UNLEASH Hacks
UNLEASH Hacks are local innovation sprints for young people to address their region’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
UNLEASH Hacks bring people together to tackle local challenges through innovation. They can be community-driven, led by members of the UNLEASH Community, or partner-driven, organized with external partners around a specific theme. In both cases, participants gain practical tools and skills to develop impactful solutions for their communities.
Host an UNLEASH Hack in 2025
Would you like to host your own UNLEASH Hack this year? Express your interest in joining the 2025 cohort of Organizers now!
Learn about how to bring the UNLEASH Methodology to your community and create the impact you want to see around you.
The Innovation Process
During the Hacks, participants are working with the UNLEASH methodology, based on user-centered design principles. The two-day program zooms in on the following stages of the innovation process:
Defining a problem based on user needs and clear insights
Brainstorming and selecting ideas to solve the problem
Creating simple versions of the idea to understand how it will work in real life
Testing the solution with users, learning, and adapting
Planning and launching impactful solutions
Hacks Features
Localized
UNLEASH Hacks are defined and developed by locals for locals, activating passionate youth, local stakeholders and community leaders to collectively address sustainability challenges they are close to.
Compact Innovation
Processes
UNLEASH Hacks provide a unique learning opportunity for young people all around the world. The compact program enables participants to explore their creativity and discover tools for developing innovative ideas in just two days!
Community-Led
The Hacks are led by our global network of talented UNLEASH Community members. They organize the Hacks and select pressing local challenges to tackle collectively while gaining leadership skills and spreading innovation tools among local youth.
Localized
UNLEASH Hacks are defined and developed by locals for locals, activating passionate youth, local stakeholders and community leaders to collectively address sustainability challenges they are close to.
Community-Led
The Hacks are led by our global network of talented UNLEASH Ambassadors. They organize the Hacks and select pressing local challenges to tackle collectively, while gaining leadership skills and spreading innovation tools among local youth.
Compact Innovation
Processes
UNLEASH Hacks provide a unique learning opportunity for young people all around the world. The compact program enables participants to explore their creativity and discover tools for developing innovative ideas in just two days!
UNLEASH Hack Canada: Community well-being as a driver of social and climate action
Youth from the Circumpolar North will get together to learn from Yukon’s inspiring governance models and co-create solutions around community wellness, social change, and climate action through the lens of Indigenous self-determination and Northern innovation.
This Hack will take place between March 6 – 7, 2025 in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada.
Previous Hacks in 2024
Solutions from Previous Hacks
“Every year, 931 million tons of food go to waste around the world. Food Helper is an AI-powered mobile application that helps reduce food waste at the household level by helping users manage their food items.”
- Chi-Hong Cheung,
UNLEASH Hack 2021
China
“Reading bites is an innovation to encourage reading culture among children and young people and offer ways for implementing reading into daily activities at home and in schools.”
– Efe Wealth Ewemade,
UNLEASH Hack, 2021
Ghana
“Eco-check is a digital platform where you can track your sustainable tourism practices and - depending on how well you do - be rewarded with advantages, encouraging you to keep on traveling responsibly. “
- Samantha Villarreal Cavazos,
UNLEASH Hack, 2021
Mexico
“During the Hack, I got to collaborate with global talents around the world. I made really meaningful connections, including the co-founders for our project #SoutLout, an interactive story game that offers a playful way for approaching sex education.”
- Heeba Anis,
UNLEASH Hack, 2021
Morocco
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