Hack the Globe

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Kickoff: February 29 | Hackathon: March 14-15, 2020
Virtual


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Canada's multidisciplinary social impact hackathon

We're bringing together 128 bright, passionate students to tackle the most pressing global development challenges, inspired by the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With mentorship and workshops from organizations including BCG and Google, you'll be working in multidisciplinary teams of 4 to build innovative solutions using both business and technical acumen. We encourage students from all backgrounds and experience levels to apply!




2 weeks to formulate
24 hours to execute

Your team will be paired up with a BCG mentor at Kickoff and have 2 weeks to scope out a problem and formulate an idea for a tech-based social enterprise. The kickoff will feature a keynote speaker and connect you with mentors, sponsors, and representatives from global NGOs. During the 24-hour hack, your team will build a technical prototype and business strategy and pitch to panels of expert judges.

This year's challenge themes

Global Health

Crisis Response

Economic Opportunity

Education

Environment

Urban Infrastructure

Kickoff Day Schedule

am

9:00

sponsor & hacker registration

10:00

opening ceremony & keynote

11:30

lunch

pm

1:00

activity rotations: meet your mentor, sponsor booths, theme presentations

4:30

event ends

Hack Day 1 Schedule

am

9:00

registration

10:30

opening remarks

11:00

hacking begins

11:45

lunch

pm

1:00

mentor office hours begin

1:00

Firebase workshop

3:00

NLP workshop

5:00

social impact workshop

6:00

BCG workshop & dinner

7:00

focus time!

Hack Day 2 Schedule

am

12:00

midnight yoga

1:30

late night snack

9:00

breakfast

11:00

hacking ends - submissions due

pm

12:00

lunch

1:00

first round judging begins

3:30

finalists chosen

3:45

finalist presentations

5:15

judge deliberation

5:30

closing ceremony

5:40

event ends

Our Sponsors

Our Theme Partners and Experts

FAQ

What is a Hackathon and why is this one different?
A hackathon is a 24 or 36-hour event where participants (hackers) come in and build a software or hardware project. Hack the Globe is more than just a hackathon; it begins with a Kickoff, marking the beginning of the ideation phase for hackers. During those two weeks, teams will work with a mentor from BCG to formulate a solution within one of six themes. Finally, teams will build a technical prototype and business pitch during the Hackathon and present to an expert panel of judges.
When and where is Hack the Globe happening?
The main two events will be the Kickoff and the Hackathon weekend. The Kickoff will take place on February 29th, 2020, and the Hackathon will take place on March 14th-15th, 2020. Both events will take place at the Boston Consulting Group’s Toronto office in the Bay-Wellington Tower.
How much does it cost to participate?
Hack the Globe is free for participants! We'll also be providing meals at the event.
Who can participate?
We are only accepting undergraduate and graduate university students.
Do I need to apply in a team?
You can certainly apply solo and be accepted, and we’ll match you with other solo applicants closer to the event. Hack the Globe will be a team-based hackathon, so everyone will be formed into teams of 4 in time for the kickoff.
What’s the deadline for applying?
The deadline to apply for Hack the Globe is February 9th, 2020.
What if I don’t know how to code?
That's no problem - Hack the Globe involves much more than just coding, and we'll have technical workshops and mentors on the day to help you learn. We encourage students from all backgrounds to apply! Hack the Globe is all about multidisciplinary approaches to problem solving and we look forward to welcoming a diverse pool of applicants and participants.
Will there be travel accommodations or reimbursements?
Unfortunately, we will not be funding travel for participants this year. We apologize for any inconvenience this might cause.
Will there be areas for me to sleep during the event?
Due to the spatial capacity of the venue, there will not be any designated sleeping areas, though you are welcome to stay at the venue overnight. We encourage any out-of-town participants to connect to local hackers who may be able to provide a place to stay for the night.
What should I bring to the event?
The kickoff day will be business casual dress code, and you won’t need anything except perhaps a notepad and pen. For the hackathon, you’ll definitely need a laptop, charger, and a comfortable set of clothes!

Interested in sponsoring?

Hack the Globe will be your hub to connect to the brightest tech and business talent working on the most pressing global development challenges. You’ll have a chance to speak, recruit and mentor hackers, judge solutions, host a workshop, demo an API, and more.

Contact us →

Interested in volunteering?

If you are excited by our mission, interested in global engineering, and want to help make Hack the Globe a huge success, join our team! We will be accepting volunteers of all backgrounds and experiences on a rolling basis.

Join the team →

Sample projects from last year

Winner

DOC - AI-assisted virtual doctor appointments for rural communities

Runner-Up

Relief - Connecting NGOs to non-monetary donations during crisis situations

People's Choice

WeRead - Guided literacy platform for immigrant youth

Finalist

Pursue - Accessible, cultural music to promote learning engagement

Finalist

Glass Globe - Enabling unbiased communication of natural disaster events

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