Launch Academy presents Vancouver Breast Cancer Awareness Hackathon

The first ever Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (CBCF) Code-Free Hackathon for Innovation in Breast Cancer Awareness will be held at Launch Academy headquarters in Vancouver on Saturday, June 11.
The CBCF Victory Square: Code Free Hackathon is presented by Victory Square Labs, Launch Academy and ProtoHack, in cooperation with Lina’s Dream, an endowment fund established by Bob Tattle and Robert Bruno that supports initiatives in breast cancer early detection.
The 12-hour hackathon will encourage innovation around breast cancer awareness and preventative care, with contributors to the health and medical technology communities working together to produce new and innovative ways to remind people to get mammographies.
Teams consisting of entrepreneurs, business people and designers will use prototyping tools, drag and drop editors, mockups, wireframes and whatever other means at their disposal to brainstorm, prototype, visually demo and then pitch their idea on stage to a panel of judges.
ProtoHack’s mission is to show non-coders that they can create something from nothing, empowering the non-technical community with the tools, knowledge and connections to bring their idea to life and communicate it through prototyping.
Lina’s Dream is named for Lina Vassallo, a 38-year-old mother of three young children and an active member of her community in Port Moody, who died of breast cancer on January 6, 2011. She was diagnosed in 2006, with her breast cancer having gone undetected for at least two years.
Vancouver’s Launch Academy, during three years of existence, has supplied over 2,500 hours of mentorship to the more than 350 startups that have passed through its doors, which have collectively raised over $57 million in funding, and created more than 635 jobs in British Columbia.
Inhabiting a 12,000 square foot office space in Gastown, Launch Academy has organized several conferences, including Traction Conference, and claims to be one of the most cost-efficient technology hubs in the country, generating $61 in GDP for the greater economy for each dollar of public money invested, with a cost-per-job investment of $1,228.
The BC/Yukon Region of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation was established in 1992 to make a difference in breast cancer and breast health for women in British Columbia, and will administer its endowment funds for a period of 20 years, supporting unique and innovative initiatives related to prevention, early detection, treatment, research and emerging issues for the health care workforce.
A pre-event panel for the hackathon will be held on Friday, May 10 at 6:30 p.m.