Impact Report

2018-2019

School of Engineering & Applied Science

Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Columbian College of Arts & Sciences

GW Student Association

Department of Biomedical Engineering

Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering

Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering

Department of Computer Science

Department of Engineering Management & Systems Engineering

GW Investment Institute

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UNIVERSITY SPONSORS

George Hacks

Healthcare | Innovation | Entrepreneurship

Reflecting on the past year, we are incredibly proud of the remarkable growth and impact of George Hacks since the Inaugural Medical Solutions Hackathon last March. Located at the George Washington University, George Hacks provides a space for students of all disciplines to come together for a greater purpose: healthcare innovation. Since its establishment in 2018, George Hacks has transformed from an event into a community, changing education by infusing an innovative spirit.

In the past three medical hackathons, we have accumulated more than 130 hackers, 42 pitches, 93 mentors & judges, and 35 collaborators. Problem statements and solutions from our events have since been granted pro bono patents, won prizes at business and entrepreneurial competi-tions, and have been incorporated into departmental senior design programs.

We aim to keep expanding our network within the DMV healthcare ecosystem. Our main focus at the student-level is our annual medical hackathon. However, we provide resources to encour-age students to innovate and create year-round on their own.

I first got involved when I attended VCU’s medical hackathon in November of 2018 as a part of the George Hacks’ Innovators in Action program, where my team developed a medical assis-tive device for those who struggle managing large numbers of medications. After VCU, George Hacks leaders continued to support my team and provided us with the unique opportunity to be mentored by industry professionals as we worked to bring our device to market.

Now, as the director of George Hacks, I have the opportunity to promote the entrepreneurial mindset by exposing students to what it takes to create a feasible, marketable solution, and provide students with resources to move forward in the innovation pipeline.

I am incredibly grateful for all the supporters who have helped make George Hacks what it is to-day, and I am excited to see George Hacks’ continued growth and impact coming into the next academic year.

Caitlyn PrattCaitlyn Pratt

Director of George HacksB.S. Biomedical Engineering 2021

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Meet Our Team

Konstantin MiticCo-Founder

M.S. Biomedical Engineering 2020

Caitlyn PrattDirector | Co-Founder

B.S. Biomedical Engineering 2021

Michael ReadyCo-Founder

B.A. International Affairs, Economics 2019

Brianna CatheyCo-Founder

B.S. Biomedical Engineering 2019

Matt TaylorTechnical Director

M.S. Electrical Engineering 2020

Will DesautelsOutreach Chair

B.B.A. International x Business 2020

Petter Bang-Andreasen

Finance ChairB.B.A. Finance 2020

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George Hacks

Meet Our Team

Abiha JafriEvent OperationsB.S. Biomedical

Engineering 2020

Jinbi TianEvent OperationsB.S. Biomedical

Engineering 2022

Giavanna CorazzaEvent OperationsB.S. Biomedical

Engineering 2022

Huma IlyasEvent OperationsB.S. Mechanical

Engineering 2022

Libby SchillerMarketing Lead

B.A. Political Communication 2020

Freddie LiGraphic DesignerM.S. Computer Science 2020

Christianne ChuaSocial Media Chair

B.S. Biomedical Engineering 2020

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George Hacks

What Will You Change?

We are a s tudent- led organizat ion whose miss ion is to pro -v ide students wi th a p lat form for problem-based, interdis -c ip l inary heal thcare innovat ion for soc ia l impact . We are focused on the intersect ion between the medica l f ie ld and entrepreneurship. Our ‘hackathons’ are innovat ion compe -t i t ions that fac i l i tate ear ly appl icat ion of c lassroom knowl -edge to rea l -wor ld issues, develop teamwork sk i l l s , and improve communicat ion of ideas across d isc ip l ines.

We present innovat ion chal lenges sourced di rect ly f rom the needs of outs ide heal thcare organizat ions to g ive stu -dents the opportuni ty to address ex is t ing speci f ic problems in heal thcare. We promote the entrepreneur ia l mindset by exposing students to what i t takes to create a feas ib le, marketable solut ion, and provide students wi th resources to move forward in the innovat ion pipel ine. We empower young socia l entrepreneurs a f ter our heal thcare innovat ion compet i t ions so that they can make, create, and innovate on thei r own.

