Trusted Local and Global Partners
Nordic-American Hackathon with a Minnesotan Focus:
Nordic City Solutions and the Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Hack The Gap, are proud to present the Nordic-American Intercultural Development For Equitable Approaches (IDEA) Hackathon.
What is I.D.E.A Hackathon?
IDEA is an hackathon initiative designed to foster collaboration, create relationships and identify innovation for how we develop land with equitable, resilient, and cost efficient solutions. Our focus is on connecting American and Nordic development experts and suppliers, with intentional emphasis on integrating local Minnesota businesses owned by BIPOC leaders and creating business opportunities for these firms to partner in the future.
This hackathon is a 5-week experience where American and Nordic development experts and suppliers collaborate on problem-solving for some of the Twin Cities most unique urban development challenges; for real-world implementation and procurement opportunities within six- twelve months after the event. It will take place on October 13 - November 19, 2020
Nordic-American IDEA HACKATHON AND WORKSHOPS
We are leveraging the best innovation and ingenuity of Minnesota based and Nordic companies for an urban design energy resilience Hackathon. Experts from Minnesota and the five Nordic countries will test and challenge some of our biggest regional land development projects. The Hackathon is designed to foster collaboration, create relationships and identify innovation for how we develop land with equitable, resilient, and cost-efficient solutions. Our focus is on connecting American and Nordic development experts and suppliers, with intentional emphasis on integrating local Minnesota businesses owned by BIPOC leaders and creating business opportunities for Minnesota firms to partner and grow in the future.
To access the workshops through Eventbrite, please click the following here.
Additional information about the hackathon and challenges.
For: Minnesota-Based Suppliers and Developers
We invite all businesses to participant, and in particular, businesses owned by BIPOC leaders (also known as minority business enterprises or MBEs), in these or adjacent fields are invited to participate and have the chance to:
Meet, understand context for, and work with active Project Owners, who will give feedback on proposals throughout the 6-week program
Interact with other urban development stakeholders, including legislators, government economic developers, non-profits, community, and academia
Create shared value solutions to some of our most critical climate change, energy, racial inequity, and urban development problems
Partner with leading Nordic Companies with deep expertise in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) capabilities and systems
Work with Nordic-based companies for B2B collaboration to exchange technical and process knowledge
Co-create with Nordic companies to find innovative solutions to active urban development challenges
Establish global relationships, expand worldwide networks, and potentially footprint
Use the Solved platform, a software platform that is also used for collaboration by the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, a group of 96 cities around the world that represents one twelfth of the world's population and one quarter of the global economy. This will be the playground for hackathon interaction in an online, collaborative environment that bridges time-zones and fosters innovative solution-building.
You will collaborate on a spectrum of different projects. IDEA includes projects from the Greater Minneapolis-Saint Paul area. Additionally, these projects will span different stages; from active urban development, redevelopment, to construction challenges.
Hackathon Challenges
There are multiple challenges to participate in. Challenges are real-world, urban development challenges.
Click on the link below for a full sample of all the challenges you can participate in.
Business skill sets and expertise: Here is a summary of the “skill sets” or relevant experts for each challenge:
Minneapolis East Plymouth Energy and Climate Innovation Corridor
Interested in companies with expertise in: Roofing contractors, electricians, energy utilities or local energy solutions providers, energy efficiency experts, electrical engineering companies
Batteries, micro grid, community energy, geothermal, energy monitoring solutions, electric vehicle charging stations, storm water management solutions (district approach), how to integrate additional transportation modes that radiate out from transit locations (i.e. local mobility needs – electric bikes, electric cars, autonomous, last-mile solutions).Urban Food Scarcity, Security and Sustainability at Upper Harbor Terminal
Interested in companies with expertise in: Community gardening, restaurant, local farming,
Urban farming, greenhouse design and equipment, food security, landscape architecture, food-waste experts.Rondo Net Zero Energy Development
Interested in companies with expertise in: Architecture, Engineering Consulting Companies building envelope (i.e. how to seal a building off from the heat/cold), building materials, building technology, proptech partners, general contractors.Interested in companies with expertise in: Engineering consultants or companies looking to participate in land/economic development and circular economy.
Hackathon Timeline
Below is the timeline for the hackathon program.
