Hackathon: The big ideas that could make an impact

Twelve big ideas. One hundred emerging leaders from 80 companies and stakeholders. Two-and-a half-days to make a difference. So what was the American Chamber Future Leaders’ Hackathon all about, and what came out of it?

Katie Keogh, director of special projects at the American Chamber of Commerce Ireland, explains the Hackathon Challenge was to create an innovation, service or product that helps Ireland to be the best place to live and work. “It was delivered in partnership with the DCU Ryan Academy for Entrepreneurship, with participants pitching their ideas on opening before, as a group, collectively selecting the top 12 ideas and forming into multi-disciplinary, cross-sector, cross-functional teams for a 48-hour marathon of moving through the design thinking process from an idea to a minimum viable project.”

We spoke to three participants about their big ideas.

1. The winning pitch: DataLock

Marie McSweeney, head of support operations, Dropbox

“The problem we were trying to solve was the issue of the transfer of personal data in the rental market. When you are renting, you often have to hand over a lot of personal details before you ever get to sign a lease.

DataLock, our solution, is a cloud-based secure application where this information can be stored securely, so a landlord knows you have all of your details in place but you, as the customer, are not exposing your personal information unnecessarily.

The application works by allowing you to upload your personal details to a safe and secure system. The landlord is notified when your details are in place but doesn’t receive them until you sign the lease.

The idea came about because a lot of people and companies are thinking about data protection right now. With GDPR and the conversation around privacy, it struck me that you are giving out a lot of personal information when you are in the rental market and once it leaves your hands, you don’t know where it goes from there.

Although it was specifically designed for the Hackathon, I think there are lots of potential areas of use for DataLock. A lot of companies are getting involved in the space now but it is often the case that the consumer is notified about their data after the fact – who hasn’t received emails from everything from old recruiters to long-gone gym memberships over the past few weeks?”

2. Sorted

Audrey Chew, operations graduate project officer, Dublin Airport

“When I started working full-time, I encountered new difficulties that I never had as a student. Buying stamps and getting things fixed at home became a hurdle as these could only be done during working hours. I wished that I could pay someone with ample time to help me. That’s how my idea, Sorted, came about. Busy professionals could reduce their workload while providing an opportunity for people with ample time, such as the retired and student population, to engage with their community while earning an income.

With a multi-skilled and diverse team of nine, we developed an app which could help connect and empower these people to achieve their life balance. Feedback from more than 50 potential customers validated the need for our solution in Ireland as it was relatable to their everyday lives – the lack of time, money, or community engagement opportunities.”

3. IREcycle

Lisa Murray, leader of business transformation, Verizon

“IREcycle is an app which can scan a product image, bar-code or recycle code and tell the user how and where an item can be recycled in their location. It solves a real problem: despite awareness campaigns, there continues to be a huge amount of confusion about how to recycle smart (we ran a survey which confirmed this) – and that results in a significant amount of contaminated recycling.

The IREcycle team I pulled together was amazing – a diverse group of marketers, developers, and change experts. The concept evolved over the Hackathon as we engaged with a range of Government bodies and private firms, and the end result was a gamified app that would encourage communities, businesses and schools/colleges to recycle smart. The learning opportunity was amazing: the engagement and sponsorship we achieved in the short space of time is a testament to what can be done.”