In partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS), Tech To The Rescue successfully hosted the long-awaited ‘Hack To The Rescue: International Air Quality Hackathon’ from December 6 to 8.

This virtual event brought together over 190 tech teams to tackle pressing air pollution challenges in countries in Africa, Bangladesh, Poland, Thailand, and Indonesia.

The participating teams, assisted by more than 50 mentors, harnessed the latest in cloud technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to address the critical issues identified by leading non-profit organizations combating air pollution worldwide.

The collective goal of this hackathon was to bridge data, forecasting, monitoring, and information gaps, with the ultimate aim of significantly improving air quality.

Numerous challenges have been found and worked on under this Hackathon program. Connecting Clean Air to Communities in Bangladesh, the Sensor Resilience in Africa, Digitizing Clean Lungs in Poland, Bridging Legal Jargon and Public Awareness in Thailand, and Empowering Indonesia’s Youth for Clean Air Voting are some.

The closing ceremony was graced by David Hanson, Founder and CEO of Hanson Robotics, and inventor of humanoid robots Sophia. Notable personalities such as Edi Pyrek (Co-founder and visionary Officer of GAIA Foundation), Jacek Siadkowski (Co-founder and managing Director of Tech To The Rescue), and Daniel Di Gusto (Co-founder and head of Community of Tech To The Rescue) were also present.

Team Płucka (Polish Smog Alert), Team BlueRider Software (Thailand Clean Air Network), and Team Camaraderie (Afri-SET), each received a $5000 pro bono budget to implement their innovative solutions as they won the hackathon’s challenge respectively.

The event marked a significant step forward in the global fight against air pollution, showcasing the power of technology and collaboration in creating tangible solutions.