Khawlan Coffee Hackathon
VentureX is implementing a Design Studio for building interventions in Yemen's coffee value chain, focusing on identifying critical challenges and developing innovative solutions. After conducting market analysis and pinpointing key areas for improvement, we defined priority themes to address farmers' on-ground problems. Hackathons were then held for each theme, leading into the Design Studio, where selected companies build and test their MVPs directly with farmers, ensuring solutions are practical, scalable and rooted in real needs.
VentureX is implementing a Design Studio for building interventions in Yemen's coffee value chain, focusing on identifying critical challenges and developing innovative solutions. After conducting market analysis and pinpointing key areas for improvement, we defined priority themes to address farmers' on-ground problems. Hackathons were then held for each theme, leading into the Design Studio, where selected companies build and test their MVPs directly with farmers, ensuring solutions are practical, scalable and rooted in real needs.
120 Farmers
4 Startups Selected
4K per startup initial investment
20K Second investment round
Empowering Entrepreneurs Through the Coffee Hackathon
As part of our commitment to driving innovation and supporting entrepreneurship in Yemen, we organized four hackathons in Sana'a, each focused on a key challenge area within the coffee sector: Water Harvesting, Service Support, Organic Fertilizers, and Farm Management.
The hackathon aimed to foster creativity and problem-solving among early-stage startups and aspiring entrepreneurs, empowering them to design practical, scalable solutions that directly address farmers' needs and strengthen the agricultural ecosystem.
Through the program, participants:
- 1. Developed tailored solutions aligned with the challenges and opportunities of Yemen's coffee value chain.
- 2. Applied collaborative, design-thinking, and user-centered approaches to create impactful innovations.
- 3. Presented their ideas to a panel of experts, with most promising concepts identified to enter the design studio program.
During the hackathon process, teams worked through several development stages:
- Concept Development & Financial Feasibility: Refining their ideas into actionable, well-defined concepts based on research insights and practical viability.
- Refinement & Prototyping: Advancing their solutions into tangible prototypes while building business model canvases to define their value proposition, customer base, and operational strategy.
- Pitch Preparation: Strengthening communication and presentation skills to effectively showcase their solutions to stakeholders and experts.
By nurturing innovation at the grassroots level, the hackathon has become a vital platform for empowering Yemeni talent, promoting sustainable agricultural practices, and reimagining the future of Yemen's coffee industry.
Hackathon Results
Applications
Received
Participating
Teams
Pitching
Session
Selected
Teams
Workshops
Gallery
