A2SV 2023: A Year of Inspiring Innovation and Pioneering Tech Education in Africa
2023 was a year of growth and innovation at A2SV, focused on practical experience and real-world development. The organization expanded its impact significantly, educating 484 students across Africa - exceeding our initial 330-student target.
Key Achievements in 2023
- Students secured job offers in Silicon Valley
- Expansion to Ghana and new university partnerships
- Continued support from Google
- Africa's largest hackathon with 3,700 participants from 47 countries
- 55 global opportunities at tech companies including Google, Block Inc., Bloomberg, and Goldman Sachs
- 142+ employment positions created at A2SV
Empowering Through Quality Education
A2SV emphasized accessible, free tech education across Ethiopia and Ghana. The organization appointed 100% A2SV alumni as education heads and leads, positioning young professionals aged 21–23 into leadership roles to build sustainable programs.
African Expansion and Partnerships
We expanded to Ghana in March 2023, partnering with the University of Ghana. By November, we partnered with Adama Science and Technology University in Ethiopia, establishing our third Ethiopian partnership. We also signed a memorandum of understanding with Abrehot Library and the Ethiopian Artificial Intelligence Institute.
Remote education reached 53 students across Africa.
Core Dev Teams and Innovation Projects
Five innovative projects emerged from A2SV's Core Dev team - composed of alumni with experience at companies like Google, Databricks, and Palantir:
- Adot - A pregnancy and maternal health application offering culturally sensitive information in local languages
- Akil - An NGO-volunteer connection platform
- SkillBridge - An AI-enhanced exam preparation platform for Ethiopian university applicants
- AfroChat - A generative AI system adapted for Africa's technological landscape and user behaviors
- RateEat - A restaurant information platform providing menus, prices, ingredients, and reviews in Ethiopia
The A2SV Generative AI Hackathon
We hosted Africa's largest hackathon from August to November 2023:
- 3,700 participants from 47 African countries
- Multi-stage format with workshops on generative AI
- Grand finale in Addis Ababa with nine finalist teams
- $30,000 prize pool
The event demonstrated the energy, passion, and creativity of African innovators.
Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals
A2SV's 2023 work addressed multiple UN SDGs:
- SDG 4 - Quality Education: Educated over 484 students
- SDG 8 - Decent Work: Created 142+ jobs with 80% going to young people
- SDG 9 - Innovation: Developed five CoreDev products
- SDG 10 - Reduced Inequalities: Secured 55 global tech opportunities
- SDG 17 - Partnerships: Built collaborations with four universities
We acknowledge Google's sponsorship, which enabled free programs and internship connections to top tech companies.
We invite supporters to contribute through donations, mentorship, interview partnerships, and organizational programs. Contributions directly translate into educating more African students and creating pathways to employment. Visit a2sv.org/donate to support our mission.