Report of the Harvard Health Systems Innovation Hackathon 2024

Abstract

This report reflects on the experiences of the 5th annual Harvard Health Systems Innovation Lab’s Hackathon, held on April 5th and 6th, 2024. The event, themed ‘Building High-Value Health Systems: Harnessing Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence’, took place across eight global Hubs: Boston, Buenos Aires, Kyiv, Lima, Chiclayo, London, Santiago, and São Paulo. Organized under the guidance of Professor Rifat Atun and a dedicated team, the Hackathon aimed to foster innovation in healthcare systems by bringing together diverse participants to develop practical solutions to critical health challenges. The Hackathon featured three tracks: Cardiovascular Diseases and Diabetes, Cancer, and Mental Health. Out of over 1100 applications, about 500 participants were selected to join the hackathon across all Hubs. Participants, supported by mentors, developed and pitched their solutions to local and global judging panels. All teams pitched to the local judges, with 20 teams advancing to the global judging. The global judges selected the final winning teams, who joined the HSIL Venture Incubation Program. Key recommendations for future hackathons include early engagement with Hubs, supporting new hubs through partnerships with experienced ones, leveraging social media for participant recruitment, and building strong partnerships for support of teams during and after the Hackathon. Participant feedback indicated high satisfaction, with an overall event rating of 4.32 out of 5. The 2024 HSIL Hackathon successfully facilitated collaboration, innovation, and knowledge exchange, reinforcing its mission to create ventures that add value to health systems globally. Future hackathons will focus on strengthening partnerships and expanding the network of hubs to enhance global impact.