GlobalHack VII returns to St. Louis, focuses on immigration and innovation - Silicon Prairie News
GlobalHack, a St. Louis-based nonprofit focused on driving social impact through technology, will return this fall for GlobalHack VII with a theme focused on immigration and innovation.
The hackathon will take place at Chaifetz Arena on the campus of Saint Louis University from Friday, October 12 to Sunday, October 14. Teams from around the country, as well as several international teams, will compete for $100,000 in total cash prizes.
Technologists and citizens will have one weekend to build software solutions which address specific challenges that face foreign-born and refugee communities of all skill levels.
The large-scale software competition is part of a larger process where civic-based problems are sourced from community members, prototypes are built during the hackathon, and software solutions are implemented within area organizations.
GlobalHack will provide capital, technical assistance, and oversight after the hackathon to ensure the top projects are implemented.
“One of the biggest critiques of hackathons to date is that they often lack follow-through,” said Matt Menietti, GlobalHack’s Executive Director. “We will work with our community partners to ensure the most promising solutions are implemented, either as an addition to an existing platform or as a standalone application.”
Saint Louis University and the John Cook School of Business will serve as the event’s Title Sponsors.
“It was extremely rewarding to see high school and college students from across the country coming together last year at GlobalHack VI to solve a social problem affecting St. Louis,” said Mark Higgins, Dean of the John Cook School of Business. “When we heard that Global Hack VII will again tackle a problem consistent with our mission as a Jesuit institution and impact our region, we knew we wanted to be part of it.”
GlobalHack VII community partners include the St. Louis Mosaic Project, the International Institute, Casa de Salud and Saint Louis University, among others.
“Our new ecosystem map detailing hundreds of resources serving immigrants and refugees is just a start,” said a statement from Anna Crosslin, President and CEO of the International Institute St. Louis and Betsy Cohen, Executive Director, St. Louis Mosaic Project. “Ideas generated from GlobalHack VII will provide new ways for service providers and immigrants themselves to connect and be successful in our community.”