Huntsville — The HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology is teaming with Urban Engine to host the fifth HudsonAlpha Tech Challenge May 6-8.
The HudsonAlpha Tech Challenge, or HATCH, is a life sciences hackathon where participants compete to solve real-world issues faced by researchers in genomics, genetics and biotechnology. This year’s event will take place in person on the HudsonAlpha campus.
“HudsonAlpha is excited to be back in person for HATCH. While last year’s virtual hackathon generated the largest number of participants, some from outside the U.S., having teams back on HudsonAlpha’s Biotech campus will be fantastic,” said Carter Wells, HudsonAlpha vice president for economic development. “There are so many real-world challenges within the field of genomics; HATCH highlights the real-world challenges within the field of genomics and promotes careers in biology- and computer science-related areas that have a positive impact on people everywhere.”
The goal of the HudsonAlpha Tech Challenge is to inspire creativity through collaboration and energize the current and next generation of problem-solvers to conceive and construct innovative solutions to biotech challenges.
HudsonAlpha is hosting the event with Urban Engine, a Huntsville-based nonprofit that specializes in innovation programs including hackathons and business accelerators. This is the fifth year the two nonprofits have teamed up for the hackathon.
“Huntsville is a city of innovation,” said Lacey Reinoehl, executive director of Urban Engine. “We want to tap into this innovation and creativity in the community to apply their wealth of knowledge to genomics and biotechnology. We are grateful to everyone who joins us each year for this incredible event.”
Participants will compete for the chance to win more than $5,000 in cash and prizes in two categories, High School and College/Professionals. Challen
HATCH 2021 was hosted virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, the event drew participants from around the world. To register and learn more about sponsorships, rules and challenges, visit hudsonalpha.org/
###
About HudsonAlpha: HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology is a nonprofit institute dedicated to developing and applying scientific advances to health, agriculture, learning, and commercialization. The HudsonAlpha biotechnology campus consists of 152 acres nestled within Cummings Research Park, the nation’s second largest research park. The state-of-the-art facilities co-locate nonprofit scientific researchers with entrepreneurs and educators. HudsonAlpha is a national and international leader in genetics and genomics research and biotech education and fosters more than 45 diverse biotech companies on campus. To learn more about HudsonAlpha, visit hudsonalpha.org.
About Urban Engine: Urban Engine propels the growth of Alabama’s economy by connecting aspiring entrepreneurs and established business leadership to educational resources, talent,
and community. Urban Engine contributes heavily to Alabama’s innovation ecosystem by cultivating a dynamic workforce, professional development through creative autonomy, and the
entrepreneurial gumption to launch and build thriving businesses. Founded in 2015 through its various programs and events, Urban Engine activates its mission by offering over 150 free innovation education events annually including CoWorking Night, 32/10 and OpenHuntsville that focus on high-growth technology startups, professional workforce development, and innovation competitions. Urban Engine is a registered, IRS Designated 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.
