Blue Sands STEM Lab, an innovative educational technology company, has claimed the top prize at MarkHack 4.0, Nigeria’s premier marketing and technology hackathon.
The event which was held in Lagos, themed “Experience Ignited: Fueling the Consumer Journey,” brought together over 150 startups from across the country, all presenting innovative solutions that integrate emerging technologies to solve real-world marketing challenges.
At the conclusion of the pitch presentations, Blue Brands Stem Lab emerged as the overall winner, taking home N2 million cash prize. Next Vibe secured first runner-up slot with N1.5 million, while Jarvis claimed second runner-up, receiving N1 million.
However, other participating teams were also awarded laptops in recognition of their hard work and creativity.
In his goodwill message, Lagos State Commissioner for Innovation, Science, and Technology, Olatubosun Alake, praised the ingenuity and determination of young people in the country, highlighting their role in earning global recognition despite challenging conditions.
“When you look at our environment and you look at just the sheer determination, the ingenuity of young people, that has given us the global recognition, young people doing amazing things in an environment that is tough but also can be very, very ingenious, in an environment that there’s competition, but in an environment that lets you be innovative. And that is Lagos,” Alake said.
He emphasised that technology is no longer the future of marketing, it is the present. “If you are not leveraging it, you are not just behind, you are invisible,” he warned.
Alake, who is an avid supporter of the technology ecosystem, outlined the evolving marketing landscape, noting that “attention spans are short, competition is fierce, and change is constant.”
He said traditional marketing methods are becoming outdated and less effective. “Sharper tools and smarter insight are crucial. Technology gives us data in real-time, helps us to target audiences with precision, it lets us personalise and scale. AI writes the guidelines for courses now that convert. Automation delivers messages at the perfect moment. And analytics tells us what our consumers want before they do. It’s not just evolution, it’s a revolution.”
While challenging marketers and business leaders, Alake asked, “Are we doing enough with technology? We can’t just afford to simply adopt technology. We must push it, we must stretch it, and we must challenge it to do more. We need to drive deeper interventions right now.”
He urged stakeholders not to settle for basic innovations but to demand tools that make campaigns smarter, faster, and impossible to ignore. “Let’s invest in talent that understands both creativity and code. The best campaigns today are born in the space where imagination meets machine learning. Let’s create a space for experimentation, this is near and dear to my heart,” he advocated.
On his part, CEO of Awesome Communications and publisher of Brand Communicator, Joshua Ajayi, highlighted the vital role of technology in enhancing human connection.
“True innovation happens when technology amplifies human connection,” Ajayi said, reflecting on the event’s plenary session, which guided attendees through the process of digital storytelling and its impact on reshaping brands within the marketing ecosystem.
Beyond the exchange of ideas and case studies, Ajayi noted the palpable energy at the event. “We believe something transformative is happening here, and tonight is the climax of that energy,” he remarked.
The event celebrated exceptional accomplishments at the Nigerian MarkTech Awards, recognising excellence and innovative applications of data and AI in campaigns, as these highlight the marketing ecosystem’s dynamic, rapidly evolving nature, where creativity and technology converge.
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