As Microsoft Channel Chief, I’m passionate about engaging our powerful Microsoft partner ecosystem to help transform businesses and drive inclusive economic opportunity, especially as we face a climate crisis and step into the third year of a global pandemic that has widened inequities on multiple fronts.
Together with our 400,000-strong Microsoft partner ecosystem, we have a tremendous opportunity to make a difference by empowering resilient communities and accelerating our collective impact.
Through the Microsoft #BuildFor2030 initiative, we seek to drive transformational solutions and services that advance the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a set of 17 initiatives focused on creating a more inclusive, equitable and sustainable world by 2030.
Today, I’m excited to announce the winners of the inaugural Microsoft #BuildFor2030 Hackathon.
Congratulations to the Microsoft #BuildFor2030 Hackathon winners
Open to all partners around the world, more than 900 participants from over 65 countries joined the #BuildFor2030 Hackathon community to begin innovating and unlocking new industry solutions around five themes — gender equality, climate action and sustainability, digital inclusion and accessibility, enabling the nonprofit sector and empowering communities.
Partners participated in training sessions, skilling up on topics such as responsible AI principles, accessibility and inclusive design, the Emissions Impact Dashboard, changemaking and more.
Partners also engaged with our partner communities, who provided resources and networking opportunities: Ashoka Changemaker Companies, Black Channel Partner Alliance, International Association of Microsoft Channel Partners, The WIT Network and Women in Cloud.
I’m proud of the innovative thinking and commitment of all participating partners and the outstanding work demonstrated by the following #BuildFor2030 Hackathon winners.
Gender Equality theme winner: Propelelo
Propelelo’s Boomerang aims to create an AI-powered solution to support mothers returning to work and to enable organizations to build a more diverse and inclusive workplace. The solution includes a skills training and professional development program and an AI-powered coach. View Propelelo’s entry.
Climate action and sustainability theme winner: Exakis Nelite
Exakis Nelite’s Sustainable Way of Working aims to provide a solution through Microsoft Teams for individual employees to grow their awareness about the environmental impact of daily digital actions. The solution surfaces consumption patterns coupled with data analytics so that employees can get engaged and help reduce organizational energy consumption. View Exakis Nelite’s entry.
Digital inclusion and accessibility theme winner: Bosch Global Software Technologies (BGSW)
BGSW partnered with a multi-functional team including teachers and researchers to develop virtual reality therapy aimed at helping youths with autism spectrum disorders to become more independent and confident. Their VR Bus Ride solution was piloted with a group of youths who prepared ahead of time to take public transportation and then successfully used public transportation by themselves for the routes they studied. View BGSW’s entry.
Enabling the nonprofit sector theme winner: Codeblox
Codeblox’s solution, Gift, aims to help nonprofits find and gain access to donations they need from local communities. By cataloging the material, financial and labor needs of nonprofits and integrating a smart chatbot, the solution will enable matching and more efficient communication between the organization and interested donors at scale. View Codeblox’s entry.
Empowering communities theme winner: Allon Fasaha
Allon Fasaha’s solution, “Classroom without Borders,” is a mobile offline and online learning device that seeks to re-engage children living in remote rural areas of Northern Nigeria who are out of school. Their solution is being tested with and delivered by local community partners and provides an asynchronous and independent learning option that is designed to meet the unique local context. View Allon Fasaha’s entry.
In addition, I’m proud to recognize the following #BuildFor2030 Hackathon Heroes for their excellent entries and solution potential and impact:
Avanade (Australia) – Just ask, smile to pay
Catalyte (U.S.) – Aequalatis
eKidz.eu (Germany) – eKidz
Elyon International (U.S.) – ScrumOnDemand
Fluxgen (India) – Fluxgen
GWF MessSysteme (Switzerland) – MyGWF
GR Consulting (Bulgaria) – Zaya
Hippalus Tech (U.S.) – Motivizyr
Interactive Tracking Systems (Canada) – Inclusive Insights
Meylah Corporation (U.S.) – Meylah Changemakers
Product Reactor (U.K.) – EmitTrack
Power Centre (U.K.) – Team EmPower
REV LLC (U.S.) – REV NAVApp
Shamrck Social Impact Corporation (U.S.) – Shamrck
Symmetry Infotech (India) – Pragma 360
Congratulations to all winners and heroes — and to all who joined the hackathon and began or accelerated their changemaking journey. Cash prizes, technical and go-to-market benefits have been lined up to help winning partners further develop their solutions.
We look forward to seeing what’s next for these partners and their innovative solutions and services.
View all winning #BuildFor2030 Hackathon entries.
Join us to #BuildFor2030
Through these amazing examples, we see the tremendous capacity for our partner ecosystem to build for impact. I invite all Microsoft partners to skill up and bring more transformative solutions and services to market.
Together, we have the collective power to drive change and make a difference.
Join us to #BuildFor2030 and make progress on the SDGs.
Learn more
View the #BuildFor2030 Campaign collection.
Tags: #BuildFor2030 Hackathon, accessibility, inclusion, partners, sustainability
