Organised by the Centre d’Information et de Documentation Scientifique et Technique (CIDST) for the 8th time, Science Hack Day (SHD) is a celebration of science and creativity. Initiated for the first time in London in 2010 by Jeremy Keith, an Irish web developer, SHD is organised all over the world and offers the opportunity to set up, in 48 hours nonstop, projects responding to real problems or needs of society, the community, the regions or even the country. For this 8th edition organised by CIDST on its premises on 23, 24 and 25 September 2022, the theme is the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It allows participants to work on a wide range of several themes of the 17 UN SDGs to which Madagascar adheres. This competition allows students, researchers, developers and other socio-economic actors (20 in number for 2022) to initiate innovative projects. It allows them to develop their creativity and their sense of innovation, to work in teams according to the collaborative creation method, to set up and propose technical and technological solutions, to participate in a stage of their future integration into professional life. Several public and private organisations have understood the stakes of this competition. They have therefore agreed to join forces with CIDST. Thus, we can mention the Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and Consumption (MICC), the National Institute of Statistics (INSTAT), the Telma group, the NIC-MG, the RTA, the Radio University Ambohitsaina (RUA), the HABAKA group and CATI.

The objectives of the SHD are in line with the mission of CIDST, a National Research Centre (CNR) under the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. These points are : the promotion of innovation and creativity through the valorisation and dissemination of scientific and technical information ; the valorisation of Malagasy research services and results, and the promotion of the use and exploitation of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the dissemination of information for the progress of Madagascar.This year’s 40 participants will present their projects to a jury of eminent specialists from different fields. The top three winners will be rewarded with prizes and post-SHD support, including support for the concretization of projects through coaching on project management, business model, personal development and marketing initiation, networking with member companies of the Centre d’Appui à la Technologie et à l’Innovation (CATI Madagascar) network attached to CIDST and supported by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), and capacity building by CATI Madagascar, to use research results and other intangible assets for economic performance...

For this 2022 edition, the project " optimisation of the yield of a photovoltaic cell " (ORCP) won the first place. The design team of this project was formed by Joro Andrianina Antonio Ramanampisoa, Désiré Rakotoarilantonirina, Anjara Henintsoa Ainafandesana, Diary Fanorenantsoa Andriatsilavina and Aurore Ninah Soanantenaina. The "Smart Permaculture" project was in second place, and the third place went to the "QG Dryer" project. The first price was 800,000Ar and 100GB Internet access. The second place won 400,000 Ar and a 50 GB Internet connection. The third place received 200,000 AR and a 25 GB Internet connection.