Goodbye Solve IT! You will be missed!

Some people say Solve IT is our most impactful project, and honestly, I understand why. When the U.S. Embassy first approached us in 2017 to run a mobile app development competition, we immediately knew we wanted to turn it into something bigger. We wanted it to reach multiple cities across Ethiopia and meet young people where they already were. I still remember myself, Getnet, and Hruy sitting in the old iCog Labs office at 6 Killo, brainstorming how to bring it to life. In the middle of everything, Getnet just said Let’s name it Solve IT. It stuck instantly.

The idea of democratizing access to technology was not new for us. At that time, the iCog Makers team was traveling across Ethiopia, visiting almost every university, talking about AI long before it was mainstream, and encouraging students to join Robosoccer. But this opportunity was new for us in a different way. It had only been a year since I joined iCog Labs as an intern. Being handed the responsibility to design and execute a national scale program felt massive. Emnet Sisay, thank you so much for believing in us!

From that moment on, it became an all-hands-on-deck mission. The three of us travelled across the country delivering trainings, forming relationships with universities, and convincing them to host Solve IT. I remember nights spent at the office building, slide decks, and refining training materials. We were young, exhausted and incredibly determined. We wanted it to work because we could already see what it could become.

Article content — Solve IT 2018, Jigjiga Regional Innovatoin Competiton Winners

I would never claim that we were the first to launch national competitions in Ethiopia, but the way Solve IT was designed was different. The rigor of the training. The mentorship structure. The intention behind each step. We created the program we wished existed when we were young entrepreneurs trying to figure things out with very little guidance.

The first Solve IT, and one of my favorite videos done for Solve IT :)

Solve IT eventually reached 17 cities and thousands of young innovators. Every year during the bootcamps my favor bank would be completely drained. I saved favors the way people save money because I wanted the participants to have the best experience possible. And somehow we always made it happen. Solve IT finalists met some of Ethiopia’s most successful entrepreneurs and business leaders. They travelled, they received intensive mentorship, and they stood on a stage where they could finally be seen.

We ran Solve IT in 2018, 2019 and 2020 which was paused because of COVID and then brought it back in 2023. The 2019 edition remains the biggest and most memorable. I still laugh remembering an event we did at the U.S. Embassy with the Japanese Embassy(partners for Solve IT) enjoying the sake gifted by our friends at JICA and things becoming just a little too relaxed for our liking.

But this article is not about Solve IT’s measurable impact. We have written a lot about that. This is about what Solve IT meant to us.

I remember going from high school to high school, pitching Solve IT to students only a few years younger than me. Anyone who has tried to impress teenagers knows what a challenge that is. I remember the cooking oil we always brought back from Jigjiga, the mangoes from Asosa and Gambella, the honey and Shiro from Mekelle. I remember the bootcamps where we stayed up all night, then somehow woke up with full energy to run bootcamps that felt like marathons.

Solve IT 2019 :)

Solve IT will always hold a special place in our hearts. Its impact will live on for years through the entrepreneurs who began their journeys with it. Some of them have gone on to build companies bigger than iCog and nothing makes me more proud.

Since its beginning, Solve IT has grown far beyond the three of us. It became what it is because of the incredible team members, the mentors who guided participants throughout the journey, and everyone who has been part of the Solve IT team over the years, and special thanks to Paulos Birhanu who started with us as a Solve IT mentor and have since been championing Solve IT!

None of this would have been possible without our partners. The U.S. Embassy supported Solve IT year after year, later joined by JICA and the many sponsors who support. We are also grateful to the organizations that opened their doors and allowed participants to experience firsthand what it means to build and run a business in Ethiopia. Thank you for believing in the vision and helping it grow.

The Solve IT 2023

The trailer (if you are too lazy to watch the whole thing)

As we say goodbye to one of our most beloved projects, we also want to pass on some of the tools and resources we used over the years. If you are working on something similar, I hope they help you build something just as meaningful.

Here is the form you need to fill out to access the training materials.