What is Smart Cities Hackathon?

Smart Cities Hackathon is a student-focused innovation competition that provides a unique experiential learning experience.​ It encourages and develops creative thinking, entrepreneurship, and problem-solving skills by bringing together students from diverse backgrounds to work together on addressing real-world challenges. ​ The teams receive support from subject-specific mentors and technical specialists, and then showcase their solutions in a fun and lively environment to be adjudicated by a panel of experts consisting of investors, partners, school representatives, and domain specialists. ​

The winning teams will have the opportunity to receive prizes and be considered for applied research project investment opportunities.​

Thinking North Investor Network is the title sponsor of this hackathon. They offer unique opportunities for students to showcase their innovation to a Bay Street investors. This is the fourth annual Seneca-sponsored hackathon. and the first since the pandemic to offer an in-person finale.

We welcome Wasausking First Nation community with whom we have developed a First Nations People Health Care Challenge set along with partner Roche Data Science.

Who can participate?

You can register as either a team or solo participant (You can team-up with other solo contestants later). To register for the Smart Cities Hackathon 2023 you must qualify at-least one of the following criteria:

• Any Student/Alumni/Team of Seneca College.
• Any student from other learning institutions provided a Seneca student is included in their team.
• Student/Team from Partner School: (list will grow) York University, Conestoga College, PIM University, Universidad del Rosario

Prizes

• Overall champion team: $5,000
• Runner-up prize: $2,000
• Roche Data Science Prize for top First Nations People Health Care Solution: $2,500
• Thinking North Entrepreneurship Prize: Top three teams each have private lunch with Bay Street VC Team
• SWAG including T-shirts, Lanyards, Door Prizes

Team Rules

• Minimum Team Size: 2 (We will help solo participants to team-up!)
• Maximum Team Size: 5
• Minimum one student from Seneca College or Partnered Institute must be in the team unless from a Partner School. (We will help you team-up if you're registering from a non-partnered institute).

What's in it for you?

• Industry exposure and subject domain knowledge
• Formal Seneca Microcredentials for participants, organizers and winners
• Experiential Learning that you can reference on your resume and in interviews
• Network & work with Industry Leaders, Investors, Academia, Entrepreneurs, Peers
• Fun! A well-deserved, post-covid innovation fest!

Important Dates!

• Hackathon Registration Closes: April 29th
• Hackathon Qualifier Round (Virtual): May 2nd – May 3rd
• Keynote Sessions: May 2nd, May 5th (Virtual), & May 6th (On-Premises)these include sessions from Rupa Banerjee, David Peterson, Nigel Turner, Steve Singh,
• Live Mentoring Session: May 2nd & May 5th
• Hackathon Final: May 5th (Day 1 – Virtual) & May 6th (Day 2 – Hybrid Seneca CITE Building)
• On-Site Mentoring and Judging: May 6th

Website

https://www.senecahackathon.com

Socials

https://linktr.ee/Seneca.hackathon?fbclid=PAAaYFVSdTqRQRsPECYEwE0XpSecmdw5YBkgONxfPjnCqCTi87ZmojqNma2FA