When Women Build, Freedom Follows
- Women-only
- Hybrid
- 2 Weeks
- $5,000 in Prizes
2026 Cities
Three stops. One mission: women building freedom tech in Africa.
What is Hack4Freedom
Hack4Freedom is a two-week, women-only hybrid hackathon where African developers learn, build, and ship open-source freedom tools using Bitcoin, Lightning, Nostr, and eCash.
It combines hands-on workshops, global mentorship, and project-based building so participants leave with real prototypes, repos, contributors, and a community of female builders.
Why It Matters
~3% globally
Only ~3% of open-source contributors globally are women. Across Africa, women represent less than 8% of technical talent pipelines.
Majority unbanked
Women make up the majority of the unbanked worldwide, disproportionately impacted by financial exclusion, censorship, and lack of access to secure communication.
Never in the room
Bitcoin and freedom tech provide powerful tools for autonomy, but women are almost never in the room when these tools are being designed.
Shaping freedom tech
Hack4Freedom creates a dedicated, women-only space where African builders can gain the skills, mentorship, and confidence needed to shape the future of freedom tech, not just consume it.
The Hack4Freedom Journey
Week 1
Kickoff & Education
In-person day of talks and protocol deep dives. Bitcoin, Lightning, eCash fundamentals.
Week 2
Building & Mentorship
Remote collaboration (standups, mentor office hours, code reviews).
Final
Demo Day & Next Steps
In-person demo day, judging, prizes, and introductions to grant/job opportunities.
Prizes & Benefits
$5,000 Prize Pool
Top teams compete for cash prizes to fund their projects.
Intensive Training
Deep dives into Bitcoin, Lightning, and eCash protocols.
Access to Mentors
Learn from experienced builders from around the world.
Community Access
Join a network of African women developers and designers.
Real-World Opportunities
Connections to jobs, grants, and fellowships in freedom tech.
Open-Source Experience
Build real projects with GitHub repos and contribution flows.
Get Involved
Apply
Women 18+ in Africa with basic dev skills or strong motivation to learn. No prior Bitcoin experience required.
Sponsor
Help train women builders and support open-source freedom tech. Benefits include brand visibility, access to talent, alignment with women in Bitcoin, and presence at Demo Day.
Mentor
Share your expertise in Bitcoin, Lightning, eCash, UX, security, or open-source. Help guide participants through their projects.
2025 Series
women trained
open-source prototypes
mentors
2025 Mentors & Speakers
Brianna Honkawa d'Estries
Founder, Evento
Lorraine Marcel
Founder, BTCDADA
Charlene Fadirepo
Founder, Satoshi Sisterhood
Mary Kate Fain
Founder, Soapbox
Abubakar Nur Khalil
CEO, BTrust
Sarah White
GM, Africa Bitcoiners
Satoshee
Lead Designer, Africa Bitcoiners
Mubarak Aminu
Co-Founder, Tapnob
Oyindamola Oladapo
Bitcoin Open-Source Developer, Bitnob
Mogashni Naidoo
Co-Founder, Bitcoin Design Community
Satsie
Co-Organizer, Boston BitDevs
D++
Bitcoin engineer & educator, Lightning evangelist
Claire Parkinson
Chief of Staff, ZBD
Kelvin Isievwore
Engineering Lead, BTrust
Stephanie Titcombe
Program Lead, BTrust
Sabina Waithira
Co-Founder, Tando
2025 Winning Teams
1st Place: LightningO
A Lightning + Nostr platform connecting global sponsors with local builders through bounties, gigs, and grants.
2nd Place: BitSave
A Bitcoin savings app that blends group goals, Nostr chats, and smart coaching for better financial autonomy.
3rd Place: Bitstra
An everyday Lightning app for buying airtime, data, and paying bills without banks.
Why We Care at Evento
Hack4Freedom is organized by Evento, an events platform that helps communities gather and grow using tools like Bitcoin for payments and support. We believe events create movements and movements change lives.
Evento is founded by a woman who has worked in Bitcoin for years and has seen how few women are represented in freedom tech. This imbalance limits ideas, limits innovation, and leaves out the people who often benefit the most.
Women in the Global South make up the majority of the unbanked worldwide. They face barriers that Bitcoin can help solve, yet they are rarely included in building the tools themselves.
Hack4Freedom is our effort to change that, by giving more women in Africa the skills, support, and community they need to become builders.
Frequently asked questions
Find answers to common questions about Hack4Freedom.
© 2026 Evento