Media advisory: Hackathon offers $18,000 in prizes for apps that benefit Western New York community

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Got an idea for an app that will improve the lives of Western New Yorkers?

If so, there’s a new competition you should check out.

Business and community leaders on Wednesday will announce the launch of a two-month, virtual hackathon that encourages local developers, entrepreneurs, innovators, technologists and others to build and deliver apps that will benefit the Western New York community.

What: The launch of a community-focused app development competition.

When: 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 10.

Where: dig (short for “design innovation garage”) at 640 Ellicott St. Parking is available at 589 Ellicott St.

The hackathon is a joint effort between AT&T; the University at Buffalo School of Management’s Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership (CEL); UB’s New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences (CBLS); the UB Office of Science, Technology Transfer and Economic Outreach (STOR); SUNY Fredonia; Z80 Labs; InfoTech Niagara; Launch NY; United Way of Buffalo and Erie County; and Hack Upstate.

Among those expected to attend Wednesday’s event: New York State Sen. Mark Grisanti; New York State Assemblyman Sean Ryan; Marissa Shorenstein, president of AT&T’s New York office; Patrick Whalen, chief operating officer for the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus; Thomas Ulbrich, assistant dean and CEL executive director, UB School of Management; Michael Weiner, president and CEO at United Way of Buffalo and Erie County; Marnie LaVigne, president and CEO of Launch NY; Peter Ronca, chairman of InfoTech Niagara; Kevin Kearns, PhD, vice president for engagement and economic development at SUNY Fredonia; and Dan Magnuszewski, managing partner at Z80 Labs.

For press arrangements, contact Ben Roberts at ben.roberts@att.com or 716-262-5883.