We’re holding a Hackathon!
What is it?
Design challenge, innovation challenge, hackathon – whatever you want to call it, this challenge is a great vehicle for collaborative working, cross-sector thinking, and has the potential to impact big issues with innovative solutions.
On 18 November 2022, Tech Startup Sunderland will be holding a challenge to tackle the cost of living crisis. We’ve all watched as prices have skyrocketed and communities have been hit harder and harder by the economic shift. We believe tech can play a role in supporting those being impacted the most.
Who is it for?
Think you need to be a techie to take part? Think again. We’re inviting anyone from any background to join us at this event. The cost of living reaches far across sectors and individual experiences, so it’s important to have as many voices around the table as possible. Whether you’re a student, parent, carer or whether you work in education, social care, or engineering, you will have a place.
How does it work?
Cross-disciplinary teams will be assembled by the event organiser and announced on the morning of the event. After brief intros from facilitators and a quick orientation into how the day will run, and teams’ objectives, attendees will be free to brainstorm, collaborate, research, and problem solve.
The three main areas we’ll be focussing on are:
- Energy/Fuel increases
- Housing Costs
- Food Price increases
Over the day, you’ll be working within your teams to develop an idea to help with the cost of living. Do we expect you to fix the economy for everyone? Absolutely not. But this is a great opportunity to think about apps that could help support families, new platforms that could serve communities, or a new piece of tech that could ease financial pressures for individuals.
As a team, you’ll select one of the 3 focus areas and develop a concept to tackle a particular financial pain point. We’ll have facilitators on hand to support teams throughout the process as they design, troubleshoot, develop, and eventually present an informal lightening pitch at the end of the day, when teams will be judged and winners will be determined. Winners will be receiving prizes for their efforts too!
What’s in it for me?
Still not sure if this is the event for you? A few reasons to join in:
- A chance to showcase your skills and learn about tech. Not everyone is from a tech or digital background, but with an increasing number of tech or digital products or services, there’s more demand to think digital to address challenges. The cross-sector teams will be set up to enable a range of skills and experience to contribute.
- Learn something new and get out of your comfort zone! You’ll be placed in teams to work and network with individuals from varied backgrounds who can bring a range of experiences to the table. You could learn different approaches, different ways of thinking, different problem-solving techniques or something else altogether!
- Be a changemaker and rise to the challenge. It’s easy to sit back and read the headlines about changes impacting society. This is an opportunity to actively be a part of the solution, have a voice in the conversation and develop something that could support people who are hit the most.
- The opportunity to start something new! If you want to develop your concept further and take it to market, our business support experts are on hand to keep the conversation going and support you to get your product from prototype to market-ready.
- Plus….prizes…..did we mention there’d be prizes?
The Details
If you’re interested in being part of the solution to the cost of living, meeting and working with new people in a safe, facilitated environment, don’t hesitate to sign up via our Eventbrite page.
If you have any questions that aren’t covered in the event description, or its linked FAQs, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Katie: katie.mitchell@sunderlandsoftwarecity.com.
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