HEALTH TECH 10.0
Healthcare is full of fascinating problems waiting to be solved. In the tenth iteration of this annual hackathon, 150 students from diverse disciplinary backgrounds and a variety of universities descend upon NYC for a weekend of rapid proto-typing with guidance from industry experts. On Sunday teams demo their proof-of-concepts for awards and accolades.
MARCH 7-9, 2025
159 W 25th ST
New YORK NY
36-HOURS OF INNOVATION.
WHY YOU, WHY THIS?
IF YOU'RE KEEN TO COLLAB.
You know that the success of healthcare relies on collaboration across medicine, science, engineering, business, research, and creative.
IF YOU'RE ITCHING FOR IMPACT.
You know that there's major improvement needed in today's healthcare and medical systems and you're going to lead the charge.
IF YOU LIKE SOLVING PROBLEMS.
You've fallen asleep dreaming of ways to improve process, procedure, diagnostics, treatment & workflow in healthcare & medicine.
IF YOU JUST 🤍 HACKATHONS.
A hackathon that's designed for curious, innovative, imaginative, young people interested in having a positive impact. Applying technology to human well-being.
ABOUT
A hacker utilizes whatever is available to solve problems, there is no time to reinvent the wheel. Using open source, APIs, and data, combined with sheer ingenuity and creativity, diverse teams of students work together over the weekend. Hackathon organizers provide the infrastructure to support teams: expert mentors, nutritious food, and an engaging atmosphere. From their 10 years of experience, the hackathon organizers know the schedule, structure, and workshops necessary to elevate the experience and team outcomes.
The 2025 Health Tech Hackathon is an in-person interdisciplinary event bringing together students from across degrees, majors, and schools! On Friday evening, teams comprised of medical, business, engineering, data science, developers, and design students create solutions to improve healthcare. From processes, procedures, diagnostics, treatment, etc using hardware &/or software technology. On Saturday, mentors provide feedback and guidance to teams. On Sunday, the hackathon culminates in a project showcase to an audience of peers, mentors, and sponsors.
A panel of judges selects winners and awards cash prizes to winning teams.
The focus of the hackathon is on improving healthcare. More information and resources are provided as a foundation to accelerate rapid prototyping. A pop-up maker space is also provided by our friends at Cornell Tech.
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Hover over schedule events to learn what's recommended (★), what's mandatory, where to submit registration, team content and for mentors, access to our teams list + locations.
TUESDAY
March 4
5:30-7PM
Join this facilitated session to find a team from the 100+ participants from multiple universities. Everyone has an opportunity to share an idea.
Team Formation
WEDNESDAY
March 5
6:30-8PM
Join this facilitated session to find a team from the 100+ participants from multiple universities. Everyone has an opportunity to share an idea.
Team Formation
FRIDAY
March 7
Check-in & Networking
4:00PM
Network, connect with your team, and get settled in for an amazing weekend.
Hackathon Intro + Kick-Off
5:00PM
MANDATORY
Dinner
6:00PM
Delicious, nutritious meal provided, including vegetarian options.
Location: Kitchen
Day Concludes
9:15PM
Fast-Start Workshop
Bring your laptop, pen or pencil, and get ready to work with your team in this accelerated event.
7:15PM
MANDATORY IN-PERSON
SATURDAY
March 8
Breakfast
8:45AM
Delicious, nutritious meal provided, including vegetarian options.
Location: Kitchen
Mentor Training
10:15AM
Mentors join us for this primer.
10:30AM
MANDATORY IN-PERSON!
One member from each team will report on team's needs / areas of assistance.
Mentor Training
2:15PM
Mentors join us in the 3rd Floor for this primer.
2:30PM
MANDATORY IN-PERSON!
One member from each team will report on team name, one-liner and needs.
Lunch
12:30PM
Delicious, nutritious meal provided, including vegetarian options.
Location: Kitchen
Pitch Workshop
Join Tushar + Alayna for a quick rundown on How to Pitch like a Pro and demo FAQs.
6:30PM
Dinner
6:00PM
Delicious, nutritious meal provided, including vegetarian options.
Location: Kitchen
Day Concludes
10:00PM
Everyone must leave. There are no overnighters.
SUNDAY
March 9
9:00AM
1st Round Demos Kick-Off
Room assignments will be released here by 9AM Sunday morning.
9:30AM
FULL TEAM
MUST BE PRESENT :)
Judges Prep
9:10AM
Bring a laptop or ipad and arrive promptly! We start on time.
Lunch Opens
11:00AM
Hackathon Retrospective
11:30AM
Bring your laptop!
We're doing a live-retro commonly used in Agile to recap a sprint, using Miro.
Final Demos
FULL TEAM MUST BE PRESENT :)
12:15PM
Winners Announced
2:30PM
Day Concludes
3:30PM
Everyone must leave. The hackathon has concluded.
