The AquaHacking 2016 Challenge : The Tech Community Comes Together to Help the St. Lawrence River

MONTRÉAL, QUÉBEC--(Marketwired - May 2, 2016) - Starting this week, Quebec's technology and digital community will focus on the most pressing issues facing the St. Lawrence River as part of the AquaHacking CHALLENGE: Hacking for the St. Lawrence. This hacking CHALLENGE, organized by the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation, aims to develop innovative solutions.

"The participating teams, made up of developers, designers, programmers, coders, IT professionals, water experts and creative minds, will have five months to develop functional technological solutions (mobile, web, or other)," explains Ms. Dominique Monchamp, executive director of the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation.

Here are some examples of the challenges to be met:

• Swimming and summer go hand in hand! What if we knew the water quality index before diving in?
• There are several access points to the St. Lawrence. Can we geolocate them and learn about them?
• Invasive species harm biodiversity. Develop an app to identify them and report their presence to the proper authorities!
• The St. Lawrence River is part of our daily lives! Build a tour guide app showcasing its rich history and evolution.
• Climate change impacts water levels. Can we monitor changes and forecast their impact?

Why participate?

A total of $50,000 in cash prizes will be awarded to the six finalist teams. In addition, these teams will land their first client contracts and will have access to a bank of hours to consult professionals in the fields of finance, law, and marketing.

All of the CHALLENGE participants will be in close contact with IT solution companies and project partners. They will also receive support from mentors, technology experts, or water specialists from organizations such as IBM, the École de technologie supérieure, Polytechnique, and the City of Montréal.

The finalists will have the opportunity to present their solutions to a jury of high-profile entrepreneurs, capital venture investors, IT executives, and environmental experts.

To ensure that the winning solutions will be developed to their full potential, they will also receive support from renowned incubators, namely, IBM, Centech (École de technologie supérieure) and District 3 (Concordia University).

The grand final for the CHALLENGE will take place on October 7, 2016, the second day of the AquaHacking 2016 Summit: United for the St. Lawrence. The Summit will take place at the Palais des congrès de Montréal.

The CHALLENGE participants will also have access to data sets provided by Environment Canada, the Quebec Ministry of Sustainable Development, Environment, and the Fight against Climate Change, and the City of Montréal.

In addition to funding provided by the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation, AquaHacking 2016 receives financial support from IBM as major partner, as well as Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, the City of Montréal, the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation, RBC, the Government of Quebec, Stingray Digital, and Cascades. Furthermore, Stratégies Saint-Laurent and the St. Lawrence Global Observatory will contribute to the project by sharing their valuable expertise on the St. Lawrence River. The Quartier de l'innovation de Montréal, Concordia University's District 3, Notman House, FounderFuel, and LE CAMP (City of Québec), all of which contribute to the development of the Quebec technology ecosystem, also support AquaHacking.

To find out more about the AquaHacking 2016 CHALLENGE, the general public is invited to the next 6@8 info sessions, which will be held in the cities of Montréal and Québec.

To register for the CHALLENGE, participate in an information session, or to know more: 2016.aquahacking.com

Twitter: @AquaHacking

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AquaHacking

About the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation

Created in 1990 by Nan-b and Philippe II de Gaspé Beaubien, the Foundation generously spends time and resources in support of individuals, families and communities. It supports those who work in the field for positive change and sustainable prosperity. The Foundation focuses particularly on three fields: supporting families in business, improving governance in healthcare, and preserving water.