EST. 2018

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George Hacks

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2018-2019 STATS

Year in Review3

Hackathons

1st

Medical Hackathon at GWU campus

42

Pitches

$60,000+

Money Raised

19

Sponsors

55

Mentors

16

Partners

131

Student Participants

38

Judges

“George Hacks gives people an incentive to seek out what really excites them about life, whether that’s through what they’ve chosen to study at GW or some other passion that they’ve found in an extracurricular environment. ” Christianne Chua (Biomedical Engineering, 2020)

2019 New Venture Competition Accomplishments

5 George Hacks teams out of 216 entered

5 George Hacks teams out of 36 Semi-Finalists

3 George Hacks teams out of 12 Finalists

4 George Hacks cash prizes out of 15 awarded

$20k in prizes awarded to George Hacks teams

8 Total workshops provided at our Hackathons

3Students companies formed

affiliated with George Hacks events

HACKATHON HIGHLIGHTSSecond Annual Medical Solutions Hackathon

January 26-27, 2019

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At 9:00 AM sharp on January 26th, stu-dents began filing into the B1 Level of SEH for the 2nd Annual George Hacks Medical Solutions Hackathon. Under-graduates signed up for the promise of an intellectual challenge, a chance to showcase their skills, and of course, free food.

The 2nd Annual Medical Solutions Hack-athon was hosted in partnership with the

80+ students divided into 20 teams to tackle real-world challenges from an ex-panded network of healthcare organizations. George Hacks collaborated with Quality of Life Plus, OpenEMR, GW Hospital, and others who brought prob-lems ranging from prosthetic modification, on-campus food insecurity, veteran health care, healthcare access, and more.

Mentors and judges from our community of GW faculty, alum-ni, graduate students, and in-dustry professionals provided technical expertise and feedback integral to students’ success.

Veterans Health Administration and highlighted the intersection between healthcare and entrepreneurship.

Workshops led by our partner organizations provid-ed the opportunity for students to further develop their technical and soft skills.

Teams presented their solutions in two rounds of judging: the demo round showcased the team’s products and designs while the pitch round evaluat-ed the team’s go-to market and business strategy.

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“I was impressed with the variety, worthiness, and urgency of the many needed solutions...It was a pleasure and a learning experience to meet and talk with the other judges, project pre-senters, students, and other participants.

” Bill Edison (GW Alum)

The students exceeded expectations of judges and university faculty, show-casing George Hacks’ mission of healthcare innovation for social impact.

HACKATHON HIGHLIGHTSLantuun Dohio Human-Trafficking Hackathon

October 22-November 11, 2018

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For a one-time special event, George Hacks partnered with Lantuun Dohio, a human trafficking prevention non-profit based in Mongolia to present a hack-athon for combatting human-trafficking.

Students competed to overcome barri-ers in providing adequate resources for child-trafficking victims in rural Mongolia.

“ While traditional hackathons focus on developing ideas over the span of a weekend, the George Hacks Fights Human Trafficking hackathon was a case study to see how successful the model could be with a less-con-densed timeline.

”GW Today

Both graduate and undergraduate students worked in small teams over the course of three weeks to solve issues ranging from solar panel optimization in the face of air pollution to tracking long-term wellness of migrating families and reintegrated children.

“George Hacks Inspires Interdisciplinary Problem Solving.”

HACKATHON HIGHLIGHTSInaugural Medical Solutions Hackathon

March 24-25, 2018

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The Inaugural Medical Solutions Hackathon -- GW’s first medical hackathon -- focused on developing affordable assistive devices. The 24-hour event was held at the Science and Engineering Hall and was open to undergraduate students of all disciplines interested in increasing affordable access to health-care. Teams proposed novel ideas ranging from a reverse view camera for wheelchairs to making assistive devices adaptable for use in Tanzanian refugee camps.

“Not only were the pitches from our sponsors dynamic and challenging, but the solutions presented by participants surpassed our expectations.Multiple teams developed relationships with our sponsor organizations and will be continuing in some format with their project or ideas. This was the ultimate goal of George Hacks, and we are already making big plans for next year.

