Developers, entrepreneurs, business leaders and more are gathering in Durham this weekend for Triangle Startup Weekend: Trailblazers.
A highlight is a hackathon devoted to developing apps for the disabled. $100,000 in prize money is at stake at a national challenge in July.
“We’re doing something pretty cool with AT&T around assisted mobile technology for people with disabilities,” says Adam Klein, chief strategist for the American Underground, which is hosting the TSW event at its AU at Main offices in Durham. “I think it’s going to make for a unique hackathon with teams venturing into new territory and designing interesting concept and products.”
The hackathon is in honor of the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. AT&T and American Underground are sponsoring the vent and are challenging technology developers in the Triangle to find ways technology can enhance the lives of people with physical, social, emotional, and cognitive disabilities.
The workshop is linked to the first “Connect Ability” tech innovation challenge that is being putting on in cooperation with the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) and New York University’s ABILITY Lab.
Apps must be submitted by June 24.
$100,000 in prizes will be awarded to winning developer teams in the Connect Ability challenge on July 26.
“Technological advances have always played a role in helping people with disabilities overcome barriers,” said Venessa Harrison, President of AT&T North Carolina. “But today’s mobile, digital technologies hold the potential to help people lead fuller, richer lives in ways never imagined. We are excited to work in American Underground to engage the Triangle’s innovative spirit and look forward to seeing the life-changing ideas and solutions which will come from this project.”
Here’s a summary of what else is happening this weekend:
Triangle Startup Weekend: Trailblazers
The event is a 54-hour experience where participants pitch ideas, collaborate with others who have complementary skill sets, get coaching and produce startups that help solve problems around a variety of topics. All are invited to participate–passionate educators, students, entrepreneurs, software developers, designers and anyone with an interest in entrepreneurship.
Speakers include Bryan Young, Senior Strategy Consultant for Marketo, Inc. (based out of San Mateo, CA.) and Olga Santo Tomas Monroe, Bilingual Hispanic Financial Advisor for the Merrill Lynch Carolina East Complex.
Judges include Sharon Hill author, speaker and previously a development and marketing manager at Fortune 500 giant IBM, Dragana Mendel, management consultant and a founder of ANAGARD, LLC, John Austin, Director of Groundwork Labs.
About Startup Weekend
Startup Weekend is a global grassroots movement of active and empowered entrepreneurs who are learning the basics of founding startups and launching successful ventures. It is the largest community of passionate entrepreneurs with over 1800 past events in 120 countries around the world in 2014. We believe that entrepreneurship is the most powerful force to improve education outcomes, prepare people for a rapidly changing world, and empower them to play a role in shaping the future.
