Cajun Code Fest 4.0, a newly expanded coding competition, will focus on developing health care technology to benefit people with diabetes.
It’s hosted by the University of ֱ at Lafayette’s Center for Business and Information Technology.
Created in 2012, the annual Cajun Code Fest has given past competing teams a little over a day each spring to come up with software or products intended to improve health care.
Cajun Code Fest 4.0, however, will begin with opening ceremonies on Friday, Nov. 13, and provide five months of development time. Anyone interested in participating should attend the opening ceremonies, which will be held from 5-6:30 p.m. at Abdalla Hall in University Research Park.
Students, programmers, software developers, designers and engineers, educators, healthcare professionals, marketing and business strategists, and entrepreneurs are invited to compete.
During opening ceremonies, participants will get information about the competition, data set, and application development platform. Dr. Beth Nauman, research director of REACHnet and associate research director of the Health Services Research Portfolio at ֱ Public Health Institute, will be the guest speaker. Her topic is “Exploring the Health Informatics Technology Landscape.”
Cajun Code Fest’s new format has three phases, which will give participants more time to develop ideas and create a strong product. During Phase I, November through February, teams will form and discuss ideas. In Phase II, February through April, teams will develop their ideas. Phase III is in April. Teams will present their ideas to judges; finalists will make presentations April 22.
In previous years, participants all gathered in one room with just 27 hours to move through all three phases.
For Cajun Code Fest 4.0, teams will meet monthly as they develop ideas aimed at helping people with diabetes. With nearly 30 million children and adult diabetics in the United States and 1.7 million Americans diagnosed every year, the winning team has the potential to make a major impact.
Teams submit ideas and move through the competition until the final round of judging in April. The best solution in the healthcare coding competition earns a chance to turn an idea into reality by presenting to a team of angel investors. Team members will represent, for example, NO/LA Angel Network, accredited investors who evaluate, fund, and nurture early-stage companies, and Angels of Southwest ֱ, a non-profit corporation that facilitates connecting entrepreneurs with investors.
Previous Cajun Code Fests have tackled childhood obesity, taking charge of one’s own health, and “aging in place.” Previous events have attracted participants from across the nation and other countries.
Cajun Code Fest 4.0 will host health tech talks in April to continue the conversation on diabetes in the community.
Register at cajuncodefest.org