Martin Lubowa and Moreen Irungu are two talented Ugandan techies who won the second prize of 1000 euros at the Tunga AI Hackathon in November 2023.
They are the ones behind StartRight, an AI tool that makes it easier for engineers working on new projects to set up their systems.
The pair worked together on a USSD application for health education during a prior hackathon in 2022. Martin was motivated to explore AI by Kalebu G, their mentor. Since then, they have collaborated on a number of initiatives that have made use of their varied technological and skill sets.
Working with Python, Django, Flask, JavaScript, Node, PHP, Laravel, Rust-Actix, Docker, Kubernetes, PyTorch, and TensorFlow, Martin is a full-stack software and AI/ML engineer. He is now working on a telemedicine firm in Cameroon that intends to give millions of people in the Sahel region access to healthcare.
Bioinformatician Moreen uses R and Python in her work. She has a strong commitment to improving public health outcomes through technology.
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The Experience of Hackathons
Martin shared the Tunga AI Hackathon opportunity with Moreen after finding it on LinkedIn. They chose to take on the assignment since it piqued their interest. A few days prior to the hackathon, they had the concept for StartRight and made considerable mental and intellectual preparations.
The development stage was a demanding and engrossing process. As they devoted all of their efforts to the project, sleep became a luxury. The laborious and time-consuming processes of making project folders, files, dependencies, configurations, and documentation were automated by using AI. To add more features and functionalities, they also integrated a number of other APIs and services.
They pleased the judges with their creative idea and managed to finish and turn in their assignment on time. They got compliments and helpful recommendations about how to get better. They were overjoyed to take home second place and appreciative of the chance to demonstrate their abilities and originality.
The Goals of StartRight
The goal of the tool StartRight is to increase the productivity and enjoyment of development for developers. It lessens the cognitive load and complexity involved while addressing frequent pain points related to the project’s beginning. It enables developers to produce excellent work by concentrating on the essential elements of their projects.
The group intends to keep working on StartRight in order to enhance its functionality and features. They also intend to share it with the larger development community in order to get comments and assistance. They think StartRight has the potential to grow into a well-liked and practical resource for developers of all skill levels and experiences.
They also hope to encourage other techies in Africa to study AI and apply it to a better society. They are honoured to represent Africa and Uganda in the international AI community and to showcase the creativity and talent found there. They appreciate Tunga setting up the hackathon and introducing them to the AI tech industry.
About Tunga
Through the portal Tunga, African software professionals can find global clients in need of their knowledge and abilities. Tunga connects developers with respectable, varied projects and assists businesses in assembling software teams from over eight African nations with competent and trustworthy engineers. In addition, Tunga hosts hackathons and offers educational materials to developers who wish to study artificial intelligence and apply it to a better society.