AI NGO & Hackathon
Bridging AI innovation with real-world social challenges through collaborative problem-solving
Next Hackathon Details
When
February 2025
48-hour hackathon event
Where
Boston, MA
Venue TBA
Format
Hybrid Event
In-person & virtual participation
Our Vision
Rooted in our experience running Workers Assist, Sinthome Hackathon brings real-world challenges to AI practitioners and university students, creating a space for mutual learning and development of practical solutions for social good.
Bridging AI and Social Impact
Sinthome Hackathon starts with a simple question: how can AI offer better solutions to the difficult problems faced by nonprofit organizations?
We believe the answer emerges from creating links between nonprofit workers, interested students and AI practitioners. By bringing together students, young professionals, and nonprofit workers, the hackathon fosters mutual learning across diverse perspectives and creates a shared space to reimagine how technology can be practiced in the service of public good.
This year's subthemes highlight diverse challenges, from supporting Asian workers in Boston with language access, to providing peer counseling for youth mental health, to empowering small and medium-sized manufacturers through industry-specific AI agents.
Our Objectives
Giving Voice to Communities
Helping NGOs and local disadvantaged communities clearly articulate their needs, turning these needs into actionable prompts for AI tools development.
Cultivating Social Awareness
Building bridges between students, young professionals, and nonprofit workers, enabling mutual learning on how AI technologies can be transformed into social impact.
Driving Practical Solutions
Developing practical and sustainable solutions to challenges in social work, such as language barriers, employment skills, and youth mental health.
Integrating Humanities with Technology
Encouraging participants to explore the humanistic value of AI through real-world social issues, fostering dialogue between technology and the humanities.
Event Timeline
Planning Phase - Help Wanted!
Currently organizing partners and finalizing challenges
We're recruiting:
- • Organizers - Help plan and coordinate the event
- • NGO Partners - Bring real-world challenges
- • Tech Company Sponsors - Provide resources and mentorship
Registration Opens
January 2025 - Sign up and form teams
Kickoff Event
February 14, 2025 - Opening ceremony, challenge presentations
Workshops & Mentorship
February 14-15 - Technical workshops, mentor office hours
Hacking Period
February 15-16 - 48 hours of building with mentor support
Demo & Judging
February 16, 2025 - Present solutions, awards ceremony
Focus Areas & Challenges
Language Access for Asian Workers
Supporting 400+ workers in the Boston area with real-time translation and communication tools.
Partner: Workers Assist
Challenge: Build AI-powered tools for workplace communication, healthcare navigation, and civic participation
Youth Mental Health Support
Creating peer counseling systems and early intervention tools for young people.
Focus: Culturally sensitive mental health resources
Challenge: Develop AI chatbots and support matching systems
Industrial AI for Small Manufacturers
Empowering small and medium manufacturers with AI-driven decision tools.
Partner: Plantcore.AI
Challenge: Create accessible AI agents for inventory, quality control, and production planning
Employment Skills & Job Readiness
Training and job matching platforms for immigrant workers.
Focus: Skills assessment and personalized training paths
Challenge: Build AI-powered career coaching and job matching tools
Resources & Support
Technical Resources
- • API access to partner data
- • Cloud computing credits
- • AI model access (GPT, Claude)
Mentorship
- • Industry AI practitioners
- • NGO domain experts
- • Technical workshop leaders
Prizes & Recognition
- • Implementation with partner NGOs
- • Mentorship opportunities
- • Conference presentations
Ready to Make a Difference?
Whether you're a student, AI practitioner, nonprofit worker, or community member, we invite you to be part of this transformative initiative. Together, we can build AI solutions that truly serve the public good.
Registration opens January 2025 for the February 14-16 hackathon. Join our mailing list to be notified.