Hackathons are collaborative and innovation-focused events that see participants build prototype solutions to solve challenges. When we say ‘hack’ in this context we mean to encourage quick solving something through a prototype, not breaking into a software system. Solutions are generally software-based programs, but they can also be new designs or even insightful improvements for processes and other issues. Given the time constraints (you’ll only have a week!) A prototype can be as simple as a small piece of code, a website or even a presentation. The point is to have fun helping our community.   

The WA Health Hackathon 2025 is an annual hackathon that is focussed on improving the health services available to West Australians. This year the Hackathon will revolve around a Hackathon Weekend taking place later in 2025. 

To support the innovation that will take place over the weekend, a series of deep-dive presentations to help teams understand the Challenges will also take place during the preceding week. 

The Hackathon will conclude at a Finale that will take place following the Hackathon week. More details about the Launch Event, workshop, Hackathon and Finale will be released soon. 

One of the goals of the WA Health Hackathon 2024 is to encourage our participants to develop compelling, viable prototypes. To achieve this we have stretched out the timetable of the Hackathon to give you the best chance to understand the technical complexities of the challenges and more time to build your solutions. 

The launch event will see the release of the data and provide a great moment to thank our partners and supporters. 

The subsequent workshops will provide you with dedicated time to meet the mentors and ask them your initial questions about the challenges and data. 

The team building activity is designed to give participants without a team a form a new group. Participants that are already in a team may also like to use this time to start planning their prototype. 

The Hackathon Weekend is the centrepiece of the event and will provide you with dedicated time to build your prototypes if you haven’t started on that yet. We’ll also hold our first round pitches on the Sunday. 

Lastly, we’ll hold the finale to hear the brilliant work of our shortlisted teams and celebrate all the work you have put in. 

Each Workshop focuses on specific challenges: 

Wednesday 16 October, 5pm – 6.30pm 

Challenges covered: 

• Helping plan youth mental health interventions 

• Improving end-of-life care 

• Enhancing how complex health information is provided to patients. 

Thursday 17 October, 5pm – 6.30pm 

Challenges covered: 

• Predicting Emergency Department admission times 

• Optimising treatment plans for kids in rehab 

At each workshop mentors that are specialists in the challenge will be available to answer your questions. We will also conduct a deep dive into the data sets that may help you build a solution to your question. 

No! We’re completely realistic that everyone has other priorities. This is supposed to be a fun event where you can give back to our community by solving impactful challenges. This isn’t supposed to feel like work. If you can attend a workshop then please do so. We anticipate that it will be very useful for you to talk with mentors and explore the supporting data sets. 

We do anticipate that some teams will begin working on their prototypes before the hackathon weekend and that’s great, but you’re under no obligation to do so. 

The supporting events are intended to give you more time and information to help you think through how you might solve your challenges. 

We strongly encourage that you attend the workshop relevant for your challenge.

The only compulsory events that you need to attend to be eligible for a prize are:

• Registering your team in person at the event space (date and location to come).
• Pitching your prototype at the first round pitches on (date and location to come).

We will require that participants are part of a team for the WA Health Hackathon 2025. We’ve noticed that participants have more fun as part of a team and that the prototypes which are built tend to be more impactful.

We are running a casual team building event (date and location to come), which we encourage you to come along to so that you can meet some of the other hackathon members.

You will need to register your team and the Challenge you are exploring in person on Saturday 19 October at the Hackathon. 

Yes, but keep in mind the following requirements:  

• All team members must have a valid ticket.
• Your solution and all of your team members must be registered at the Hackathon. 
• Your solution must be demonstrated in person at the Shortlist Pitch Event (date and location to come). 
• If your team is shortlisted your solution must be demonstrated in person at the finale. 

The first round pitch event is where teams will have three minutes to ‘pitch’ their idea to our judges. Judges will also have an optional one minute of questions. This pitch can take whatever form you’d like – demonstrations are always a great way to show off what you’ve built. Using a defined Judging Criteria the Judges will select the five most compelling solutions. The teams on this shortlist will be invited to pitch at the Finale.

The Finale is the final event in the Hackathon, where teams will have five minutes to pitch their idea to our judges. Judges will also have an optional one minute of questions. This pitch can take whatever form you’d like – demonstrations are always a great way to show off what you’ve built. Using a defined judging criteria, the judges will award the prizes to these shortlisted teams. 

The judges will be announced at the each of the pitches. 

Yes. Data will be provided for each of the challenges by the challenge sponsor. Teams are also encouraged to seek out and use other open data sources that might help them validate their solution. 

Participants will be able to access the various data sets through the WA Health Hackathon Data Hosting Portal which will be opened at the launch event.

No, but if you are under the age of 18, you will need to be accompanied by a guardian at all times. 

Keep checking this page or click the Register link above for the locations, dates and times of all events throughout the Hackathon.

This will be an event where we explore how Generative AI techniques can help solve major issues affecting WA. We’d strongly recommend bringing along a laptop and a collaborative mindset! 

Lunch and some drinks will be provided over the course of the Hackathon Weekend.

If you have any questions, contact us either at LinkedIn or by email; contact WADSIH direct or organiser and WADSIH Innovation Lead Tim Sonadlini.