AI Hackathon Sparks Innovation and Collaboration at UWI Cave Hill

Bridgetown, Barbados – May 14, 2025 – GovTech Barbados Ltd, in partnership with the Ministry of Industry, Innovation, Science and Technology (MIST), Zindi, and the Faculty of Science and Technology at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill Campus, hosted a groundbreaking Barbados Artificial Intelligence (AI) Fraud Detection Hackathon. It was designed to inspire young tech talent and drive forward the country’s digital transformation agenda. Zindi, the leading African data science platform known for connecting global data scientists with real-world problems, executed the hackathon.

The event, held on May 10, brought together teams of students, young professionals, and innovators to solve a real-world problem using machine learning tools and AI-powered solutions. Close to 30 people participated, and they had access to mentorship from data science experts and AI professionals throughout the event.

Minister of MIST, Senator Jonathan Reid explained, “The goal of this event is to really industrialise technological skills. We want large groups of people to be able to matriculate out of universities and have an opportunity to land themselves in jobs or build businesses themselves, or have the ability to create high-quality products and services that are technologically enabled. Solving local problems, yes, but ultimately solving global issues.”

Chief Executive Officer of GovTech Barbados Ltd, Mark Boyce, emphasized the importance of building local capacity.

“We wanted to attract young people who are not necessarily experts in this field. The hackathon was a beginner’s challenge; it did not require any prior machine learning experience. We want to get the message out there that this is not beyond you. You can begin with some really simple programming language experience and, within a year, be able to compete at an international level and produce services and products that are globally competitive. So, capacity building is one of the initiatives that GovTech will be involved in as well.”

Celina Lee, co-founder and CEO of Zindi, highlighted the importance of this partnership.

“We’re thrilled to be launching this impactful partnership with GovTech to build capacity and community in AI, right here in Barbados. We were impressed with the talent and determination on display at the hackathon this weekend, and can’t wait to launch more challenges and events in Barbados.”

There was a pize pool of BBD$2,000 up for grabs, which was split among the top three teams.  

The hackathon marked the beginning of a broader effort for GovTech Barbados to connect Barbadians with the global AI community, with the long-term goal of strengthening local talent to compete and collaborate on the international stage.

-End-

Captions:

Photo AI Hackathon 1: Participants in the Barbados AI Fraud Detection Hackathon at UWI Cave Hill pay rapt attention to instructions at the start of the event.

Photo AI Hackathon 2: The top three winning teams pose with their certificates after acing the AI Fraud Detection Hackathon at UWI Cave Hill. Among them are officials from GovTech Barbados Ltd. And Zindi.

Photo AI Hackathon 3: Minister of Innovation, Industry, Science, and Technology Senator Jonathan Reid had a word with one of the teams before the start of the Barbados AI Fraud Detection Hackathon at UWI Cave Hill.

—

Media contact:

Mrs. Ayesha Nicholls
Director of Communications
GovTech Barbados Ltd.
E: [email protected]
M: (246) 243-0096
—
About GovTech Barbados Ltd.

GovTech Barbados Ltd. was incorporated under the Companies Act on September 18, 2023 and is owned by the Government of Barbados and managed by a Board of Directors.
 
GovTech Barbados was established to pursue a whole-of-government approach to the digital transformation of government, emphasizing citizen-centric, universally accessible public services. The company aims to improve the quality and timeliness of the delivery of the services that people rely on or require from the Government by systematically identifying and delivering the technology and other efficiency solutions required.
 
GovTech stands at the centre of Government’s digital transformation and innovation ecosystem and aims to become a world class digital hub that is publicly owned but operating as an autonomous entity.

About Zindi

Zindi is the leading global AI community platform, established to make data science and artificial intelligence (AI) skills accessible to all.

With a network of over 85,000 data scientists registered on the platform, from more than 180 countries worldwide, Zindi helps AI practitioners of all levels learn, grow and access professional opportunities while building real-world solutions for global organisations.

Stay ahead in the world of AI, business, and technology by visiting Impact AI News for the latest news and insights that drive global change.