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Team up, Learn, Create, Make a Difference
Hack4MS is a one-of-a-kind hackathon competition dedicated to creating real-world solutions to needs in the world of Multiple Sclerosis. Team up and learn directly from those who live with MS to ideate, develop and design innovative digital solutions.
The BrainstormIL community and our partners aim to create the perfect conditions for teams to understand real problems, create real solutions and make a difference in real peoples' lives.
Our Partners
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Understanding the Challenges
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Each team will be joined by a person with MS, who will help them understand the challenges they face in daily life
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Clinicians who specialize in neurology and MS will accompany the teams and provide professional knowledge
Teaming Up
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We invite participants from a wide range of fields, both those related to the study and treatment of MS (Medicine, Psychology, Physiotherapy) as well as the creation of digital solutions (Product, Design, Engineering) and more...
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To build teams with the best chance to make a difference, sign-up is limited to graduate students and those with at least a Bachelor's degree or professional experience
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The competition is all about connection, learning and the creative energy of diverse teams so we encourage participants to sign up individually and be teamed up -- we will create teams with the best mix skills and experience
Mentoring
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In each meetup, participants will meet keynote speakers and mentors that share their insights and experience to help teams achieve success in each step of the competition
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Teams will also have the opportunity to connect with mentors who are experts in their fields, (either technical, clinical or product oriented) in order to to develop their idea and solution throughout the competition
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Registration
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Everyone interested in creating social impact by improving the quality of life for those living with multiple sclerosis (MS) is invited to join!
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Participants are matched to create diverse teams of different skills and experience
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You don't need to bring an idea, find your idea as a team, by learning about MS and choosing the problem you want to solve
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Please be ready to invest time and effort in making your team's project attractive and relevant
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The contest is limited to 10 teams (~50 participants) so be quick to sign-up!
Second Event: Tech Talk
Merck Serono Offices 17:00-20:00
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Think & plan how to get the job done.
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This meetup will be conducted at Merck offices, Herzliya.
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You will learn about how to harness state-of-the-art technologies for implementing your ideas.
Opening event
Sanara Ventures Offices 17:00-20:00
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Get an overview of the Hack4MS competition and schedule
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Connect with your team and start the ideation process.
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Learn about Multiple Sclerosis,
symptoms, issues and the lives of those with the disease -
You will have the chance to get a motivational talk with Dr. Keren Regev, the the director of the Multiple Sclerosis Service in the Neurological Institute at the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center.
Third Event:
Product Design
HIT Campus 17:00-20:00
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Solve & design for the real world.
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Synthesize your creativity and your domain knowledge to turn your idea to an amazing product.
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This meetup will be conducted at HIT, Holon.
Final
IMED 17:00-20:00
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Each team will have a chance to pitch their idea in front of the leading characters in the neurotech ecosystem.
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The winners will be decided by a jury including VC associates and scientific experts.
Prize
- We want the best teams to have a real opportunity to keep creating and innovating after the competition ends
- To help them, we're offering a Launching Package to the top 3 teams
- This will include tools, services and resources that help the most promising teams keep on growing and building
- Select teams will also have the opportunity to have a personal meeting with successful VCs as Merck Ventures and Sanara Ventures.
Q: What is Multiple Sclerosis?
A: MS affects the central nervous system (CNS), which is made up of the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. Symptoms may be mild or severe, ranging from numbness in the limbs to paralysis or loss of vision. The progression, severity, and specific symptoms of MS are unpredictable and vary from one person to another. Worldwide, it is estimated that more than 2.3 million people are currently living with MS.
Q: What kind of ideas and products fit this event?
A: Any digital solution that has the potential in improving the quality of life for people with MS is related! Wearable designed for falls detection? Sure. Mobile application for dealing with fatigue? Definitely! A new drug for myelin repairment? Not so much.
Q: How futuristic can I make my idea?
A: Your idea can be as wild as you like. However, it’s important you show it is feasible given certain assumptions and that you can explain those assumptions. It’s up to you to make sure the technical part of your idea is hypothetically possible (doesn’t break physics) and at least somewhat probable (in line with directions in current research)
Q: What is the registration fee?
We believe in open science.
Participation is free.
Q: Do we have to work in English?
Teams are free to choose the language they work in (staff & mentors are fluent in both English and Hebrew).
Final presentation slides must be in English.
For more questions please contact us @ info@brainstormil.com
Copyright & Intellectual Property Disclaimer
We would love to see your ideas become a reality one day. However, this event is above all intended to inspire creativity and provide an opportunity to gain experience. Things you share with others in this event are public and will not remain confidential. In addition, the participation is as a team which may include, in addition to you, other students from various academic institutions and / or employees of other companies. As a team, you may also be accompanied by professional mentors. New works or ideas may be created as part of such a team which members and mentors may be subject to different IP restrictions. Therefore, in order to maintain your IP rights, please consider carefully what you share with others, or otherwise bring with you and/or present in this event, especially an idea you are actively working on or is too similar to an idea you’d prefer to pursue individually at a later time and we highly recommend you consult with a legal advisor before doing so. The Hack4MS event is your chance to think of and pitch a future fantasy more than a near reality.