HackUConn is a 24-hour hackathon hosted by the UConn Entreprenuership and Innovation Society in conjunction with the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Consortium and First Year Program & Learning Community Program at the University of Connecticut. HackUConn brings together young innovators and tech industry experts for a non-stop, fast-paced invention competition. 

Founded in 2016, the marathon hackathon is led by upper-class UConn students to engage the University community in problem-solving around an issue. Each HackUConn event deals with a different issue decided upon by the students and supported by The Gawlicki Family Foundation. Past hackathon themes include, Sports and Games, Allergy Risks, and Smart Cities. UConn entrepreneurs and expert alumni mentor the student teams and judge the final presentations. 

Students have access to UConn's state-of-the-art Learning Community Innovation Zone (LCIZ) makerspace to prototype products/services and Community Rooms to develop presentations. The event is designed to engage first and second-year students to infuse innovative/design thinking into their early curricular/co-curricular experiences.

To help fund this exciting educational and economic development project, the Gawlicki Family Foundation awarded a grant for $45,000 to support the various resources needed to supply the event. Students have access to hacking supplies, 3D printers, laser cutters, and a myriad of other inputs needed to prototype innovative solutions to move the world forward. 

Visit www.hackuconn.org to learn more about HackUConn and the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Society at the University of Connecticut.