One hundred fifty-three (153) Macalester students making up 32 teams worked more than 24 hours non-stop during Macalester’s fourth-annual Macathon and its first Funkathon. Students competed for cash prizes and the opportunity for feedback from successful alumni entrepreneurs, technologists, investors, and those in the creative arts. Macathon, Macalester’s overnight innovation and technology contest with over $2,000 in cash prizes, is a mash-up of a computer hackathon and a business start-up competition where students solve a real-world and relevant problem and build a product (website, interactive application, mobile app). Macalester students form teams of 3-6 participants. The three teams that come up with the most innovative tech-enabled product or service for either the commercial or nonprofit sector will win. To succeed, Macathon teams need a mix of technical, business, design, communication, and general creative skills.
February 23 2016