2025 Harvard Health Systems Innovation Hackathon

• Hackathon Structure: Over two engaging days at your local hub, teams will tackle healthcare challenges, devising innovative solutions and refining their ideas with the support of local mentors, with expertise in healthcare, health systems, Artificial Intelligence, and digital health. You will present your pitch to a local judging panel at the end of day two, where the first-place winning teams from each hub will advance to impress a global panel online in the following two weeks. Successful teams will join the lab’s online four-week Venture Incubation Program set for May/June 2025 (approximately two events/week with flexible scheduling & individual mentoring).
• Who can participate?: We are seeking enthusiastic students, postdocs, and young professionals who are passionate about innovation, and leveraging AI health solutions. We are looking for a diversity of applicants forming cross-disciplinary teams leveraging expertise in healthcare, public health, medicine, engineering, computer science, and business.
• Team criteria: Our Hackathon is designed to support early-stage innovations, fostering an environment where individuals and teams can develop and refine their ideas. While mature innovations are welcome, the focus is on early-stage development. Over the two-day event, participants can identify a health system challenge or work on a pre-existing idea related to health and AI. We’ve identified 11 priority challenges which will be shared with the participants, but their use is optional.
• Team size: We recommend forming diverse teams of 3-5 members to enhance the innovation process. Participants can join as individuals, teams, or early-stage startups, working on either non-profit or for-profit ventures. For those wishing to participate in the Post-Hackathon Venture Incubation Program, conducted in English, at least one or two team members should be proficient in the language. Please make sure that all team members register individually.
• Prototyping and presentation: There is no requirement for teams to present fully working prototypes during the pitches. Concept-stage ideas are welcome, and we’re open to creative presentation methods. The key is for teams to convey a clear understanding of how their prototype would function. Judges will be looking for compelling presentations that effectively communicate the concept and potential impact of your innovation.
• Team formation: Once applicants are accepted into the Hackathon, they can join a Zoom Q&A session, held by their local Hub two weeks before the event. This session is an opportunity to introduce themselves, explore specific challenges, and ask questions. Additionally, Slack groups will be set up for each Hub. Teams can be formed on Slack before the Hackathon begins or on the first day of the event.

Participation:

We are looking for a diversity of applicants forming cross-disciplinary teams leveraging expertise in healthcare, public health, medicine, engineering, computer science, and business.

The registration is closed.