Teams invited to GovHack IT challenge

People at a bank of laptops
The 2014 GovHack technology challenge will be held at Griffith University's Gold Coast campus from July 11-13

Whether you’re a digital designer, web or app developer, Open Data expert, visualisation guru or just simply IT savvy, you’re invited to GovHack on the Gold Coast.

The 48-hour event is open to teams interested in using Open Data to find innovative solutions to challenges facing government.

GovHack will be held at Griffith University’s Gold Coast campus from July 11-13, one of nine GovHack events running simultaneously across the country.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate is urging local businesses and young people with a passion for Information Technology to get involved.

“GovHack is about passionate people with a range of talents being supported and encouraged to collaborate on projects that will create better outcomes for government and the community,” he says.

“I hope we will see some great Gold Coast innovation over the course of the weekend.”

GovHack judge and manager of the city’s Customer Contact Centre, Ms Carol Drinkwater, says app development can assist the Gold Coast.

“We are looking for novel and useful ways where information streams can be crossed,” she says.

“For example, in Adelaide somebody developed the Pollen Predictor app by accessing a database of trees and plants and then matching information with the flora responsible for hay fever.”

Head of Griffith’s School of Information and Communication Technology, Professor Michael Blumenstein, says GovHack provides students with an excellent opportunity to work with industry and government to generate ideas and code solutions addressing important problems facing our community and the nation.

“The School of ICT encourages its students to be entrepreneurial and to work in teams to use their ICT skills to create innovative applications,” he says.

“The School specifically supports the use of Open Data, in this case from government, to make a difference through technology development while having a great time and competing for prizes.”

GovHack is supported by City of Gold Coast, Griffith University and i.on my software.

To register a team, visit GovHack 2014