Ideathon 24 - University of Houston
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University Information Technology
MODO Ideathon 24 - Sponsored by University Information Technology at the University of Houston

UH Go

Ideathon 24 Recap

The inaugural UH Ideathon 24 event showcased the ingenuity of our students who brought their UH Go mobile app ideas to life during the weekend of Mar 22-23.

Fifty-six teams applied, but only 6 were selected to compete. All competitors were trained on the Modo Labs mobile platform, the same software used to create the UH Go mobile app. They were given 24 hours to develop their idea into a working application. Each team presented their prototype to judges who evaluated the projects and selected our winners.

CoogDevs, the winning team, shared that "Participating in the Ideathon was an exhilarating journey that pushed us to our limits, and ultimately proved to be incredibly rewarding. This wasn't just about winning it was about collaborating, learning, and innovating together as a team, by not only making a tool that we believe will make a real difference to UH but by also gaining invaluable skills along the entire way."  CoogDev team members are Simrat Clair, Seth Smith, and Halis Yuksel.

UIT would like to thank our competitors, judges, and event sponsors for making the event a huge success!

Sponsor Partners:

1st Place: CoogDev

App Idea: CoogTutor
An all-in-one platform that unifies all of the University of Houston’s tutoring departments, providing students with seamless access to tutoring schedules and facilitating direct communication with tutors.

1st Place: CoogDevs

2nd Place: LatinoTech

App Idea: UH4U
An app designed to provide comprehensive mental health support tailored to the unique challenges faced by freshman students from low-income backgrounds at the University of Houston.

2nd Place: LatinoTech

3rd Place: Bytesters

App Idea: CampusQuest: Engage, Earn, Excel
Reward students for attending events with points redeemable for discounts, while fostering a vibrant social network. Dive into a world where participation meets perks and community.

3rd Place - Bytesters

 

Photo Gallery

Develop your own mobile app idea

Do you have an innovative solution to a campus challenge? Have an idea that is aiming to enhance student life with creativity and convenience? Maybe you have a novel idea that can make student life easier and fun?

  • Immerse yourself in a weekend of excitement and innovation as you transform your ideas into functional apps! 
  • Get your friends together and apply to participate in Ideathon and seize the opportunity to win $5,000 in cash and prizes!
  • Discover how to develop an app in under two days using Modo, an accessible app-making platform.
  • No prior experience is needed!  No coding skills required!

The food and drinks are on us. You just bring your laptop and your best idea!

 

What you need to know:

  • Important Dates:
    • Application Deadline: Sunday, February 25.
    • Invitations to participate will be send out by March 4. 
    • Invited teams will be expected to participate in person:
      • Kick off Event: Wednesday, March 20, 2024 - 7PM - 9PM 
      • Event: Friday, March 22, 2024 - 5PM – 9PM
      • Event: Saturday, March 23, 2024 - 9AM – 9PM
  • No coding skills are necessary.
  • This is a team event - build a group of 3-5 fellow students to create the best app.
  • Team members must be current UH students in good academic standing.
  • $5,000 in cash and prizes!

Important Links

Examples

Here are some Ideathon examples from other universities:

Potential Ideas

Additional Ideas:

  • Physical Health
  • Freshman Retention
  • Campus Accessibility
  • Financial Challenges
  • Housing Insecurity
  • Life Skills
  • Other - Teams may suggest another challenge on our campus that does not fall under these themes

Evaluation Criteria

What will the judges be looking for in a winning app?

Challenge

  • Idea Statement: Do they clearly describe the idea they are trying to address?
  • Solution: Does the resulting app solve the problem they were trying to solve?

Execution

  • Ease of use: Is this an intuitive app to use? Will users stick with it?
  • Design: Does the app have a good look-and-feel and functional design?
  • Benefit: Would this be a beneficial addition to UH Go?

Innovation

  • Originality: How original is the idea and/or execution of this app?
  • Marketability: Is this app something that students would use either stand on its own or be incorporated in the UH Go app?

Ready to Submit your idea?

We can't wait to see what amazing ideas our Coogs come up with!

If you are ready to submit your idea and apply for your team, click the button below:

button_applybyfeb25.png

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Application Deadline?
Apply by Sunday, February 25 11:59pm Central.

What are the dates and times for Ideathon?                

  • Wednesday, March 20, 2024 - 7PM - 9PM 
  • Friday, March 22, 2024 - 5PM – 9PM
  • Saturday, March 23, 2024 - 9AM – 9PM 

How many people can be on a team?
Teams will be from 3-5 members in size.  All team members must be submitted when applying to participate. 

How many teams will be invited to participate?
Up to 6 teams.

Who can participate?
University of Houston students currently enrolled and in good academic standing.  All team members must be included on the application to participate.

Do I need to know how to code?
No. This is a no-code platform, so students do not need to have any app language coding knowledge.

Will we receive any type of instruction or training?
Yes. During the Wednesday, March 20 Kickoff event, you will gain access to training materials and a sandbox that will allow you to practice using the Modo app building platform.

Who can I contact if I have more questions?
Email ideathon@uh.edu.