Between 14-16 October one hundred developers will join forces at Finn.no in Oslo to help solve real-world problems faced by refugees across Europe. This first hackathon will bring together talent from the tech scene in Norway over three days of inspiring and innovative work. We hope to develop tools and apps that will save lives, preserve dignity and help refugees build a future for themselves across Europe.
Check out the event site and sign up for the hackathon here. If you know developers who could be interested in participating, you can send them this link: http://techfugees-hackathon-oslo.confetti.events
The winning project will be announced by Mike Butcher, founder of Techfugees, at Schibsted’s headquarters in Oslo on Monday 17 October from 09:00 CET.
The hackathon is part of Schibsted’s global partnership with Techfugees, the social enterprise coordinating the international tech community’s response to the needs of refugees. Techfugees uses the community’s unique knowledge and experience to develop technologies to improve life for refugees. Techfugees already has over 11,000 members, including engineers, entrepreneurs, startups, NGOs and other agencies.
Louise Fuchs, Communications Manager for Schibsted Products & Technology who created the partnership, told us, “As a tech-driven media company, this seemed the best way we could help people. ‘Make things better’ has always been part of Schibsted’s DNA, and our global reach meant we could bring experts together to do just that. Oslo Innovation Week opens after the hackathon with the theme of ‘power couples’, and Techfugees and Schibsted are presenting together as a power couple. Our hope is that this will inspire others to follow our example.”
If you can’t attend the Oslo Hackathon then why not organise your own hackathon to help?
Schibsted and Techfugees are keen to host more such events and we can help you create your own event. It’s a great way to harness some amazing skills and make a real difference to the lives of thousands of refugees.