” Michael Ready (Co-Founder)

“Reflecting on the previous year, I am extremely proud of our accomplish-ments. I remember jumping on a fundrais-ing call and being told that we do not have enough time to organize a quality event and therefore no monetary support would be given. Two months later, we had an incredible inaugural event that set the tone for the continued growth and success of our organization.

” Konstantin Mitic (Co-Founder)

STUDENT HIGHLIGHTSFour George Hacks affiliated student start-ups thrived this past year. We are so proud of their hard work and success. We are excited to see all they accomplish in the future and wish them the best of luck moving forward with their ventures.

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Our director, Caitlyn Pratt, is CEO of her company Takin’ It Easy, LCC, which developed an automatic pill dispenser to alleviate the burden placed on caregivers when taking care of their loved ones. The venture was first developed last November at VCU HealthHacks when George Hacks sent two teams as part of their newly launched Innovators in Action Program.

Takin’ it Easy, LLC

HighlightsTech Venture Runner-Ups ($5,000), 2019 New Venture CompetitionThird Place Undergraduate Track ($750), 2018 Pitch George CompetitionFounding Team, George Hacks Innovators in Action Program

TeamCaitlyn Pratt, SEAS ‘21Sydney Bailes, SEAS ‘19Solomon Abrams, GWSB ‘19

Two former George Hacks participants founded WATTerWagon, which increases water carrying capacity and eliminates strenuous labor for hundreds of millions living in rural water-scarce regions.

WATTer Wagon

HighlightsParticipants, GW Summer Start-up AcceleratorQuinn Prize for Best International & Social Entrepreneurship Venture ($7,500), 2019 New Venture CompetitionParticipants, 2019 George Hacks Medical Solutions Hackathon

TeamJagan Doodala, CCAS ‘19Christian Trummer, SEAS ‘21

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The all-freshman team developed a compact tray for U.S. vet-erans who are wheelchair bound and lack independence. Their problem statement was originally provided by the Veterans Health Administration Innovation Ecosystem at the 2019 George Hacks Medical Solutions Hackathon.

Mobility Innovators

HighlightsSocial Venture Runner-Ups ($5,000), 2019 New Venture CompetitionParticipants, 2019 George Hacks Medical Solutions Hackathon

TeamJustina Pruski (SEAS ‘21)Jonathan Lau (SEAS ‘22)Raymond Yau (SEAS ‘22)Giavanna Corazza (SEAS ‘22)

STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS

Sam Bunger, our web developer, is one of the engineers behind Voxion, a user-friendly and cost-effective solution for consum-er-facing businesses to build custom voice applications.

Voxion

HighlightsParticipants, GW Summer Start-Up CohortTech Venture Honorable Mention ($2,500), 2019 New Venture Competition

TeamSam Bunger (SEAS ‘21)Nathaniel Bury (SEAS ‘22)Saramarie Puzzanghera (SEAS ‘22)

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

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George Hacks co-hosted a makerspace event with the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, GW Innovation Center, and GW Data to showcase GWU’s growing ecosystem of innovation. We opened up interactive activities to engage the student body and work to instill an entrepreneurial mindset at GW. The makerspace exposed GW students to the George Hacks community to showcase how students of all back-grounds can get involved and serve the community through innovation.

Kogan Makerspace Engagement through campus outreach

| October 2, 2018 |

Engagement through hackathon education

At the AAAS Annual Meeting, the George Hacks team had the opportunity to share their work and mission with a community of scientists, presenting their achievements in engaging students through their social impact medical hackathons. The team covered topics on the intersection of healthcare & entrepreneurship, the hackathon lifestyle, the applicable solutions students have created at their events, and the GWU startup ecosystem.

“George Hacks | Promoting Social Change Through Innovation”

| presented at AAAS Annual Meeting | | February 16, 2019 |

Three of the George Hacks leaders attended the CONNECTpreneur Forum in Colum-bia, MD. Caitlyn, Konstantin, and Michael enjoyed meeting with some incredible entre-preneurs, VCs, and business leaders, including Andrew Hermalyn, President of 2U, one of the world’s leading education technology companies.

