Open.NASA Space Apps Challenge 2013!!!

[Will Brick]

Greetings folk of AHA!

Will Brick from TechShop Detroit here.  This April 20th and 21st TechShop Detroit will be the metro Detroit venue sponsor for the Open.NASA Space Apps Challenge.  This is an open to the public 48 hour Hack-A-Thon put on by the open innovation group at NASA that runs simultaneously at sites around the world.  I'm sending this note to give you access to the essential info, web links and resources regarding this event with a view toward seeing whether you and your network would help us pull-off a slam-dunk successful Hack-A-Thon of epic proportion.

Open.NASA is the coordinating body for this world-wide event but it is up to each host site to secure sponsors, volunteers, resources, panel of judges, selection of official "Challenges" to be offered on the day, prizes and awards, entertainment, etc.

Things I'm hoping you can help me with:

1) NASA has released the complete set of official challenges.  You can find the descriptions of those here:  http://spaceappschallenge.org/challenges/ .  TechShop has got the open hardware prototypers crowd identified (though additional outreach would be greatly appreciated) but I'm hoping you will be able to identify those challenges that you think the software and app development community within your networks would find interesting and like to take-on.  We can run any number of these challenges in Detroit.  Just 3 or 4 or the entire set.  I would like to update our event location page on the Space Apps Challenge website to highlight events we choose to run.

2) I'd like to ask you to help promote this event and drive signups to the registration page.  I have posted links below to our Detroit location registration page as well as other resources that can be used to promote via email, Facebook, twitter, bulletin boards and available wall surfaces ;) 

3) It's also up to specific locations to assemble their own panel of subject matter expert judges and I'm looking for 3 to 4 with experience primarily in software/app development, open platforms and innovation, emerging technologies, etc.  I'd like to introduce these folks at our Friday night kick-off party on the 19th of April and then bring them in the afternoon of Sunday the 21st to review team presentations of their solutions and establish the rankings.

4) I am not looking for any monetary sponsorship but am hoping that some others would be interested in helping to sponsor in other forms.  I'm thinking of things like pizza, pop, prizes for top teams, etc.  Currently I have a donation of several raffle ticket entries for a free trip to space aboard a commercial spaceflight platform courtesy of https://www.idreamofspace.com/    TechShop Detroit will be providing the venue for the duration, sleeping bag space for hackers that wish to crash on site Saturday night, space-themed movies and entertainment in the theater and promotion through our own website, twitter feed, Facebook page and Meetup.com page.  Our event location page on the Space Apps Challenge website provides easy functionality to add sponsor information and logos.

Schedule of Events:

-Friday April 19th @ 6pm, Kick-off party in the TechShop Detroit auditorium.

-Saturday April 20th at 9am, 48 hour Hack-a-Thon begins.  Challenges revealed, teams assemble and get hacking!

(Hack-A-Thon runs over night.  Hackers can stay at the shop if they like to work through a caffeine fueled all-nighter!)

- Sunday April 21st, teams complete projects and presentations and present to a panel of judges starting around 4pm in the auditorium.

Essential Links:

Main site:  http://spaceappschallenge.org/

TechShop location page and local event registration:  http://spaceappschallenge.org/location/allen-park/  (All local event participants must register through this site)

List of Challenges for 2013:  http://spaceappschallenge.org/challenges/

Promotional resources page:  http://spaceappschallenge.org/about/resources/

I'm going to begin aggressively promoting the event this week.  Please feel free to get in touch with me directly via email or phone with any questions or ideas.  Please also feel free to send this email and information around your network or to any other groups that you think of that would go for this!  I'm sending this to several groups that I've been talking with over the last few weeks.  Time is short, but there's just enough to have a killer hack-a-thon.  I'll be looking forward to your response.

Cheers,

-- 

Will Brick

General Manager - TechShop Detroit

br...@techshop.ws

248.835.3479

www.techshop.ws