2025 HACKATHON THEME
The Big Idea
Imagine a world where hospitals, clinics, and research institutions could collaborate on AI-driven healthcare solutions without ever exposing sensitive patient data. That’s the power of privacy-preserving AI and health tech innovation! In this challenge, you’ll pave the way for smarter, more accessible, and more efficient healthcare—while keeping patient data secure.
Why It Matters
Healthcare generates massive amounts of valuable data, but privacy regulations and security concerns keep much of it siloed. These barriers slow innovation in diagnostics, treatment planning, and predictive healthcare. What if AI models could learn from diverse healthcare data without compromising patient privacy?
Think of it like this: Instead of hospitals sharing patient records, they only share insights learned from their data. This allows AI to improve diagnostics, optimize workflows, and drive innovation—without exposing personal health information.
Your Mission
Build a working prototype, or strong proof-of-concept, that leverages AI, digital health solutions, or smart data-sharing techniques to solve real-world healthcare challenges while maintaining patient privacy and security. Your solution should demonstrate how technology can enhance care delivery, improve accessibility, and optimize hospital workflows—all while keeping sensitive health data protected.
Keep in Mind
Healthcare organizations generate vast amounts of data that could revolutionize patient care, yet strict privacy regulations and security concerns prevent direct data sharing. Emerging health tech solutions, such as AI-driven analytics and decentralized data collaboration, offer ways to harness this information while preserving patient confidentiality. The challenge lies in implementing these technologies effectively across diverse healthcare settings—ensuring data privacy, maintaining ethical standards, promoting equitable access, and driving meaningful collaboration between hospitals, clinics, and research institutions.
FOCUS AREAS & CHALLENGES
1
Digital Health & AI-Driven Healthcare Solutions
● How might we improve the vulnerability of Medical devices (e.g., pacemakers, insulin pumps, hospital IoT devices) to cyberattacks, risking patient safety and data security.
● How might we address the digital divide and improve access issues for rural and underserved populations?
● How might AI and digital health tools improve diagnostics, treatment planning, or patient engagement?
● How might we improve AI diagnostic tools to eliminate biases due to imbalanced training data, leading to disparities in accuracy across different demographic groups?
● What innovative approaches can be used to improve real-time remote patient monitoring and predictive analytics for chronic disease management?
● How might digital health be leveraged for early disease detection?
2
Health Equity & Accessiblity
● How might technology improve healthcare access and affordability for underserved populations?
● How might we address low health literacy among patients using digital health tools?
● How might AI-powered language translation be effectively implemented to ensure accurate, real-time communication for non-English speaking patients?
● How might technology expand the ability of healthcare providers to influence social, behavioral, and environmental determinants of health within communities?
● How might telehealth platforms be optimized to ensure accessibility for elderly patients and those with physical or cognitive disabilities?
● What role might blockchain or decentralized health data systems play in empowering patients from underserved communities to take control of their health data?
3
Hosptial & Clinical Workflow Optimization
● How might we improve communication and coordination among multidisciplinary healthcare teams to reduce medical errors and enhance patient outcomes?
● How might we address the problem of physicians being too burdened with charting and inefficient patient scheduling to provide optimal care?
● Electronic Health Records (EHRs) from different providers often don’t communicate; how might we address these inefficiencies and data silos?
● How might we mitigate global supply chain disruptions (e.g., during pandemics) that lead to shortages of critical medical supplies?
● MRI and CT scans are expensive and inaccessible in low-resource settings. How might new technologies be implemented to replace expensive imaging equipment and produce more cost effective medical imaging?
● What innovative scheduling solutions might minimize patient wait times and optimize resource allocation in hospitals and clinics?
4
Mental & Behavioral Health Tech
● How might technology help detect, prevent, or manage mental and behavioral health conditions?
● How might AI be used to detect early signs of mental health decline in individuals who may not seek help, such as in individuals with autism or cognitive impairments?
● How might digital mental health tools be designed to maximize long-term patient engagement and adherence, particularly for individuals with conditions like anxiety, depression, or PTSD?
● How might technology effectively provide real-time monitoring and crisis intervention for individuals at risk of self-harm or mental health crises?
● Integration with healthcare systems - What are the key challenges in integrating digital mental health tools with traditional healthcare systems, and how might they be addressed to ensure seamless care coordination?
● How might virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) enhance therapy and treatment for anxiety, PTSD, and other conditions?
5
Personalized & Preventive Healthcare
● Much of healthcare is treating patients after they get sick; how might technology support personalized and preventive healthcare to improve long-term health outcomes?
● How might AI and genetic data be combined to predict potential health risks and provide personalized preventive recommendations while protecting user privacy and autonomy?
● How might AI-driven tools predict the risk of developing certain diseases or conditions (such as cancer or heart disease) before they manifest, providing early intervention opportunities?
● How might digital tools help track micronutrient deficiencies and provide targeted interventions for at-risk populations?
● How might predictive analytics be used to identify at-risk pregnancies early and provide personalized interventions to improve maternal and fetal health?
● How might behavioral science and AI be integrated to create effective interventions for reducing obesity and promoting long-term healthy eating habits?
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