HSI helps partners move from “this could change how we serve people” to a focused challenge that talented builders can explore, prototype, and evaluate with care.
We are looking for organizations that want technology to expand what they can do for beneficiaries. Examples include climate, housing, homelessness, legal aid, public health, education, human rights, civic services, journalism, economic mobility, food security, accessibility, and many other mission areas.
A lightweight process keeps the work focused before, during, and after the hackathon.
A strong partnership is a clear exchange: partners bring mission context and judgment, while HSI brings builders, structure, momentum, and support.
Context, access, and judgment that help teams build responsibly.
Fresh technical energy around a challenge your organization cares about.
Previous HSI events have paired technical teams with mission-driven organizations across climate, housing, legal aid, homelessness, journalism, justice, and democracy.
No. Your most important contribution is domain expertise: who you serve, what the real-world context looks like, and what would be useful in practice.
Sensitive information should not be shared without a clear privacy plan. Many partners use public, redacted, aggregated, or synthetic materials instead.
We typically ask for 2 to 3 short prep meetings, at least one representative during the hackathon, judging participation, and one follow-up conversation after the event.
Yes. We invite partners to participate as judges so winning solutions are evaluated for real-world usefulness, ethical fit, and practical adoption.
HSI and partners review promising prototypes and discuss possible testing, refinement, pilot opportunities, or continued collaboration.