THRIVE ISSUE 6 DECEMBER 2025 24 Masego Panyane, UJ Strategic Communications UJ Students Take Top Spots At G20 TourismHackathon “Being part of the G20 Hackathon has been a truly eyeopening and incredible experience.” Teagon Spykerman The University of Johannesburg has cemented its status as a leader in applied innovation, with students from the School of Tourism and Hospitality clinching both first and second place at the highly competitive G20 Tourism Hackathon. Third-year Bachelor of Tourism Development students, Teagon Spykerman and Inganathi Zimela, were part of the winning teams at the event, which was focused on generating cutting-edge AI solutions to drive job creation and sustainable growth across the global tourism sector. The hackathon brought together 46 youth representing 21 institutions of higher learning. UJ stood out as the only university with students represented in the top two teams, a feat that highlights the quality of innovative thinking within the STH. The students were mentored to develop effective prototypes and applications supporting smart tourism, rural inclusion, and cultural heritage innovation. First Place: The Hologram Hub Teagon Spykerman was a key member of The Catalysts team, which secured the first-place prize of R175,000. Their winning concept, Hologram Hub, offers a sophisticated digital platform designed to empower rural communities. The solution enables these communities to profile and preserve their unique cultural heritage by telling their own stories, thereby attracting tourists directly to their locations. Spykerman shared that participating in the competition has given her that all important confidence boost: “Being part of the G20 Hackathon has been a truly eye-opening and incredible experience. This opportunity has taught me how to work better in teams, but more importantly, it has opened my eyes and made me believe in myself more, and I’ll forever be grateful for that,” she said. Photo Credit: Photo supplied
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjU1NDYx