Schenectady, NY – Jan. 22, 2018 – Transfinder Corp. is pleased to announce the launch of Hack Tech Valley, a 24-hour hackathon that will draw as many as 200 developers and designers from throughout the Northeast to work on innovative solutions to be implemented in Smart Cities initiatives across the country.
The event is scheduled for Feb. 10-11, beginning at noon at Schenectady County Community College. More than $5,000 in prizes will be awarded throughout the event. The event’s lead sponsor is Transfinder and additional sponsors have signed on to support the initiative. Other sponsors are still being sought in a range of categories.
“I believe this event is a game-changer for Tech Valley,” said Antonio Civitella, president and CEO of Transfinder Corp., a logistics software developer based in Schenectady. Civitella is a member of Schenectady’s Smart Cities Commission. “Our goal is to draw the best and brightest to Schenectady to work on making our cities smarter. I believe one of the next great ideas could come out of this event and impact not only Schenectady or the Tech Valley region but possibly the state and country as well.”
Civitella said his first choice for this event was Schenectady County Community College, a State University of New York school. SCCC has offered to be the Location Sponsor.
“This venue just makes sense with SCCC’s strong Computer Science program and its long history with Transfinder,” Civitella said. Typically, hackathons are held at four-year institutions, but SCCC is not a typical community college, but instead entrepreneurial and nimble and a great partner, Civitella added.
“SUNY SCCC is proud to participate in Hack Tech Valley, partnering with the City of Schenectady and Transfinder,” said Dr. Steady Moono, President of the College. “Smart Cities is an innovative initiative and the hackathon will surely generate valuable ideas around the program in a fun, team-building way. The fact that our students will be able to learn from and share their thoughts with developers, designers, and programmers during this event is a benefit to them and to the College.”
Schenectady Mayor Gary McCarthy, who will be acting as a judge at Hack Tech Valley, said this was just another example of a partnership that leads to real and sustaining change.
“Cities are always looking for innovative ways to create real savings and benefits for their residents,” said Schenectady Mayor Gary McCarthy. “A community that fosters innovation and creativity is necessary to ensure a strong future for our urban centers in the 21st century. By establishing strong local partnerships, we can ensure successful community engagement and help develop new best practices.”
Cisco has committed to being Hack Tech Valley’s Silver Sponsor.
“Cisco is the largest Networking and Cybersecurity company in the world. Cisco helps connect People, Data and Devices – Securely,” said Larry Payne, Cisco spokesman. “Our roots run deep in education. Today, our philanthropic goal is to educate communities while empowering them to build smarter and more resilient socio-economic ecosystems. We welcome the opportunity to work with Transfinder, the City of Schenectady and Schenectady County Community College in their effort to build a brighter future in Upstate New York.”
AT&T signed on to be Hack Tech Valley’s Mobile Sponsor.
“As an industry leader in the Internet of Things, a technology transforming how we live, communicate and work, AT&T is proud to collaborate with Transfinder, the City of Schenectady and the Schenectady County Community College to support this hackathon and we’re excited to see the innovation that is developed during the event,” said Marissa Shorenstein, president, Northeast Region, AT&T. “Our continued investment in a robust mobile network, the backbone driving Internet of Things and Smart Cities innovation, as well as our activities with local organizations working to foster the resurgence of the local economy through technological innovation is evidence of our continued support of Schenectady the Capital Region and the entire Tech Valley.”
redShift Recruiting will participate as a Recruiter Sponsor.
“If we are going make the Capital District a place that draws professionals from outside the area, and retains those already here, we need to build a community and technology culture that understands, promotes and provides opportunities for the best and brightest in the field,” said redShift President Dan Sterantino. “In my view, events like Hack Tech Valley represent local business owners taking the lead and doing the work required to create an environment that will grow and retain the talent we all desperately need in our respective organizations.”
DeCrescente Distributing Company, based in Mechanicville, New York, has agreed to be the Hackathon’s Energy Drinks Sponsor.
New to the Capital District, we’re introducing UpTime Energy for participants at the event,” Russ Teplitzky, DeCrescente General Manager. “UpTime is non-GMO and uses herbal ingredients such as ginseng and ginkgo biloba instead of additives for a mental and physical energy supplement. We are proud to support innovative programs like Hack Tech Valley and wish all of the competitors luck in their problem solving.”
Additional sponsorship opportunities and registration details can be found at hacktechvalley.com.
About Transfinder
Founded in 1988 and headquartered in Schenectady, New York, Transfinder is a national leader in intelligent transportation systems, providing transportation management systems and services to municipalities, school districts and adult care facilities. Transfinder, an Inc. magazine “fastest-growing company” for the past 11 straight years, has offices in Austin, Texas, and Shanghai, China. The software company develops and supports routing and scheduling solutions for optimal transportation logistics. For more information, visit www.transfinder.com.
Contact:
Rick D’Errico
Director, Public Relations
(518) 723-8303
rderrico@transfinder.com