California 100 Tech Policy Hackathon

California 100 is a transformative statewide initiative focused on inspiring a vision and strategy for California’s next century that is innovative, sustainable, and equitable. This initiative, in collaboration with the University of California and UC Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy, aims to articulate a strategy for California’s next 100 years that is grounded in systematic research and evidence, deeply engaged with Californians around the state, and guided by core values and commitments to innovation, resilience, inclusion, sustainability, and equity. Part of the aim of California 100 is to surface and support a variety of diverse ideas to improve California through technology. To achieve this goal, we are soliciting tech policy ideas from Californians that can serve as the basis of a hackathon to develop and support these ideas to fruition.  We invite ideas that improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and equity of government agencies and programs, through the improved use of technology.

Process: 

The hackathon is a full-day, in-person, participatory event held on Stanford’s campus on Saturday, April 2nd, 2022. During the event, you will be introduced to a group of other participants whose ideas are in similar topic areas, and you will have the opportunity to iteratively refine and develop your idea, as well as form a group with others proposing similar ideas, with the help and mentorship of subject matter experts, technology leaders, and policymakers. 

The event will culminate in presentations of your final ideas, with a panel of judges selecting five winning proposals. The winners will receive a prize of $1,000 per person, and will be placed into working groups with experts and policy leaders for the purpose of developing the idea into a demonstration project, draft legislation, or “moonshot” goal that is achievable in the next 50 to 100 years. 

To apply to attend the hackathon, you will write a policy memo describing your idea and its potential effects in California. Please consider both short- and long-term effects; California 100 is dedicated to futures thinking and envisioning a trajectory for California as a state of innovation and inclusion. The authors of the best policy briefs will be invited to attend the hackathon in person at Stanford, with their travel and lodging costs covered.