FlowFi Hackathon Report

Author: Victor Dusabimana
Date: July 28, 2025

The Team

We are FlowFi, a diverse team bringing together various academic backgrounds to tackle real-world problems. Our team consists of:

• Joshua Dove: Specializing in Finance and Economics.
• Kebaabetwse Mokgethi: With expertise in Information Systems.
• Victor Dusabimana: From a Civil Engineering background.
• Oshai Naidoo: Bringing insights from Mechanical Engineering.

Bootcamp Experience

The bootcamp, particularly the lectures by Dr. Allan Davids, were crucial in preparing us for the hackathon. His insights into the evolution of payment systems and the diverse solutions each system aims to provide laid a strong theoretical foundation. This knowledge, combined with the practical understanding of the Interledger protocol shared by the Interledger team, allowed us to brainstorm ideas that directly addressed real-life South African challenges.

Hackathon Experience

This was my first ever hackathon, and the initial intensity and time pressure were quite a shock. However, as our team got into the flow, we quickly learned how to leverage the available resources, especially the mentors from Interledger who were always ready to assist with our questions. The collaborative environment and the problem-solving focus made it a truly enjoyable and enriching experience.

The Problem You Tackled

The core issue FlowFi aimed to solve was the significant financial barrier preventing many talented South African students from accessing higher education. We sought to bridge the gap between students in need and potential donors worldwide. Interledger technology was instrumental in this. Its protocol enabled seamless, transparent, and low-cost cross-border transactions, ensuring that funding reached students directly and efficiently, bypassing traditional, often expensive, payment hurdles.

Your Tech Solution

Our project, FlowFi, is an innovative blockchain-powered crowdfunding platform. Its primary function is to directly connect students requiring financial aid with donors globally. Students can create personalized funding campaigns, outlining their academic aspirations and financial needs. Donors can then easily browse these campaigns and contribute securely, with full transparency on how their funds are utilized.

We leveraged the Interledger Protocol (ILP) to facilitate secure, low-cost, and seamless cross-border payments, effectively removing traditional international payment barriers. The frontend of FlowFi was developed using Softr, providing a user-friendly interface. The backend relied heavily on the Interledger protocol for efficient request handling and secure interactions. This combination of technologies created a trustworthy, transparent, and accessible platform, empowering students through accessible educational funding.

The Pitch Experience

The atmosphere during the pitch was incredibly supportive and encouraging. It felt relatively easy to present, especially since I focused on a specific, smaller part of our overall solution. The positive reception from judges and participants made the experience even more rewarding.

Mentorship Experience

Our interactions with the mentors, both from the Interledger Foundation and other organizations, were exceptionally valuable. They were incredibly insightful, receptive to our ideas, and provided clear guidance whenever we felt lost. Learning from their experience and expertise was undoubtedly one of the highlights of the hackathon.

What’s Next?

Currently, we do not have immediate plans to continue developing FlowFi beyond this hackathon. However, the experience has inspired me to explore new avenues. I would personally love to incorporate the Interledger Protocol into my own projects, such as an e-commerce site for NFTs.