Hacking for sustainability: WIT-ACE and IBM to host all-women hackathon

The effects and consequences of climate change are far-reaching and consequential. With glaciers melting, higher temperatures, changing weather patterns, rising sea levels – the effects of climate change must be addressed with urgency and in an efficient manner.

To address this, Women in Technology (WiT-ACE), in partnership with IBM, is organising its second annual All Women virtual hackathon from June 16-June 18 on the theme ‘She the Force-Hack for Sustainability’.

The second edition of the annual hackathon is expected to attract over 1,500 women technology professionals from leading technology companies to address the climate change crisis, along with the challenges of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, the inaugural event saw 425 teams from more than 100 companies participate in line with the theme ‘Tech Solutions to Accelerate the New Normal’.

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In a press statement, Anuranjita Kumar, Founder and CEO, WiT-ACE said,

“The annual WiT-ACE Hackathon this year has been conceived as a powerful platform for women techies to not only showcase their planning and coding skills, but also to take charge and come together for a larger cause of saving our planet and leaving a better world for our future generations."

"As the world reels under the effects of a global pandemic, we have been reminded once again about the looming threats to global ecology. This year, we are urging innovators to focus their efforts towards global sustainability and create worldwide impact through their innovations,” she said.

Usha Srikanth, Senior Partner and Client Services Leader, IBM India, said in a press statement: “Science is telling us that the climate crisis is accelerating, and the world must adapt. Innovation is needed, and we at IBM believe that developers can leverage open-source technologies including AI, Cloud, and IoT to create solutions to take on the world’s most pressing issue of Climate Change. Partnering with WiT-ACE for this Hackathon, we look forward to groundbreaking ideas that can transform the world into a safer, greener future.” 

This year, the hackathon will focus on ideation and building technology to create a constructive impact on the world for a more sustainable future. Additionally, the teams will be mentored by industry stalwarts from WiT-Ace and IBM during the run-up to the three-day event.

Interested women professionals can register at https://wit-ace.com/events/marquee/detail/660433-she-the-force-wit-ace-hackathon. Free early-bird registrations are open till June 9, 2021.