Registration is now open for a Matrix Hackathon entitled ‘Hack to the Future’ as part of the upcoming NI Science Festival.

 Northern Ireland’s creative and curious minds are being called to action as Matrix NI, the Northern Ireland Science and Industry Panel invites students, technologists, designers, researchers, policymakers and future-thinkers to an innovative one-day hackathon taking place at Ulster University Belfast on Saturday 21 February, as part of the NI Science Festival.

Participants are invited to envisage what life in Northern Ireland could look like in 2050, through team collaboration to tackle challenges and develop solutions in one of the chosen five ‘world themes’:

  • Clean and Green
  • Health, Wellbeing and Vitality
  • Joined up and Connected
  • Safe, Protected and Secure
  • Inclusive with Shared Value

Robert Hill (Matrix NI, Chair) will be one of the judges at the event and commented:  “The future focussed Hackathon will take participants on a journey to the future and what life in Northern Ireland could look like in 2050.  To realise solutions to current challenges in a creative and highly collaborative event”.

Rebecca Walsh (Matrix NI, member) added: “It’s great to be involved in another hackathon, where we’ve previously seen commercially viable solutions created. I’m looking forward to hearing and judging the pitches on 21 February.”

This facilitated session will draw on evidence-based research from a range of Matrix NI foresight reports, and teams will develop and pitch their solution with the potential to influence policy, innovation and societal transformation over the decades ahead.

Sarah Jones (NI Science Festival, Director) stated: “We are delighted to include ‘Hack To The Future’ in this year’s NI Science Festival programme, and we look forward to hearing the bold, innovative ideas that could help shape Northern Ireland in 2050.”

‘Hack to the Future’ is free to attend, but capacity is limited and strictly 18+. Attendees will need to bring a laptop along if they plan to use one. Registration is essential at https://bit.ly/Matrix-HackToTheFuture

For more information visit https://bit.ly/HTTF-Hackathon

Kindly supported by: Ulster University, Queen’s University, NI Space Office.