The Frontier Tech Leaders (FTL) Programme proudly celebrated the graduation of its first-ever Ethiopian cohort from the Machine Learning Bootcamp, marking a historic step toward building a digitally empowered generation.

Hosted at the Ministry of Innovation and Technology, the ceremony honored 95 graduates—the largest class in FTL history— who completed months of intensive training and delivered innovative, impact-driven capstone projects aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

About the Programme

Launched earlier this year, the FTL Machine Learning Bootcamp aimed to equip Ethiopian youth with cutting-edge digital skills. Over the course of the programme, participants tackled coding challenges, hands-on projects, and community-led initiatives—positioning themselves as Ethiopia’s next generation of tech leaders.

The Bootcamp attracted over 3,600 applications and graduated 95 participants, one-third of them women. Together, they developed 29 digital projects aligned with the SDGs. Additionally, 124 Ethiopians were trained on AI skills through community sessions.

Award-Winning Projects

The ceremony concluded with awards for top capstone projects that demonstrated advanced technological application and SDG alignment:

• 1st Place: AI-Powered Coffee Leaf Disease Detection for Ethiopian Farmers
  By Rabiya Abdulnassir, Luel Assefa, Abdulkerim Issa Osman
• 2nd Place: AI-Powered Sign Language Translator
  By Habtamu Tadese, Sineshaw Legese, Arsema Mandefro Zegeye, Meseret Bolled
• 2nd Place: Malaria Diagnosis System
  By Zelalem Abera Regassa, Zelalem Wubet, Abel Mekonn, Delina Mulubrhan
• 3rd Place: Personalized Learning System for Ethiopian Education
  By Liya Tegared Bitew, Mekdes Birhanu, Mussie Leake Beraki, Yordanos Teku, Dagmawit Endale