The UN and Sweden join Hack for Earth Foundation to host global hackathon tackling world’s challenges

Hack for Earth to find solutions to UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals at upcoming world exhibition Expo2020 in Dubai.

Hack for Earth Foundation set on finding real solutions to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), through the Hack for Earth hackathon. “It is time to bring the Expo 2020 spirit - connecting minds creating our future - to life, in the global online hackathon Hack for Earth,” says Founder & Secretary General Ann Molin.

The Hack for Earth online global hackathon is organised in collaboration with the UN and the Swedish Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, inviting 10.000+ participants from all over the world to join in the quest for a better world. For the development of solutions, the project will scale through four steps:

Dream for Earth

Over 1000+ dreams for earth from citizens in 60+ countries, have been posted at dreamforearth.com during the three months of the Dream for Earth campaign. All of them will make it to the Swedish pavilion at Expo2020 in the shape of an interactive Dream for Earth exhibition, opening October 1^st.

All dreams shared from the worlds citizens, in videos and texts, have been analyzed with an AI-based tool to find out how the dreams correlate to the SDGs. The analysis of the dreams is part of the citizendriven foundation for the hackathon, creating challenges that competing teams can choose to work on. The content of the Hack for Earth hackathon is therefore based upon what people in the world dream about for our future, connected to the SDGs – i.e. “citizendriven innovation”.

Hack for Earth – making the dreams for earth come to life

People from all over the world are invited to join the online hackathon, where 10.000+ participants will group into teams and use their joint skills to solve the SDGs. Applicants, who only need to be able to communicate in English and have access to a computer and wi-fi, sign up with their team at hackforearth.com, starting September 1^st.

Hack for Earth will officially start online on October 22, 2021 and last for two weeks.

There are seven categories to compete in, based on the SDGs. Each category will have five challenges for the hacker teams to choose from.

Throughout the two week hackathon period, the teams will work on their solution while having access to mentors, workshops, open data, information on relevant subjects and other support from the partner community. The deadline for teams to submit solutions is November 7^th.

Build for Earth

On November 19^th, in a livestreamed ceremony, the appointed jury for the competition will name the winners from each of the seven categories. One representative from each of the seven winning teams will be invited to Expo2020 in Dubai, to compete for the Hack for Earth Award on stage December 15^th. The category winners will pitch their solutions to the Head Jury Group and a live audience.

Though only one team will win the Hack for Earth Award and a trip to learn from the Swedish innovation ecosystem in Stockholm, the high-standard customized acceleration program Build for Earth will incubate all seven category winners. Support will be offered from experts in business advice, team building, and connections with companies and investors worldwide. “It’s imperative for the Hack for Earth Foundation’s mission, and also myself on a deep personal level, that the winners of Hack for Earth are offered the best possible support to become real tools for the good of society. This is our way of giving all the people in the world who have a passion for creating global change, the possibility to do so. To join Hack for Earth is a unique opportunity to impact the most pressing challenges of our time in a hands on way”, says Ann Molin, Founder and Secretary General of the Hack for Earth Foundation.

Pitch for Earth

On Earth Hour Day, March 26^th, 2022, the seven winning teams will be invited back to Expo 2020 Dubai to share their progress with the jury. They will be given live feedback on stage from the jury members in front of a live audience, on how far they have come in creating real tools for the good of society and our planet. The Pitch for Earth event will create the necessary push for the winning teams, who will be expected to work hard on bringing their winning solutions to life directly after the Prize Ceremony’s confetti has landed on December 15^th 2021. And after that, Build for Earth will continue to ensure the best possible support for the winning solutions, making sure they are given what they need to scale and create the global change we all need for our future.

More info & sign up at hackforearth.com