Within only four days, seven civil non-profit organizations combined forces to organize the #WirVsVirus Hackathon. The hackathon's purpose was to create a digital space for everyone who had already started working on solutions for the situation caused by Covid-19 or who was eager to do so. The hackathon was supposed to create a digital space for collaboration, co-creation, inspiration, and networking. We specifically reached out to all citizens with time and Internet access to join us for 48 hours of hacking--meaning: finding creative solutions in interdisciplinary teams for challenges posed through Covid-19.

In total, over 28,000 citizens participated making the #WirVsVirus Hackathon the world largest ever organized hackathon. 1,500 teams came up with 1,500 solutions. The solutions covered a wide ranging field from medical resource supply to job security to government service digitalization and community cohesion. The hackathon set an example for the power of German innovation and created a community that lasts to this day. Especially because the hackathon was only the start. From the beginning we planned a support program for the months after because we knew that ideas are only as good as the value they contribute to society. The support program consists of four elements: a support program of 130 most promising solutions, a fast track program for 10 solutions most needed, a community management for the Slack workspace where still over 3,000 individuals interact and a fund that supports Covid-related projects financially. We gathered over 2.5 million euros from the German government as well as from companies to support projects and enable us to run the program over the course of six months.

The #WirVsVirus Hackathon and support program have shown how digital communities in cooperation with government and private actors can foster change and contribute to a better society. The strong community has proven that citizens want to be involved. The concept is also a blueprint for a continuous participatory process to develop solutions for the great challenges of our time.

With support from the German government which functioned as co-initiators and patrons of the Hackathon (no financial involvement).

Links: www.wirvsvirushackathon.org

With support from the German government which functioned as co-initiators and patrons of the Hackathon (no financial involvement).

#WirVsVirus Hackathon. The hackathon was a first starting point for a continuous participatory process to develop common solutions in order to master the great challenges posed by Covid-19 to society. The #WirVsVirus Hackathon was initiated and realized on a voluntary basis by: Tech4Germany, Code for Germany, Impact Hub Berlin, ProjectTogether, SEND e.V., Initiative D21, Prototype Fund. The hackathon took place from 20-22 March 2020 and attracted over 42,000 registrations, 28,000 participants and resulted in 1,500 ideas. So far, the #WirVsVirus Hackathon is the biggest hackathon worldwide. The hackathon took place under the patronage of the German government.