by Dave Moore, Staff Writer
Less than a year after connecting hundreds of aspiring technologists to several Fortune 100 companies, HackDFW is returning to the Dallas Region.
Last October, the HackDFW hackathon — which attracted more than 600 participants — generated a flood of resumes for event sponsors and awarded $20,000 in prizes, including a grand prize to a team from the University of Texas at Dallas.
In a 48-hour period, the winning team of Megan Tran, Reshmi Ranjith, Saloni Shivdasani, Medha Jonnada, Medha Jonnada and Bryant Hou built a digital platform called “Health Quest,” which allows children and adults to track their health progress through fun virtual quests.
Last year, team members showed up with sleeping bags and laptops, staying up all night to complete their projects on the floor of the Comerica Center in Frisco. This year, the competition is Sept. 23-25 on the top floors of Cityplace Tower, just north of downtown Dallas.
The 2022 HackDFW sponsor list keeps growing. Google is the presenting sponsor, and Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas is the platinum sponsor. Gold sponsors include McKesson, CarMax, PepsiCo, State Farm, and Tyler Technologies. PepsiCo, Tyler Technologies, and CarMax are new sponsors. Silver sponsors include Digit7, Lockheed Martin, and Children’s Health. Exhibitor sponsors include USAA, Slalom, Dallas Mavericks, and Goldman Sachs.
“The returning sponsors — and this year’s new sponsors — mean expanding career opportunities for HackDFW participants,” said event organizer Duane Dankesreiter, who is the DRC’s Senior Vice President of Research and Innovation.
The chamber’s talent-attraction arm — Say Yes to Dallas — is powering the event. HackDFW attracted participants from across the country, including Washington, D.C.-based Howard University.
“Last year we gave over 600 resumes to participating companies,” Dankesreiter said. “I can’t think of a better way for an employer to find tech talent than spending 48 hours at HackDFW, watching and working with these aspiring technologists. We’re excited to see what great solutions are created in such a short time. The energy the attendees bring when solving each challenge is contagious.”
Companies and individuals interested in participating in HackDFW can learn more here.