Unused potential
New technologies and know-how from other sectors are rarely applied in the social sector. We change that.
Hackathons for the social sector · Switzerland
Your skills.
Real challenges.
Real impact.
hack4impact.ch brings together curious people from tech, design, business, science and beyond with organisations from the social sector – to tackle real problems in a weekend, together.
Next hackathon
hack4impact #1
Sat 6 – Sun 7 March 2027
Zürich
Why we exist
Two worlds that rarely meet.
Every day, social organisations work on some of the hardest problems in our society – with tight budgets, small teams and very little time to explore new tools. Meanwhile, people in tech, design, consulting, finance or research have skills and ideas that could make a real difference – but rarely get to see these challenges up close.
hack4impact.ch closes that gap. We organise regular hackathons where people from different sectors meet the people who know the problems best. Together, they turn a real challenge into a prototype, a plan or a fresh perspective – in just one weekend.
We started as a group of friends. We grow through friends of friends. Everyone who is curious and wants to put their skills to good use is welcome.
Real challenges
Every challenge comes directly from a social organisation – with its real constraints, needs and people.
Community first
Hackathons are just the start. We build a network of people who care and keep collaborating afterwards.
How it works
From challenge to prototype in a weekend.
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1
Challenges are collected
Social organisations share a concrete problem they face – from reaching people in need to making their daily work easier.
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2
Teams form
Participants pick a challenge and form mixed teams: developers, designers, strategists, domain experts and curious minds.
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3
We hack
Two days of building, testing and rethinking – side by side with the people from the organisation and experienced mentors.
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4
Ideas live on
Teams present their results. The best ideas get support to continue – and everyone leaves with new friends and perspectives.
Who it's for
No hackathon experience needed.
You don't have to be a programmer. Great teams mix many kinds of skills. You're in the right place if you are …
Next hackathon
hack4impact #1
Theme: Technology for social inclusion
–days
–hours
–min
- When
- Sat 6 – Sun 7 March 2027
- Where
- Zürich (exact venue announced to registered participants)
- Cost
- Free – food and drinks included
- Spots
- Around 40 participants
- Sign-up deadline
- Sunday, 14 February 2027
Schedule
Saturday
- Welcome, coffee & introductions
- Challenge pitches by social organisations
- Team formation & kick-off
- Lunch
- Hacking, with mentors on site
- Dinner together
Sunday
- Breakfast & check-in with the organisations
- Final hacking sprint
- Presentations
- Feedback, next steps & apéro
Get involved
There's more than one way to join.
Participate
Bring your skills and curiosity, join a team and work on a real challenge for a weekend.
Bring a challenge
You work at a social organisation and have a problem worth solving? Let us know – we'd love to hear from you.
Mentor or support
Share your expertise as a mentor, offer a venue, or help us with food, tools or funding.
Sign up
Be part of the hack4impact #1.
Fill in this short form – it takes about two minutes. We'll get back to you with all the details. Spots are limited, and we aim for a good mix of skills in every team.
Can't make it this time? Sign up anyway and tick "Keep me posted" – we'll let you know about future hackathons.
FAQ
Good questions.
Do I need to know how to code?
Not at all. Good solutions need understanding of the problem, design, communication, strategy and organisation just as much as code. Mixed teams work best.
Do I need a team or an idea?
No. You can come alone – teams form on the first morning around the challenges presented by the social organisations.
How much does it cost?
Participation is free. Food and drinks during the hackathon are on us, thanks to our supporters.
What should I bring?
Your laptop and charger, curiosity and an open mind. We'll take care of the rest.
What happens with the results?
The results belong to the teams and the social organisations they worked with. Where it makes sense, we help promising projects continue after the weekend.
I work at a social organisation – how can we take part?
Choose "Bring a challenge" in the sign-up form or write to us. We'll get in touch to understand your challenge and see if it's a good fit for the next hackathon.