2026 Hackathon
The ALI Social Impact Hackathon brings together partner organizations from across the social impact sector to share a problem of practice for which they are seeking immediate solutions. Small teams of ALI Fellows and other socially-impact-minded students work together to develop recommendations for these problems for partner organizations to use immediately.
Over one-and-a-half days, partner organizations will present their problems of practice to event participants, answer questions and provide feedback as teams develop solutions, and offer closing thoughts on the teams’ proposed recommendations.
The event will culminate in a final presentation to a panel of Harvard faculty who will select a winning team and award prizes. To register by April 23rd, please click the link below.
SCHEDULE
Wednesday, May 6
Aldrich Hall 211 (Harvard Business School)
4:00 p.m. Welcome: Organizations will introduce themselves briefly (2-3 min) before breaking into groups.
Aldrich Second Floor Alcoves
4:35 p.m. Transition to team breakouts
Aldrich Hall 211
5:35 p.m. All teams will return to the main classroom to debrief
Thursday, May 7
Chao 120 (Harvard Business School)
9:00 a.m. Problem Strategy Mapping Team Breakouts: all participants will continue to work on solutions.
12:00 p.m. Lunch: members of the partner organizations will step away to allow participants to work on solutions independently.
2:30 p.m. Groups transition from Chao 120 to Aldrich 211.
Aldrich Hall 211
3:00 p.m. Teams will present their recommendations and you will be asked to comment on it; faculty panelists will offer feedback and select a winning team and award prizes.
5:00 p.m. Close of event
AI HELP DESK
During the Hackathon, our AI Fellows Kedaar (kedaarsridhar@gse.harvard.edu) and Abdi (aguleed@gse.harvard.edu) will be available to help teams think through problem framing, solution ideation, AI strategy, prototyping, innovation, workflow design, and how AI tools can be used effectively in building recommendations, presentations, and practical next steps. They also bring extensive experience supporting hackathons, senior leaders, student builders, and early-stage ventures, and are happy to serve as a resource throughout the event. They will be present for the Thursday sessions and virtually via Whatsapp for the duration of the event.
COMMUNICATION
Please join the Whatsapp group linked below to receive day-of communications from the staff and to communicate with your group members before the event: https://chat.whatsapp.com/Lky3tPEctZLGAd7C6oXUuz
Also note that your group assignments may change on the day of the event, but we will work to ensure that you are placed with your first or second choice organization. Looking forward to seeing you all in person, and please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
2025 Beyond Shelter Deep Dive
Join us for this upcoming Deep Dive “Beyond Shelter: the business of ending homelessness in America” presented in partnership with Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health’s Initiative on Health and Homelessness, U.S Chamber of Commerce Foundation, and the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University.
2025 Longevity and Healthy Aging Deep Dive
Overview
We are delighted to announce that William Mair, Professor of Molecular Metabolism and Director of the Harvard Chan School Aging Initiative, will chair this Deep Dive.
2025 Health and Homelessness Deep Dive
Overview
In the Health and Homelessness Deep Dive, we will bring together providers, system leaders, advocates, researchers, people with lived expertise, and others from across the country to highlight important strategies that work, address emerging challenges, and discuss innovative solutions to the complex issue of homelessness. The Deep Dive will include individual and panel sessions, covering topics such as housing, healthcare, and international approaches to homelessness.
2025 Climate Change Deep Dive
In this deep dive, we will take an in-depth look at climate change, a particularly complex challenge facing society. Bringing in multiple perspectives from the university, we will cover a broad range of topics addressing climate science, the societal impacts of climate change, and actionable solutions.
2024 Final Symposium and 15 Year Celebration
Celebrate ALI’s 15 Year and 2024 Final Symposium
2024 AI & Technology Deep Dive
In this one-day deep dive, we will examine how generative AI works, how to use it, and the larger opportunities and challenges it poses for society. We will first explore inner workings of modern AI models, particularly focusing on Large Language Models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT, while engaging in practical applications of these systems. We will then assess the advantages and risks of deploying generative AI in a variety of contexts, and how to use AI responsibly for the benefit of society. Finally, we will discuss the effect of AI on the future of work and inequalities, and investigate effective policy solutions.
