Sane AI Breaks Through At Hackaholics 6.0 From 1,460 Ideation

Sane AI has emerged as the third runner-up in the Ideathon track of Hackaholics 6.0, Wema Bank’s flagship innovation competition, following a highly competitive national selection process that drew participants from across Nigeria’s leading universities and innovation hubs. Hackaholics 6.0 attracted over 1,460 applicants, with regional pitch sessions hosted across multiple university pitch centres, including […]

Sane AI has emerged as the third runner-up in the Ideathon track of Hackaholics 6.0, Wema Bank’s flagship innovation competition, following a highly competitive national selection process that drew participants from across Nigeria’s leading universities and innovation hubs.

Hackaholics 6.0 attracted over 1,460 applicants, with regional pitch sessions hosted across multiple university pitch centres, including the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, University of Ibadan, Lagos State University, University of Uyo, Babcock University, Veritas University Abuja, and Purple Academy Lagos. These pitch centres served as the first layer of screening, where teams underwent masterclasses, mentorship, and live evaluations before advancing.

Sane AI qualified for the national stage after emerging from the Akure pitch centre, one of the most competitive regional hubs in the programme. From hundreds of submissions nationwide, only 35 teams were selected to advance to the grand finale in Lagos, spanning both the Hackathon and Ideathon tracks.

At the finals, Sane AI competed alongside other notable Ideathon finalists such as PLOY, Fertitude, VarsityScape, Mama ALERT, StockMed, FarmSlate, Cycle X, and All Arbitrate. The Ideathon category focused on early-stage but high-potential ideas addressing pressing societal and economic challenges.

Sane AI’s solution stood out for its focus on mental health and emotional wellbeing, an area increasingly recognised as critical within Africa’s innovation and public health landscape. The team presented a clear problem framing, a strong understanding of user needs, and a scalable vision for delivering support through technology, earning recognition from the judging panel and placing it among the top performers nationally.

The Hackaholics 6.0 grand finale, held in Lagos, featured a ₦120 million total prize pool, as well as exposure to industry leaders, investors, and ecosystem partners. According to organisers, the programme is designed not only to reward winners but to identify founders and teams with the capacity to build long-term, impactful ventures.

Sane AI’s performance at Hackaholics 6.0 represents a significant milestone in the team’s journey, reinforcing its growing presence within Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem. Emerging as one of the top Ideathon teams from a pool of over a thousand applicants highlights both the relevance of the problem the team is addressing and the strength of its approach.