#United States #Salt Lake City #housing affordability #Ivory Innovations #Hack-A-House

Ivory Innovations Hosts 2025 Hack-A-House Competition

In an effort to tackle the pressing housing affordability crisis in America, Ivory Innovations, a nonprofit academic center at the University of Utah, has launched its annual Hack-A-House competition. This year, the competition encourages college students nationwide to use their creativity and problem-solving skills to devise innovative solutions in just 24 hours. The event will be held virtually from September 26 to 27, 2025, offering a total of $5,000 in prizes.

The Hack-A-House competition is not just about winning; it’s an initiative aimed at empowering the youth to engage with one of the nation’s most important issues. Ian Cahoon, the Director of Innovations at Ivory Innovations, emphasized the goal, stating, “Hack-A-House is part of our mission to empower students to participate in addressing the housing affordability challenge while rewarding the brightest college students from around the country.” Each participating team will be tasked with addressing specific challenges related to finance, policy, and construction design, focusing on innovative strategies that can impact housing affordability.

Event Details and Structure

The competition will commence at noon Mountain Time on September 26 and span until noon on September 27. Students can register individually or as part of a team of up to five members. They will receive prompts in three areas that highlight various aspects of the housing affordability crisis. Participants will be required to conduct research, collaborate with industry experts, and prepare a presentation to pitch their ideas live via Zoom to a panel of judges.

Students from prestigious institutions, including Harvard University, UC Berkeley, Columbia University, and others, will compete, showcasing their innovative approaches to complex challenges within the realm of affordable housing. The event's judging panel will comprise startup founders, academics, and leaders in major corporations, ensuring that the insights and solutions generated are evaluated by experienced professionals.

Last year's competition witnessed groundbreaking ideas that sought to tackle housing supply issues, innovative financial solutions to combat predatory lending, and strategies for offering affordable homeownership without necessitating additional subsidies. Notable winners from previous Hack-A-House competitions include Candice Delamarre and Armelle Coutant, co-founders of Kit Switch, a company that designs efficient, modular construction kits for multifamily housing units.

How to Participate

Interested students can register for the Hack-A-House competition at hackahouse.org. With eligibility open to undergraduate and graduate students from across all disciplines, the event represents a unique opportunity for young minds to contribute to practical solutions for complex social issues.

Ivory Innovations aims to catalyze impactful solutions to the housing crisis, continuously striving to support students, entrepreneurs, and experts in developing and implementing effective outcomes. This year’s Hack-A-House promises to be an exciting platform for students to express their ideas and contribute positively to society while competing for valuable prizes. For more information about their ongoing projects and initiatives, visit their website at ivoryinnovations.org.