We will be welcoming co-chairs:
Sharad Goel, Professor of Public Policy, HKS
Dan Levy, Senior Lecturer in Public Policy, HKS
Teddy Svoronos, Senior Lecturer of Public Policy, HKS
Schedule: View the agenda here
Deep Dive Pre-Work: Please complete this pre-session survey at on Google Forms
Post-Session Materials: Will be posted here after the event
2024 Democracy Deep Dive
Join us as we hear from experts from the Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard Law School, Brown University, and MIT on democracy and its effects on today's society. Led by Deep Dive Faculty Chair, Harvard Kennedy School’s Archon Fung.
2023 ALI Technology Deep Dive
Join Faculty Deep Dive chair Jonathan Zittrain of Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society lead our upcoming Technology Deep Dive. Open for REGISTRATION and schedule.
2023 Social Impact Hackathon
Join us at ALI’s Social Impact Hackathon where we will collaborate with several partner organizations on an end-to-end strategy for real-world timely problems they are currently facing.
2023 ALI Democracy Deep Dive
Join Faculty Deep Dive co-chairs Professor Archon Fung, Harvard Kennedy School and Nick Chedli Carter, Director of Democracy Initiatives at the Ash Center at the Harvard Kennedy School, as they lead our upcoming Democracy Deep Dive.
2023 Cross-Cohort Workshop
Thank you for joining us at this event!
To review session videos, follow up materials or resources mentioned during the event please click below!
2023 ALI Education Deep Dive
Thank you for joining us at this event!
To review session videos, follow up materials or resources mentioned during the event please click below!
2023 ALI Health and Homelessness Deep Dive
Thank you for joining us at this event!
To review session videos, follow up materials or resources mentioned during the event please click below!
2023 ALI Climate Change Deep Dive
Schedule and advanced readings will be available in the coming weeks. Click below for Zoom information.
The Interconnectedness Crisis of Homelessness and Housing with Professor Howard Koh and former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio
Thank you for joining us at this event!
To review session videos, follow up materials or resources mentioned during the event please click below!
2022 ALI Social Impact Hackathon
We are excited to hold our second ALI Social Impact Hackathon! We have partnered with eight innovative social impact organizations who will each present a specific challenge that requires support and input.
Cross-Cohort Workshop
Thanks for joining us! Videos of the plenary sessions are available for view.
Global Mental Health Deep Dive
Thank you for joining us at this event!
To review session videos, follow up materials or resources mentioned during the event please click below!
The African Leadership University: Excellence at Scale
Thank you for joining us at this conversation with Fred Swaniker and Brian Rosenberg!
To review the session video please click below!
U.S Healthcare and the Affordable Care Act
Thank you for joining us at this event!
To review session videos, follow up materials or resources mentioned during the event please click below!
Human Rights and Inequality in the Digital Century Deep Dive
Thank you for joining us at this event!
To review session videos, follow up materials or resources mentioned during the event please click below!
Climate Change Deep Dive
Thank you for joining us at this event!
To review session videos, follow up materials or resources mentioned during the event please click below!
A Conversation on LGBTQ+ and human rights policy with Prof. Tim McCarthy
Thank you for joining us for this virtual conversation with award-winning Harvard faculty member Timothy McCarthy!
Final Symposium
We are so happy you were able to join us for this year’s Final Symposium on December 6th, 7th and 8th!
The Final Symposium presentation recordings are available. Please note that these recording links should not be shared outside of the ALI Community.
Social Impact Hackathon
This event is a unique opportunity for ALI Fellows and Harvard students to partner with social impact organizations and solve real-life challenges.
You’ll be working collaboratively with a small team to develop solutions and recommendations in response to specific asks from partner organizations. You’ll meet the organization leaders, learn the context around the problems they are facing and work intensively to create working solutions to their challenges.
2021 Cross-Cohort Workshop
Hear project updates from other members of the Coalition and connect with the 2021 ALI Cohort in our 2021 Cross-Cohort Workshop.
Technology Innovation Deep Dive
We look forward to seeing you at the virtual Technology Deep Dive! Over the course of two days we will explore some of the challenges technology has created and can help solve.
Resilient Cities Deep Dive
We look forward to seeing you at the virtual Resilient Cities Deep Dive! Over the course of two days we will explore some of the challenges facing cities around the world.
Climate Change Deep Dive
We look forward to seeing you at the virtual Climate Change Deep Dive! Over the course of three days we will explore some of the challenges facing our global environment.