Overview:

Two Haitian tech organizations are launching the first Ayiti AI Hackathon, from November 28 to 30, to train and connect young innovators using artificial intelligence to create local solutions for Haiti’s challenges in sectors like education, health, and agriculture. Winning teams will receive tech equipment, software licenses, Application Programming Interface (API) credits, and access to a network of mentors and professionals for continued collaboration.

PORT-AU-PRINCE — Haiti’s growing tech scene is getting more boost this year as Syntax Studio and Akademi, prepare to host the first Ayiti AI Hackathon, taking place Nov. 28-30 in Port-au-Prince. The three-day competition aims to equip young developers with practical AI skills and inspire them to design innovative, local solutions to Haiti’s structural problems.

The two organizations are part of a new generation of Haitian tech innovators that are stepping up to tackle the country’s biggest challenges — from agriculture to education — through artificial intelligence.

“We wanted to create a space where young Haitian talent could understand, experiment with, and build using AI, whether solving challenges in agriculture, healthcare, or education, based on their own realities,” Kenley Jean, founder and coordinator of Ayiti AI, said to The Haitian Times.

Ayiti AI Hackathon comes as artificial intelligence increasingly shapes young people’s lives worldwide. Organizers, such as Jean and Castelline Tilus, founder of Akademi, say the hackathon will help position Haitian developers as active contributors to technological innovation — challenging the idea that AI is limited to major corporations or elite research centers.

“We wanted to create a space where young Haitian talent could understand, experiment with, and build using AI, whether solving challenges in agriculture, healthcare, or education, based on their own realities.”

The organizers of Ayiti AI Hackathon 

Hackathons have evolved beyond mere code‑sprints—they are now global catalysts for youth innovation and social impact. In the past few years, international competitions such as the Global AI Hackathon drew more than 1,300 participants from over 80 countries, 60 % from developing economies, all working to build AI solutions tied to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. In this context, the Ayiti AI Hackathon—set for Nov. 28‑30 in Port‑au‑Prince—marks a first for Haiti. Rather than outsourcing talent, Haiti positions young Haitian developers as creators of home‑grown AI solutions to the country’s pressing problems. By training participants in local languages, offering access to mentors, and targeting themes like education, health and agriculture, organizers such as Jean and Castelline Tilus, founder of Akademi, say the hackathon will help place Haitian developers as active contributors to technological innovation.

Flyer for the first edition of the Ayiti AI Hackathon

Building Haiti’s next tech generation

In preparation for the event, participants will attend four Saturdays of online training covering AI fundamentals and modern development tools — accessible even to beginners. During the hackathon, ten selected teams will work from Port-au-Prince with access to reliable internet, electricity, meals, and mentors.

“No interruptions, no mandatory check-ins, just focused building time leading to the final pitch on Sunday afternoon,” says Jean, founder of Syntax Studio. “It’s intense, but that’s the point: see what they can build in 48 hours in an environment where they can just concentrate on their code.”

Organizers hope the event will serve as a hub for AI democratization in Haiti, ensuring that young people have access to tools and knowledge often concentrated in large economies.

“The real impact will come if these 48 hours become the starting point for continuous practice — developers who continue learning, coding, connecting, and perhaps launching their own projects,” said Jean.

Innovation rooted in Haitian realities

The idea was born from a simple conviction that artificial intelligence should not be reserved for major technological powers. It must instead be democratized so that everyone can access and use it to work more efficiently and quickly according to their needs. The organizers acknowledge that the country is full of bright young minds, yet many lack opportunities and platforms to express themselves through technology.

Participants will design projects under six themes: health and well-being, generative AI, education, art and culture, community solutions, and open innovation. Each theme reflects issues Haitians face daily, providing a framework for creativity grounded in local experience.

Potential projects include Creole-language medical assistants, smart tools for small businesses, multilingual content generators, and literacy platforms. Other ideas range from konpa– and rara-inspired music generators to community platforms for disaster alerts and cultural preservation.

“No interruptions, no mandatory check-ins, just focused building time leading to the final pitch on Sunday afternoon,”

Kenley Jean, founder of Syntax Studio.

“These themes are not theoretical. Each one reflects real challenges and opportunities that Haitians face every day,” organizers said. “The goal is to show that when used wisely, AI can become a practical and concrete tool, not just a trendy buzzword.”

Similar initiatives, such as those led by BANJ, have also sought to equip young Haitians with digital and entrepreneurial skills — signaling a growing ecosystem for technology and innovation in the country. 

Rewards for innovation and collaboration

On Nov. 30, teams will present their prototypes to a jury of experts from Haiti’s tech sector. Judges will evaluate each project based on innovation, functionality, and presentation — focusing on realistic solutions with measurable impact.

“What we value is a simple solution that works better than a complex but unstable prototype, creativity and adaptation to the Haitian context, and the ability to deliver something concrete in 48 hours,” Jean said.

Winning teams will receive tech equipment, software licenses, Application Programming Interface (API) credits, and access to a network of mentors and professionals for continued collaboration. Each participant will also be recognized within the Ayiti AI Hackathon community and its partners.

Through this initiative, organizers hope to show that technology can be a force for inclusion, creativity, and social transformation — driven by the ingenuity of Haiti’s youth.

“We hope that some participants leave with more than a prototype, a clear vision of what they can build, basic AI skills to continue, and a network of peers to collaborate with after the event,” Jean said.

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