Fragmented information
Stock and service data sit in separate systems, spreadsheets, paper registers and phone calls.
Terumo Africa Hackathon 2026
What if the next generation of blood-bank technology was designed around African realities?
Terumo BCT invites developers, data and AI specialists, health and laboratory professionals, designers, researchers and product thinkers to help shape a standardised, intelligent and adaptable blood-bank information system for Africa.
Apply now Applications close Tuesday, 6 October 2026 at 23:59 EAT
- Final
- Friday 16 October 2026
- Venue
- Strathmore University, Nairobi
- Prize
- USD 10,000
- Apply by
- Tuesday, 6 October 2026
vein-to-vein · one systemlive data
01 · The challenge
Blood services need better visibility, coordination and decision support.
How should a future blood-bank information system for Africa work, and how can AI improve it responsibly?
Demand–supply mismatch
Facilities struggle to anticipate demand, which leads to shortages, wastage and poor redistribution.
Limited real-time visibility
Managers and policymakers lack current data on stock, demand, movement and performance.
Emergency coordination
Urgent requests need fast coordination between hospitals, blood services, laboratories and transport.
Data and digital gaps
Many facilities lack the infrastructure, interoperability, skills and governance to benefit from AI.
02 · What you will build
A focused prototype, not a finished product.
Each team designs how the whole system should work, then builds and demonstrates one priority workflow with at least one AI feature that is safe, explainable and under human control.
Problem and user need
A specific blood-service problem grounded in African operating conditions.
Solution concept
The end-to-end workflow and the roles of blood banks, hospitals, laboratories and users.
Working prototype
A focused demo of one priority workflow on synthetic data. Not a full platform.
System architecture
Core modules, data flows, interoperability and the link to ABBIS.
Responsible AIKey
One useful AI feature with explanations, human approval, monitoring and a fallback.
Adaptability
How other blood banks and countries could configure or white-label it.
Pilot pathway
Dependencies and a realistic route from concept to MVP to a controlled pilot.
Five-minute pitch
A clear story and a live demonstration, followed by questions.
03 · Who should apply
This challenge needs more than coders.
Strong teams combine technology, health, laboratory, data, design and product thinking. Apply alone or with others: we form balanced teams of four to six.
Software
Web, mobile, back-end, cloud and security engineers.
Data and AI
Data scientists, ML engineers and analysts.
Health and clinical
Clinicians, nurses and public-health professionals.
Laboratory and blood service
Technologists and transfusion specialists.
Design
UX researchers and interface designers.
Product and research
Product managers, researchers and implementers.
04 · The prize
USD 10,000
Compete for the prize and present your solution to Terumo BCT and an expert judging panel. The winning solution will be considered through Terumo BCT's approved post-hackathon review process.
The hackathon produces concepts and prototypes. Any further development requires separate review and agreement with Terumo BCT.
05 · How it works
Three weeks from application to final showcase.
- Applications openApply online. It takes about 10 minutes.
- Applications closeTuesday, 6 October 2026 at 23:59 EAT
- SelectionUp to 50 participants selected and notified.
- Teams and briefing8–10 teams formed; technical briefing and shared Q&A.
- BuildTeams prepare concepts and prototypes and submit before the event.
- Final showcaseFriday 16 October 2026 at Strathmore University.
06 · Selection and judging
Clear criteria, scored by people.
How we select participants
Two reviewers score each application. We also balance the cohort across disciplines.
Relevance to the challenge and problem understanding30%
Technical or disciplinary capability25%
Quality and practicality of the proposed approach20%
African health-system relevance10%
Collaboration and team contribution10%
Availability and completion5%
How teams are judged
A five-person panel: Terumo BCT, a transfusion specialist, a technology or AI expert, a health-system representative and an independent product expert.
Understanding of the blood-bank problem20%
Technical solution and architecture20%
AI and data approach15%
Scalability and adaptability across markets15%
Safety, usability and implementation feasibility15%
Innovation10%
Pitch and demonstration5%
07 · Final showcase
Friday 16 October 2026
07:30–14:00 at Strathmore University, Nairobi. Teams submit before the day, so the event is for demonstrations, judging and awards.
- 07:30Registration and breakfast
- 08:00Opening
- 08:20The challenge briefing
- 09:00Preliminary demonstrations
- 11:10Finalists announced
- 11:20Finalist pitches
- 12:50Winner announcement
- 13:10Networking lunch
08 · The bigger picture
About ABBIS
The Africa Blood Bank Information System (ABBIS) is a proposed interoperable platform connecting blood centres, hospitals, laboratories, health workers and policymakers around trusted blood-service data. Ideas from this hackathon can inform how such a system works and how AI can improve it safely.
Partners
Terumo BCTHost and challenge owner
Strathmore UniversityVenue partner
Who can apply?
Developers, data and AI specialists, health and laboratory professionals, designers, researchers and product people. [CONFIRM age, country and student eligibility]
Do I need a team?
No. You can apply alone, with a partial team or with a full team of four to six. We form balanced teams of mixed skills from the selected applicants.
When and where is the final event?
Friday 16 October 2026, 07:30–14:00, at Strathmore University, Nairobi. Selected participants must attend in person.
What do teams build?
A focused prototype of one priority blood-service workflow, with at least one responsible AI feature, plus an architecture and a pilot pathway. Not a full production system.
Is there support?
Yes: a Terumo BCT technical briefing, a shared Q&A session and technical support on event day.
Can we use real patient or donor data?
No. All prototypes must use synthetic or openly licensed data only.
Who owns what we build?
[CONFIRM intellectual property position with Terumo BCT legal]
How are teams judged?
A five-person panel scores problem understanding, architecture, AI and data approach, adaptability, safety and feasibility, innovation, and the pitch.
What is the prize?
USD 10,000. The winning solution will be considered through Terumo BCT's approved post-hackathon review process.
10 · Apply
Apply by Tuesday, 6 October, 23:59 EAT
Five short steps. It takes about ten minutes, and you can save and finish later on any device.
- Up to 50 participants will be selected
- Apply alone or with a team
- Selected participants must attend on 16 October in Nairobi
- Synthetic data only: never real patient or donor records
Terumo Africa HackathonApply by Tuesday, 6 October 2026Apply