, infrastructure maintenance and urban mobility.

“The top-performing teams from each regional hackathon advanced to the provincial finale, where they spent two days refining their ideas using Microsoft’s AI technologies while receiving mentorship from industry experts,” Sithembiso said.

Following a rigorous judging process, the final results were announced as:

• 1st: Gridwise 10X – Johannesburg CBD (84.2%)
• 2nd: Chromomark – Tshwane (81.6%)
• 3rd: Civic Eye – Sedibeng (70.2%)
• 4th: SIRRS – West Rand (63.0%)
• 5th: Aqua Guard AI – Ekurhuleni (59.0%)

The Gauteng Department of e-Government crowned Johannesburg’s Gridwise 10X the overall winners. The 10 learners who make up the team will receive Netcampus gift vouchers and a fully funded 12-month Master Tech Leadership Programme, including a monthly stipend for each learner.

The remaining 40 learners from the other four finalist teams will each participate in a specialised Skills Programme focused on Data and Artificial Intelligence, ensuring every finalist leaves the competition with an opportunity to further develop their digital skills.

Collectively, the prizes awarded to all 50 finalists are valued at more than R1m.

According to the Gauteng MEC for e-Government, Bonginkosi Dhlamini, this reflects their commitment to investing in the next generation of digital talent.

“This hackathon was never only about building apps or competing for prizes. It was about empowering young people to become problem-solvers, innovators and future leaders who will help build a smarter Gauteng. Government is committed to creating opportunities that equip our youth with the skills they need to succeed in the digital economy while developing solutions that respond to the real challenges facing our communities,” Bonginkosi concluded.