GEW #MakeItHappen: AcornHack - Inspiring the Next Generation of Social Innovators and Changemakers

As part of Global Entrepreneurship Week  #MakeItHappen we are organising a 2-day Hackathon-style event where 100 school children aged 16-19  will collaborate with 40 university tech students and 20 mentors from the TechCity community to develop apps that could transform the world around them. AcornHack will unlock young people's entrepreneurial potential by inspiring them to get creative with coding, programming and digital technology. The purpose of this event is to equip  young people with tools that will enable them to become change-makers and entrepreneurs of their own lives. Young people are required to come in teams of 3-5 and should have thought of an idea that they would like to work on prior to arriving. They will pitch their idea to developers and mentors on Saturday and will be developing their apps/web apps throughout the weekend.                                                                            Agenda: SATURDAY - 21 November 10:00 Keynote/Briefing 10:15 Teenagers present ideas (1 minute each) 10:30 Teams are assigned 2 developers and 1 mentor 10:40 Get Making 13:00 - 14:00 Lunch/Inspirational Talk 14:30 Feedback session - speed dating 15:00 Get Making 17:00 Inspirational Talk SUNDAY - 22 November 10:00 Welcome back/Inspirational Talk 10:15 Get Making 13:00 - 14:00 Lunch/Inspirational Talk 14:00 Get Making 15:00 Pitching Workshop 15:20  Pitches  4.30 Judges decide 5:00 Results                                                                        PRIZES 1. Every social idea will be considered for up to 5K grant from UnLtd (team members must be 16+ and have a social enterprise idea) 2. Winners will be invited to a DEMO Day at TechHub to showcase the product they built in front of angels and investors 3. Tours of Campus and Ropemakers sites offerded by TechHub 4. Winners invited to an exclusive invite-only networking event with renowned entrepreneurs at New Entrepreneurs Foundation 5. Kits from KANO computing 6. Codeacademy will organise 3 free workshops in UX/HTML/CSS for all young participants 7. Google VR glasses from BrizTech Ltd. 8. Mentoring support by numerous TechCity companies following the hackathon 9. "A Day in an office" experience at Firefly 10. Every team to receive a copy of Rob Fitzpatrick's The Mom Test: How to talk to customers & learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you 11.Winners awarded 1/2 day Entrepreneurial One on One Masterclass with Will King, CEO of King of Shaves Other prizes will be added as they get confirmed. For further details on the event, please go to acornhack.acornaspirations.co.uk or send an email to elena.sinel@acornaspirations.co.uk