This is a “civic” hackathon, focused on ideating, designing, and developing both policy-based and tech solutions to some of Houston’s greatest challenges. Project stakeholders will be there from the city, local organizations, and Houston's impact ecosystem!
We envision a more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable economy, where people are empowered with the skills, capacity, and resources they need to take action. We invite you to be a part of this vision by participating in this annual opportunity to develop systemic and transformative solutions for Houston – solutions that are rooted in local communities so that they are as diverse as Houston, and work for ALL of Houston.
Learn more about Impact Hub Houston at https://houston.impacthub.net
Requirements
Please feel free to tackle a new challenge, try a new approach to a challenge you've worked on before, or bring a solution you're currently working on and want to recruit some help for. You don't need to have a finished prototype by the end of the week, but please make sure to work on your idea/solution Pitch Presentation. You can use this template to guide you through developing your solution and presentation for submission: TEMPLATE: Hackathon Pitch Guide
Prizes
Impact Hub Houston Membership
Get ready to transform your solution into a viable startup: Impact Hub Houston offers you complimentary Membership to get connected to its programs, resources, and entrepreneurial ecosystem of partners and mentors to help you turn your ideas into impact!
Google Career Certificate Scholarship
Scholarship for Project Winners who would like to earn a Google Career Certificate in some of the most in-demand (and helpful to startups!) professional fields available now, including Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, Digital Marketing/E-Commerce, Project Management, and UX Design.
Impact Hub Houston Fiscal Sponsorship Opportunity
The top scoring project will have the option to be fiscally sponsored by Impact Hub Houston as a way to provide you with fundraising support to push your solution forward. Impact Hub Houston Fiscal Sponsorship allows you to apply for grants and accept donations without having to launch your own 501c3 nonprofit. Learn more here: https://houston.impacthub.net/fiscal-sponsorship/
Actively HUMAN Complimentary Access
The top three winning teams will each receive complimentary access to Actively HUMAN, a guided reflection tool created by The Quiet Rebel, Tracie Jae. Actively HUMAN lives inside ChatGPT and offers a self-guided process that helps individuals and teams pause, reflect, and move through choices with greater intention. Using the HUMAN framework - Honesty, Urgency, Meaningfulness, Accountability, and Nuance - it provides thought-provoking prompts that support innovators in carrying their ideas forward with depth and impact.
Industrious Day Passes
Valued at $60/day per person, Industrious Day Passes will give you access to work from the common spaces with access to private phone booths and all-inclusive amenities, including daily breakfast, coffee, beverages, and snacks.
Industrious Conference Room Credits
The top winner will receive up to five free hours of conference room usage, valued at $60-$200 per hour depending on room size. These rooms are ideal for collaboration and presentations.
Devpost Achievements
Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:
Judges
Grace Rodriguez
Co-Founder, Impact Hub Houston
Jesse Bounds
Director, City of Houston Mayor's Office of Innovation & Performance
Mark Cueva
Assistant Director, City of Houston Department of Neighborhoods
Roslynn Velasquez
Senior Director, Marketing and Strategic Initiatives, Ion | Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship
Jeff Reichman
Principal at January Advisors
Judging Criteria
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Progress
How far did the team get? Were they able to create a plan or prototype? Was the challenge well-researched? Was the solution well-designed? -
Potential
How effective would this be at solving the stated challenge or need? Could this scale to address other challenges and/or serve other communities? -
Viability
Can this solution be reasonably implemented and used? Do resources already exist, or are easy to secure, to continue developing this solution to fulfill its potential and impact? Will people be able to easily access and adopt it? -
Impact
How big of an impact will this solution make? How many people and communities will it help?
Questions? Email the hackathon manager
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