By Shadreck Gurenje
Zimbabwe is hosting the 2025 Lithium value chain hackathon 2025 from 26-27 November, spearheaded by the Ministry of Mines and Mining and UNDP Zimbabwe development under the Zimbabwe is Open for business mantra.
According to the statement released by the host Ministry of Mines and Mining Development Zimbabwe is advancing a high-impact innovation agenda that encourages youth enterprises, tech innovators, and industry to create practical, scalable solutions.
This year’s Conference is running under the theme “Innovating for Green Minerals, Sustainability & Inclusive Growth”
According to the ministry of mines during this Conference the nation aims to lead in the global lithium market with increased investment, new mines, and rising demand for value-added products.
“Zimbabwe is advancing a high-impact innovation agenda that encourages youth enterprises, tech innovators, and industry to create practical, scalable solutions.
“The country aims to lead in the global lithium market with increased investment, new mines, and rising demand for value-added products.
“ Despite progress, gaps remain in the lithium value chain: • Limited local beneficiation and value-adding industries • Environmental concerns across extraction and processing • Limited effectiveness of traceability, transparency, and ESG compliance frameworks • Limited meaningful participation of youth, MSMEs, and communities • Infrastructure and knowledge gaps affecting competitiveness • Opportunities to strengthen circular economy, recycling, and battery innovation • Need for digitally enabled systems for data, monitoring, and certification, ”reads the statement.
The Lithium Value Chain Hackathon is a national platform to co-create innovative community-driven solutions that address real-world challenges within the lithium sector, ranging from upstream mining operations to downstream value addition, green manufacturing, battery innovation, circular economy and recycling, and global market integration.
The Conference is Open to all Innovators, youth, startups, researchers, engineers, MSMEs, academia, and ecosystem enablers.