USC Marshall and UCLA Anderson Announce ‘Hack for Hope’ Winners
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Unified USC-UCLA team developing 3D-printed reusable respirator masks takes home top prize Los Angeles (April 24, 2020) — Traditional rivals USC Marshall School of Business and UCLA Anderson School of Management united earlier in April to fuel a search for solutions to problems caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The joint effort, an online hackathon called Hack for Hope, empowered more than 600 students and community members from both schools to help deliver 89 projects, create new connections and help make a positive contribution. “Hack for Hope was designed to give current and former students a direct and constructive way to confront the reality of COVID-19 and help out those in our and their communities,” said UCLA Anderson alumna Dr. Elissa Grossman (’96, Ph.D. ’05), director of USC’s Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, Orfalea Director’s Chair in Entrepreneurship and professor of clinical entrepreneurship at USC Marshall. “Our goal was to foster community, encourage collaboration and turn ideas into action. We were so inspired by the participants’ energy, commitment, and contributions.” “We were very impressed by the global scope of the teams; they included undergraduates, graduate students and alumni, along with professionals from business, technology, health care, edtech and entertainment,” said Elaine Hagan (’91), associate dean of entrepreneurial initiatives at UCLA Anderson School of Management and executive director of the school’s Harold and Pauline Price Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. “Their ability to provide real-time solutions that have already benefited at-risk community members has given the organizers confidence that we have moved from hope to impact, for which participants should be commended.” Each team was asked to submit a two-minute video describing the problem and their solution. Judges awarded a total of $38,500 in prize money to the most promising projects — specifically, to fund prototype development, proof of concept work or community outreach directed at students or workers in need of extra support at this time. For additional details and to view the team videos, visit https://hackforhope.devpost.com/.
Hack for Hope was a call for entrepreneurs, creators, web developers, mentors and volunteers across the region to come together to identify problems arising from the crisis and create solutions. The only requirement was that at least one team member be a UCLA or USC student, alumnus, staff member or faculty member. The event invited teams to form and solve problems caused by the unprecedented coronavirus pandemic along two tracks: Hack for Now, in which participants developed prototypes ready for rapid deployment or production, and Hack for the Future, where participants anticipated opportunities likely to emerge in the post-COVID-19 world. Teams developed ideas ranging from health and wellness, online education, communication and connections to vulnerable populations, entertainment, and small and larger businesses. Partners in Hack for Hope included Twitter, Product Managers Association of LA (PMA.LA), the UCLA Biodesign Program, Artificial Intelligence Los Angeles (AILA) and theapollo.media. Follow #HackForHope @USCGreif @USCMarshall @uclaanderson About UCLA Anderson School of Management About USC Marshall School of Business |