HBCU Talent
Building Smart Cities
The HBCU Smart Cities Challenge is an annual event that Pathway Community Foundation hosts. It challenges all HBCU students to create real world solutions for their community leveraging IoT, Web3, and other emerging technology.
The event provides a unique opportunity for HBCU students, city leadership, and HBCU communities to showcase their skills and creativity while addressing their communities' challenges.
2024 North Carolina HBCU Smart Cities Challenge
Why HBCU Talent?
Untapped talent and research infrastructure that supports city innovation
HBCUs are the new talent pipeline for cities and companies
HBCU students are intrinsically linked to these communities and possess a profound understanding of the specific issues at hand, making them the ideal candidates to craft impactful and meaningful solutions.
HBCUs produce 40% of all black engineers across the United States
Our 2024 Challenge Participants
2024 Showcase Schedule
Hosted by the city of Winston-Salem, this event is a carefully curated, invite-only reception that serves as the grand inauguration for the HBCU Smart Cities Challenge Events unfolding across Winston-Salem. This distinguished gathering is dedicated to honoring the outstanding fellows who have successfully completed the program, accompanied by captivating keynote speakers, expertly catered cuisine, and ample networking opportunities for all attendees.
21
March
Dinner Reception
(Invite-Only)
Community TechDay is an all day event that highlights local and national companies doing really cool things in tech for local Winston-Salem residents, state-wide college students, and high school students focused in STEM. This event promises a day filled with innovation, inspiration, and insightful discussions as we bring together leading minds from the technology industry, vibrant HBCU students and faculty, and the diverse community of Winston-Salem and beyond.
Step into the spotlight at the grand finale pitch event held on the prestigious campus of Winston-Salem State University. This exclusive occasion will witness students vying for a substantial share of a $10,000 cash prize pool. Following an intensive 5-month journey of attending workshops, collaborating with city officials, and crafting real-world solutions to pressing challenges, our dedicated fellows are poised to present their innovative ideas. Before a distinguished panel of judges and a captivated audience comprising both local and national influencers, these aspiring minds will showcase the tangible outcomes of their hard work and creativity.
22
March
Community TechDay
23
March
Pitch Competition
Our Partners
Latest News
Latest News
The three computer science students — Ndhlovu at St. Augustine’s University in nearby Raleigh and Bhebhe and Mukuchura at Alabama State University, all historically Black institutions — joined forces to figure that out. As part of the inaugural HBCU Smart Cities Challenge, they developed a proof of concept for a platform that could give first responders, including police officers, timely and relevant information to help them make smarter decisions faster. And that, Mukuchura says, could also fortify trust in communities where faith in first responders may be lacking.
Latest News
Learn more about the HBCU Smart Cities Challenge hosted by WSSU and the City of Winston-Salem, where we are fostering innovation and sustainable urban development.
Latest News
Dive into our exclusive interview with Afroflare, where we discuss the HBCU Smart Cities Challenge and the transformative potential of the program.
