300+ changemakers. 4 days of innovation. 14 expert workshops. 8 teams. Countless dreams taking flight. Our recent hackathon was more than just an event; it was a powerful catalyst for addressing health disparities, fueled by a shared passion to transform lives.
In just under a week, our eight teams demonstrated remarkable collaboration and ingenuity. They dove headfirst into complex challenges, identifying critical health disparities, brainstorming creative solutions, and building user-friendly applications with real-world impact.
Here's a glimpse into the incredible innovations they brought to life:
Focus Fox: A productivity app that champions mental well-being by combining personalized task management with real-time emotional support and stress reduction techniques.
LearnWell: LearnWell promotes healthy study habits for students. This app provides personalized recommendations on study schedules, break times, and self-care practices, empowering students to optimize their learning experience while prioritizing their overall well-being.
AccessMap: AccessMap empowers individuals with disabilities to navigate their environment with confidence. This community-driven app provides detailed accessibility information about locations, including wheelchair access, sensory features, allergen considerations, and more, enabling users to make informed decisions about their surroundings.
Decode the Road: This app eliminates the confusion of navigating foreign roads. This travel app allows users to scan traffic signs and instantly receive clear explanations of their meaning, ensuring a safer and more informed driving experience in any country.
Daily Wellness Check: Daily Wellness Check fosters personal accountability for health and wellness. This app facilitates regular check-ins and self-reflection, allowing users to track their progress over time through a personalized database and visual graphs.
Two teams forged a dynamic partnership with our sponsors at EMME, tackling real-world challenges with the potential to directly benefit the company. This collaboration went beyond problem-solving, fostering connections that promise to spark ongoing innovation, progress, and opportunities for employment.
EMME Data Project focused on improving healthcare data management. The team developed solutions to efficiently open, extract, and organize large hospital data files, streamlining data accessibility for analysis and research.
EMME Feature Build team enhanced the existing Emme app by developing new features, including a daily check-in tool to promote consistent user engagement and support.
MoodBloom, a mood and wellness tracking app, emerged from our unique HackAlong program. With dedicated guidance from instructor and mentor Charlene Baxter, the team received hands-on support at every stage, enabling them to create an app that empowers users to take control of their mental health. By journaling and tracking their mood, users can gain valuable insights into their emotional patterns and overall well-being, facilitating self-reflection and informed personal growth.
Celebrating Success and Community:
While specific teams were recognized for their outstanding achievements, every participant emerged a winner. They created impressive projects for their portfolios, forged valuable connections, and gained confidence through this challenging and rewarding experience.
A special shout-out to our Hackathon Hero, Charlene Baxter, for her exceptional mentorship and support, and to our Team Hero, Christina Goodwin, for her inspiring leadership!
This incredible event wouldn't have been possible without the unwavering support of our sponsors. Their contributions extended far beyond financial backing; they generously shared their expertise, provided invaluable leadership, and donated exciting prizes to our winning teams. Their commitment to fostering innovation and positive change in healthcare was truly inspiring.
What's Next?
The journey doesn't end here! Next month, participants can further their career goals with our Career Catalyst series, offering valuable resources to help them land their dream job in tech. And as we head into the new year, we'll be expanding our offerings with mentorship programs, job placement assistance, and community events designed to boost their career prospects.
Stay connected and be part of our growing community dedicated to driving positive change in healthcare!