GlobalHack VI is all about solving a software problem and bringing attention to St. Louis’ tech scene.
This software competition is focused on helping the St. Patrick Center, a local non-profit that serves the homeless.
The $1 million in cash prizes is helping attract software engineers, graphic designers and other technologists from a wide area. GlobalHack executive director Matt Menietti said earlier this week that 1,200 people had signed up from 33 states and five countries.
He said he hopes they’ll get to know St. Louis a bit more.
“We’ve come a long way in the last 10 years,” Menietti said, “but I think it’s world class events like GlobalHack that will really plant a flag in the region and say this is a city that will really put its money where its mouth is and get stuff done.”
Loading...
The overall grand prize is $150,000 with teams placing first through fifth in youth, college and professional categories also receiving cash prizes bringing the total to $750,000.
Another $250,000 in follow-on funding will help the teams with the most promising solutions implement them and take the prototypes to market.
“We wanted to make sure that there was an incentive for people to work after the hackathon, so that’s why we set aside the prize money,” Menietti said.
The event officially kicks off Friday at 6 p.m.and will end with a closing ceremony Sunday at 2 p.m.
Follow Maria on Twitter: @radioaltman
