Veteran Innovation Hackathon

A 3-day hackathon at Hacker Dojo bringing together veterans, engineers, designers, nonprofit leaders, and community builders to co-create solutions to challenges faced by the veteran community.
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THE CHALLENGE
What was the hardest part about coming home as a veteran?
For many veterans, the challenge does not end when they leave the service. It begins when they try to navigate the systems designed to support them.
Too often, veterans face:

• Confusing websites and complicated processes
• Long application forms
• Unclear pathways to finding the right resources
• Waiting weeks or months for support when they need it most

When a veteran needs help, accessing support should not feel like another battle.

The goal of this hackathon is to explore solutions that make getting support as simple and accessible as possible. We believe veterans should be able to communicate what they need and quickly connect with the right resources, organizations, and people who can help.
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This hackathon is built around a simple principle:
Listen first, then build.
Veterans will share their lived experiences, challenges, and ideas directly with builders. Engineers, designers, and innovators will then collaborate with veterans to transform those insights into working prototypes over the course of the weekend.
The goal is not just to create a project for a weekend. The goal is to build ideas that can continue growing into real tools, services, and solutions that improve the lives of veterans.
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3-DAY AGENDA

DAY 1 | THE MISSION - Listen. Understand. Assemble.
6:30-9:00 PM - Opening Night + Mission Launch
6:30-7:00 PM - MUSTER | Registration & Welcome Reception & National Anthem
7:00-7:30 PM - MISSION BRIEFS | Veterans Define The Challenges
7:30-8:00 PM - Innovation Pitch Session
8:15-8:45 PM - Form Your Unit
9:00 PM - Start hacking
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DAY 2 | THE BUILD - Design. Build. Test.
10:00 AM - 9:00 PM - Build Day
10:00-10:20 AM - REVEILLE | Breakfast & Mission Building
10:20 AM - 12:00 PM - Sprint 1
12:00 - 12:15 PM - SITREP 01 | Team & Mentor status Check
12:15-1:00 PM - Field Rations
1:00-3:00 PM - Sprint 2
3:00-3:20 PM - VIP Innovation Briefing
3:20-5:00 PM - Sprint 3
5:00-5:15 PM - SITREP 02 | T-4 Hours to Submission
5:15-6:30 PM - Sprint 4
6:30-7:00 PM - Chow | Dinner + Reset
7:00-8:00 PM - Pitch Lab
9:00 PM - Submission Deadline
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DAY 3 | THE IMPACT - Demonstrate. Recognize. Deploy.
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM - Championship pitches + Mission Honors
9:30-10:00 AM - Team + Judge Arrival
10:00 AM - Final Pitches Begin
11:00 AM - Final VIP Address
12:55 PM - Final Formation
1:00 pm - Mission complete
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Join us in bringing together veterans and innovators to build a future where accessing support is faster, easier, and centered around the people who need it most.