Cincinnati-based innovation hub Flywheel is spearheading a Housing Stability Hackathon, inviting innovators and entrepreneurs to join forces in addressing housing instability.
The initiative aims to find digital solutions and insights to intervene early and prevent families from transitioning from at-risk housing to homelessness.
The hackathon, conducted in collaboration with the city of Cincinnati and the Human Services Impact Award, is part of a broader effort led by Strategies to End Homelessness. The organization says one in every 14 renting families in Cincinnati faces eviction filings.
“People don’t reach out for some sort of service until their crisis has gotten to a certain level, and most of the time, by then, it’s too little, too late. What we’re trying to do is identify people before their situation has escalated,” said Strategies to End Homelessness president Kevin Finn.
Hackathon details
The one-week sprint, which is open to the public, kicks off on Jan. 26. Participants will be given access to a portal containing research and data, along with office hours for feedback and questions from service providers. The event also encourages the use of additional personal or organizational data. Contestants are expected to deliver pitch presentations in front of an audience and panel of judges on Feb. 2.
Prizes
Participants have the chance to win various prizes, including a $1,000 cash prize for the winning idea. The top idea will also receive acceptance into Flywheel Elevate Equity Accelerator 2024, featuring a $5,000 cash investment, an eight-week startup training program, personalized coaching and access to Flywheel’s network for social and financial capital.
Additional prizes include residency with a partner organization and potential future contracts with the collaborative.
“We’re looking forward to seeing some promising ideas that can bring new solutions to old problems, especially for communities disproportionately affected, such as Black women with children, who are twice as likely to be threatened with eviction,” said
Laura Tepe, Flywheel executive director.
Interested participants can register and find more information about the hackathon here.
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This article appears in Dec 27, 2023 – Jan 9, 2024.
