what is Hackathon:

A hackathon is an event where participants (hackers) team up to find solutions and concepts in a short period of time, tackling the stated problems. The goal is to give everyone the opportunity to use their abilities for the common good and to strengthen community engagement.

Anyone with an idea or even already a project already under construction related to published problem set is welcome! No previous hackathon experience or knowledge of programming is required. Only common sense, creativity and motivation!

As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, so do the risks we face. The COVID-19 pandemic has not stopped at national borders. It has affected people regardless of nationality, level of education, income or gender. But the same has not been true for its consequences, which have hit the most vulnerable hardest. Education is no exception.Those from disadvantaged backgrounds often remained shut out when their schools shut down. This crisis has exposed the many inadequacies and inequities in our education systems – from access to the broadband and computers needed for online education, and the supportive environments needed to focus on learning, up to the misalignment between resources and needs. The educational community have made concerted efforts to maintain learning continuity during this period, children and students have had to rely more on their own resources to continue learning remotely through the Internet, television or radio. Teachers also had to adapt to new pedagogical concepts and modes of delivery of teaching, for which they may not have been trained. In particular, learners in the most marginalised groups, who don’t have access to digital learning resources or lack the resilience and engagement to learn on their own, are at risk of falling behind.

Hackathon vision:

We believe this Hackathon’s ambition goes beyond a simple brainstorming task. We are aiming at contributing to a larger movement which is keeping people connected and committed to social good. We know this will only be the beginning, but we look forward to having your energy, impactful participation and creativity.

Why join?

There are many great, tangible reasons for joining a virtual hackathon:

• Increase your experience working in small groups
• Share your skills
• Help build better products
• Make friends
• Meet potential employers/colleagues
• Gain confidence in explaining your ideas to new people
• Gain mastery of virtual tools and working online
• Learn new skills and hacks
• Try out new tools for free
• Give something back for the greater good

Smart-Edu Hackathon Schedule

* All interested Egyptians / foreign expats. Interested teams (formed from 1 to 6 persons) will be asked to fill the enrollment application, expressing their interest in working on a solution for a Smart Edu-hackathon.
** The problem set will be published to all applicants ( the video must be uploaded to youtube and then the link should be submitted to your account on our website.
*** The submitted 1-minute video must explain a solution to one of the problems mentioned in the problem set.
**** The judges will announce the qualified teams to the next round. In this round, the teams will have a 72 hours period to work on their 5-minutes video pitch providing their detailed solution.
***** Upon judging the video, 15 finalist teams will be chosen to advance to the final phase, where they will be given 48 hours to prepare for their 10 minutes live video pitching to the whole judging panel, to name the 3 winners.

Awards

First Place: 30,000 EGP
Second Place: 20,000 EGP
Third Place:10,000 EGP

FAQ:

• Why is it called Hackathon?

The word "hackathon" is a portmanteau of the words "hack" and "marathon", where "hack" is used in the sense of exploratory programming, not its alternate meaning as a reference to breaching computer security

• Is hackathon a competition?

A hackathon is a competition designed to encourage participants to apply their knowledge, creativity and skills towards solving a problem through a piece of software (like an application) that addresses the problem, for a business or organization

• Are hackathons good for resume?

Absolutely! Listing hackathons on your resume is a great way to stand out! ... You just need to mention the contributions you made at hackathons.

• Which language should i submit my video?

English or Arabic.

• Is there any registration fees ?

No , it is for free

• How many members in the team?

From one to six

• Is there any age restrictions for the participants?

Yes, All of them must be at least 16 years old.

• How can I know if my team is successfully registered?

Once your registration is approved you will receive an email.

• What are the qualifications needed to participate?

You are an Egyptian citizen/resident, not under 16 years old and of course you are holding a magnificent idea in your mind !

• Where will the Hackathon take place?

The event will held completely online.

• What is the criteria for the evaluation of the Submissions?

The submissions will be evaluated based on the following criteria: relevance, innovativeness, feasibility, quick actionability, long term viability, and impact on the society. We will have winners in all four topics, so you should focus on one challenge