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The Health Systems Innovation Lab is a global research and training lab that specializes in health system performance, health policy, and venture creation.

Email hsinnovationlab@hsph.harvard.edu

Location

677 Huntington Ave,
Boston, MA 02115
Building 1, 11^th floor

HSIL Hackathon 2026 – Building High-Value Health Systems: Leveraging AI

Where the world’s best minds reengineer the future of health systems. Join the 7th Edition to design, prototype, and pitch technology-powered solutions with real pathways to scale.

Applications will open December 7, 2025

Participant Guidebook

What is the HSIL Hackathon?

The Health Systems Innovation Lab (HISL) Hackathon is a transformative global event where innovators come together to design solutions that strengthen health systems. The Hackathon is an intensive, collaborative experience spanning 2 days where participants brainstorm, build, and pitch new ideas to tackle a specific challenge. The goal is to move from concept to a functional prototype or working product within the event’s timeframe.

Every year, HISL organizes the Hackathon in collaboration with partner countries and institutions around the world. In 2025, the HISL Hackathon brought together over 500 teams across 19 hubs globally, making it the largest event of its kind to date.

Following the Hackathon event, the winning teams are invited to participate in the Health Systems Innovation Lab Venture Incubation Program which spans multiple weeks and supports further development of each venture through structured educational sessions and mentorship.

At its core, the Hackathon empowers participants to bridge the gap between theory and practice by encouraging unconventional thinking and practical implementation. The solutions developed during these events have the potential to revolutionize healthcare—improving patient care, enhancing operational efficiency, and strengthening the adaptability of health systems worldwide.

Who should join?

This initiative is open to all who are inspired to advance health systems through innovation. Previous hackathons have engaged students, clinicians, engineers, designers, policy analysts, entrepreneurs, and others – forming interdisciplinary teams at Harvard and partner hubs worldwide.

Participants can join through their local hub as a team or individually.

Timeline – 2026 (7th Edition)

Dates reflect the 2026 Hackathon and Venture Building Program. Local hubs may run supplementary sessions.

Registration = December 1 – January 31
HSIL Collaborative Hub Program = February 9 – March 6
- Speaker series open to all registered participants
- Mentorship opportunities
Two-day Hackathon Event = April 10-11, 2026
- Winning teams from each hub (50 teams total) advance to Venture Building Program
Venture Building Bootcamp 1 = April 20-May 1, 2026
- 50 teams participate -> 20 teams advance
HSIL Judging + Bootcamp 2 = May 4-May 15, 2026
- 20 teams participate -> 10 finalists advance
Global Judging Window = May 18-June12, 2026
- Finalist refinement + global panel
Demo Day = June 19, 2026
- Pitches to investors & awards

Hackathon Event

The Hackathon is an intensive, collaborative experience spanning 2 days where participants brainstorm, build, and pitch new ideas to tackle a specific challenge.

Venture Building Program

Following the hackathon, HSIL runs a remote Venture Incubation Program to help selected teams develop their ideas into viable ventures.

The Venture Building Program operates remotely and is structured in three phases over eight weeks:

Collaborating Hubs

Partner institutions host local build sites across five continents. Once applications open, team members from each hub can find their dedicated workspace below.

Health Systems Innovation Lab at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health