ATX Hacked for Change

Addressing homeless needs, spreading the ideas of social-good efforts in Austin and improving access to mental health resources were some of the causes highlighted by nearly 200 members of the Austin tech community during a multiday hacking spree at St. Edward’s University. The winner of the latest ATX Hack for Change was Goodzilla, a team focused on creating digital kiosks that would let members of the local homeless population “reserve” a physical item they need and arrange a donation from a local business, or access a service they need as well. The “Most Austin” project was Good Emporium, which attempted to create a map of local social-good initiatives across the city. The “Most Hacked Forward” project was Alignment (the Mental Health Directory), which sought to fill in the persistent gaps in Google search for those seeking mental health assistance. The “Best Use of Data and Research” project was Alternative Mobility Support System, which wants to decrease automobile use by using artificial intelligence to improve safety for bikes and other nonmotorized transport. The “Most Sustainable” project was Ozone Heroes, which attempted to build an app that can minimize the impact of poor air quality for Central Texans.