Research Park Hosts the 2017 PYGHACK

EnterpriseWorks hosted this years PYGHACK as a part of the Pygmalion Festival.  The goal of the PYGHACK is to bring University of Illinois students and community together in creating technology to strengthen the Champaign-Urbana community.  With over $9,000 in prizes given and over 70 participants from the University of Illinois and the Champaign-Urbana community, the 2017 PYGHACK participants created some amazing products.

The overall grand prize winner created an app called SpreadBread.  This app connects local homeless and food shelters with restaurants and stores so no food goes to waste.  Using a point based system, students and community members are rewarded for donating food.  In second place and winning the Wolfram Prize, the Safe Shepard team created the app that gives students on the University of Illinois Campus the safest and quickest route to their destination.  Safe Shepard has hopes to integrate their system with UIUC’s Safe Walks system to create an even more secure campus.  The app called Dibbs won the second runner up prize.  Their app helps reduce food waste and fight hunger in the community.  One in six people in the community have insecurities about food.  Dibbs helps food pantries receive healthier food at no extra cost.  Winning the Volition Prize, the app UIUCFoodForThePeople looks at UIUC calendars and pools together events that provide free food on campus.  Finally, winning the Pixo Prize, the Movie Pool app was created to connect those wanting to carpool to local movie theatres.  

For more information on PYGHACK, click here.