Comcast Cable is joining Drexel University’s College of Computing & Informatics (CCI) as title sponsor of Philly Codefest 2022 (April 4 to 9).
Philly Codefest is a free software and hardware hackathon that encourages students and professionals from all experience levels and backgrounds to work together to develop innovative solutions to help solve real world challenges.
This year, Codefest will focus exclusively on developing novel technology solutions to ensure AI’s safety and positive impacts on society.
Attendees will be encouraged to design tech solutions in areas such as fintech, cryptocurrency & blockchain; cybersecurity; bias and ethical implications of AI; healthcare; accessibility; and environmental impact.
“With the rise of artificial intelligence comes a collective responsibility to ensure and maintain its overall safety and fairness,” says Yi Deng, PhD, Isaac L. Auerbach professor and dean of CCI. “We are grateful to our lead sponsor Comcast Cable for helping us create an exceptional Codefest experience to generate real-world AI solutions for social good.”
For the first time ever, Codefest will be offered in a hybrid format, with teams of software and hardware hackers working together remotely from April 4 to 8, and then presenting their projects in-person at the Quorum (3675 Market Street) on April 9.
The in-person event will feature keynote speakers, sponsor booths, networking opportunities, and a “science fair” style presentation of competing projects, where teams will demo their creations to a panel of judges (comprised of Drexel faculty, sponsors and members of the Philadelphia tech community).
Prizes will be awarded in categories such as Best Student Hack, Best Collaborative Hack (teams comprised of both students and professionals), First-Year Student Challenge, Most Innovative Hack, and Best Hack for Social Good.
In addition, Comcast Cable will host a special day-long event on April 7, known as “Comcast Day,” where Drexel CCI students can meet with Comcast representatives, and attend workshops, resume review sessions and career discussions. All Codefest attendees will be able to meet with representatives in the Comcast Lounge at Codefest’s in-person event on April 9.
Comcast Cable joins Codefest sponsors including SICK Inc., SAP, Vanguard, Ciright, Urban Technology Project, CircleCI, Teachers&, Lula and Linode.