The 2016 AquaHacking event will focus on the Saint Lawrence River in Quebec with a summit to be held in Montreal in October.
By Drew Bush
AquaHacking will bring together water stakeholders and technology enthusiasts (and hackers) to solve freshwater issues including those related to climate change. The weeks-long hackathon will culminate in a two-day summit in Montreal, QC on October 6 & 7, 2016.
The organizers of the event believe it’s a great opportunity for developers and water researchers alike to come together to address problems of water preservation and gain valuable exposure and contacts with NGO’s, companies, and government organizations. The second annual event is organized through a partnership between IBM Canada and the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation.
Participants will have a chance to win up to $50,000, sign their first client contract, have their solution supported by recognized incubators, win accounting/legal/marketing advice, access software/hardware companies, and showcase their projects to high-profile decision-makers and investors.
Last year’s challenge brought 300 participants together with 70 hackers developing ten mobile/web applications to preserve the Ottawa River. The first place winner was the River Ranger application that allows anyone to help collect data about streams, lakes, rivers, and bays. All of the applications were then distributed to the local community.
Those interested in this year’s challenge can sign up here. Or follow @AquaHacking on Twitter.
If you have thoughts or questions about the article, get in touch with Drew Bush, Geothink’s digital journalist, at drew.bush@mail.mcgill.ca.
