Exploring regional transport optimisation in LakeMacHack

The countdown is on as we enter our final days of preparations and briefings for LakeMacHack - a regional hackathon exploring transport integration, optimisation across 3 core Challenges. We're delighted to be welcoming teams on board as we muster the final round of resources and briefings to ensure they get the most out of the event and put their best concept forward to share in our prize pool of cash + idea support.

For those who've never done a hackathon before, we're here to make sure teams get the most out of the event - see why the event model is regarded as the Golden Value proposition and where they fit in the Innovation ValueChain.  

To help get teams ready, we've worked with Here Technologies to put on a 1hour pre-event briefing this Wed 14Jun2017 to help understand transport logistics and location sensing technology platforms that are being supplied for use in the event. A transport hackathon by its nature is going to be pretty reliant on location based data and integrations with the datasets and platforms that influence transport connectivity and trip times. Join us this Wednesday to hear from our event hosts at Dantia, listen to Here Technologies briefing and ask any burning questions on your mind before our event.

Mentors and Enablers create value in hackathon experiences

Hackathons are a great way to explore technology stacks that you might not have encountered before, or tackle concepts that need diverse perspectives for a well executed design. That's where event mentors are so helpful - advisors who've walked the product development journey or who are deeply embedded in vendor teams - they make a world of difference for event competitors.

We've got mentor support lined up for our teams from legendary locals like Camplify, a Slingshot Accelerator + NRMA JumpStart alumni, who are in scaling mode at the moment with their foray into the UK market. NNNCo have come on board with LoRaWAN platform support, access to Application dashboards, STMicroelectronics hardware and an onsite mentor to help teams explore IoT solution space options.

Lake Macquarie City Council will have a bunch of staff attending as problem owners, local data suppliers and idea validators - they're a key customer for teams to engage with. We've also got remote mentors in place to help teams make the most of the APIs and platforms from Here Technologies. Events with distributed support teams more closely resemble real life constraints and collaborations. 

Laughing Mind will be bringing along a range of Thinxtra DevKits for teams to explore Industrial IoT (IIoT) and connectivity to the SigFox network, the worlds leading IoT connectivity service. QuietRush will have eBikes onsite to stimulate alternate thinking about cycle based mobility, enhanced with supplementary power assistance.

Short of an idea? Think of pain points Local + Global, simultaneously. 

It's easy within technology to be seduced by the next shiny thing - keep in mind all technology is an enabler for new value or solving old problems in different ways. What truly makes a difference in compelling products is the pain point they're solving.

As teams and individuals muse on an idea to pitch, we're asking them to take a moment to look more broadly at why TechCrunch rate smart transport is as the smart pick in SmartCity pattern thinking, check in on related patterns evident in AccessibleCity challenges posed by NSW Govt or their future transport roadmap and the role of physical activity in active transport. We expect they'll find plenty of inspiration as they think of how to apply that across Land, Sea, Air + Digital domains. 

“Technology can have a transformative effect on transport and infrastructure, and the opportunities provided by data are vast. With around 25,000 more people expected to call Lake Macquarie home over the next 20 years, taking the City’s population to around a quarter of a million people, we need your ideas at LakeMacHack to help tackle the region’s current and future transport challenges.” Brooke Humphries, Chief Information Officer, Lake Macquarie City Council

Curious, Contributor, or have an idea? It's time to act

We're in the final days of registrations now and keen to see more entrants so we can create some buzz and competitive tension within the event. If you've got friends or colleagues that want the chance to move a transport or mobility idea forward in an accelerated way, now's the time to reach out, connect and grab a ticket before registrations close on Thursday 15June2017 at 5pm.