CONNECTprenneur Engagement through entrepreneurship

| May 2, 2019 |

As the Spring semester came to a close, the team enjoyed bringing the George Hacks community back together once more to reflect on this year’s progress, talk about our future plans, and express gratitude for people’s contribution to George Hacks. Past participants, judges, mentors, faculty supporters, partners, and sponsors enjoyed min-gling while indulging in some hors d’oeuvres and desserts.

Year in Review Social Engagement by reconnecting our network

| May 2, 2019 |

George Hacks was featured in a GW Today article, “GW Students Pursue Startups and Entrepreneurship.” Our director, Caitlyn Pratt, had the opportunity to share how George Hacks helped in launching her own company, Takin’ it Easy: “OIE and George Hacks provided her with the ‘confidence, expertise and guidance to take the initial prototype and develop it into an actual company.’ “

George Hacks in the News Engagement through media outlets

| April 20, 2019 |

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OUR NETWORK

Thank you to our supporters who offer mentorship to our student participants, serve as talented judges, provide vital funding, strengthen our network, and provide thoughtful pitches to our students. We are truly grateful for our George Hacks community.

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Frankie AbralindShahrokh AhmadiSaif AhmedAslani AmirDonna CordnerRollins DuaneChristina DzingalaBill EdisonJessica FloehSusannah FoxRandy GravesShannon HeintzMustafa IbrahimHuma ImdadDorothy Jones-DavisRodney Lake

Meghan McCarthyLex McCuskerJoel MyklebustDick NormanCharles PolingerGregory PrinceMatt RosenfieldRuma SamdaniAnthony ScovazzoNalini SinghLily SooklalScott SteinAnnamaria Konya TannonHoward TischlerErica WorthamJason Zara

JUDGES

Allison BennerBrynn ColeMarc DandinCathy DavisDean David DollingJ’aime DraytonIgor EfimovRaoul GabiamRandy GravesCatherine HarkinsJaclyn HostetterDurriya JacksonRob JonesRodney LakeLucile LisleSandra LittleCarolynn Lodge

Dave McCarthyLex McCuskerDeannah McLeodMaureen NormannRosemary SalakSuzanne ShirleyButhaina ShukriBarb SpringerPhil SwinfieldLoida TapiaAnnamaria Konya TannonMichael VeedockRyan VegaJoanne WelshJason Zara

SPECIAL THANK YOU

Sonaali AgarwalDor Hirsh Bar GaiDavis BeckerAmy BecksteadJoyce BoydJaclyn BrennanSeth CampbellYutong ChenScott CodeBrynn ColeAnuradha DayalRobert DownAnna GamsAli Gerami MatinBrent GroceGeorge Hardigg

MENTORS

Anthony HennigSyed HossainJaclyn HostetterShiang IdaPreethi Sangeetha KathiresanDavid LeeJohn-Hanson MachadoAneri ModiAsghar MostafaWilliam MurphySean NolanAlexis PetrikisGregory PrinceMatthew RowleyIndra Sandal

Melissa SauveJon SavageMohammad ShamsSuzanne ShirleyLily SooklalJonathan StefkovichCan SuerZhengyang TangJerome ThompsonAlok TibrewalaRem TolentinoRory TurnerShannon VerchCarl Wick Dave WilsonFrederick ZasadnyHe Zhang

OUR NETWORK

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Veterans Health AdministrationOfficial Partner of George Hacks

In January of 2019, the Veterans Health Administration became an official partner of George Hacks. We are proud to join the VHA to highlight the many areas in which students can improve the lives of U.S. Veterans living with a wide range of disabilities incurred while serving our country. At the 2019 Medical Solutions Hackathon, attending local veterans gave students the unique opportunity to address their personal medical needs, ranging from prosthetic adaptations for outdoor activities to medical examination accessibility. We are incredibly grateful to be able to give our competitors the opportunity to improve the lives of those who dedicated their lives to improving ours, and we look forward to broadening our impact in continu-ing our engagement with the veteran population in future events.

OUR NETWORK

OUR NETWORK

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2018-2019 Sponsors

WHATWILLYOUCHANGE?

George Hacks at the George Washington University800 22nd Street NW

Washington, D.C., 20052

georgehacks.org

@GeorgeHacksDC

@george.hacks