Prepr and AngelHack have partnered to bring the world’s largest hackathon to Toronto this Victoria Day long weekend. The hackathon is a two-day event at the MaRS Discovery District where teams compete to be the next great tech start-up by building innovative and useful software. The winning team walks away with $100,000 in prizes, mentorship for 12 weeks and a chance to pitch to investors – an incredible opportunity for young Canadian entrepreneurs.
Although it is a competition, there is a strong sense of community and camaraderie at AngelHack. It’s a place where ‘hacknucks’ can learn developer tools, meet new friends, and form new partnerships. By bringing together 150+ developers AngelHack creates an atmosphere that is electric, alive with new ideas and the challenge of creating something new in only 24 hours. The rules allow teams to conceptualize and research their idea, design digital mockups, and even begin branding before the competition. The only rule – no hacking (also known as coding) until the official start on Saturday morning.
While many teams come to the event with an idea already solidified, others come looking to build on someone else’s idea. Prepr Foundation, an open education non-profit, has partnered with AngelHack to give developers the chance to ‘Hack for Good’ by creating new software with a social twist. Prepr co-founder, Salar Chagpar, explains “The PreprHack gives teams the option to create software around one of our ideas, and be part of a larger movement.”
The hackathon begins Saturday May 18th at the MaRS Discovery District, an event sponsor and innovation centre that supports entrepreneurs by catalyzing, accelerating and amplifying innovation. MaRS is a place where technology and social entrepreneurs get the help they need, and where people come together to spark ideas – an ideal place for a hackathon.