UNDP, Hackster join forces to launch COVID-19 Detect and Protect Challenge

14 / 04 / 2020

By Marwa Nassar - -

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) joined forces with Hackster.io, an Avnet company and the largest online open-source technology hardware community, to launch the COVID-19 Detect and Protect Challenge to create open-source technology that developing countries can leverage in the fight against this global pandemic.

The two organizations are cooperating with the world’s brightest technology companies – such as Amazon AWS, NXP, Arduino, Nordic Semi, Microsoft, Edge Impulse, The Things Network, Arm, Google, Soracom, and SG Innovate – to launch the challenge – which will be open through the summer of 2020.

The new design challenge is a call to action for all hardware and software developers, product designers, scientists, hackers, makers, innovators and inventors to come up with innovative ideas to cost-efficiently support COVID-19 response efforts in developing countries.

There will be prizes and recognition awarded to the top ten solutions, and Avnet will provide support to accelerate the winners’ time to market by offering business consultation and access to engineering, design and manufacturing resources.

“The COVID-19 Detect and Protect Challenge” aims to surface innovative solutions that developing countries can immediately use to tackle the pandemic — that could be everything from new 3D-printable protective equipment to software that can detect future outbreaks,” said UNDP Administrator, Achim Steiner.

“Utilizing UNDP’s global network and the diverse resources of our supporting partners, we will work with the winning creators to disseminate this knowledge and assist those who are hardest hit by the pandemic.”

“Through this challenge, our community at Hackster, the UNDP and Avnet’s technology partners are coming together to provide innovative solutions to get lifesaving technology to some of the world’s most vulnerable areas,” said Bill Amelio, CEO, Avnet. “We are proud to partner with the UNDP to activate local technology ecosystems to develop, shape and implement open-source solutions that can help detect and protect against COVID-19 around the world. It’s a truly global collaboration, with a longer-term and positive multiplier effect.”

This global challenge builds on exciting initiatives like the ‘Global Hack’ and others that are galvanizing the broader tech community to find urgent solutions for COVID-19.