HackOut: The World's Largest LGBTQIA-themed Entrepreneurship Weekend
September 10-13, 2020
a free event, hosted virtually
LGBTQ+ Startup Hackathon, Goes Virtual & Adds Prize Money
Built In Austin - August 19, 2020
🏆💰 With $5,000 in Cash Prizes! 💰🏆
Livestream recording of final pitches:
2020 HackOut Winning teams
We had 10 amazing teams present their business pitches at HackOut, however only 5 made it through to final presentations. Learn more about our final 5 teams:
TRID
1st place & Fan Favorite
Trid is a safe e-commerce platform revolutionizing the shopping experience by curating options to try on in your home, tailored to your style preferences independent of gender. All gender identities welcome!
Team: Graham Hawley, Joshua Walker, and Pavel Valishin
Queer Healers
2nd place
Queer Healers is creating a directory so experienced Queer healers can be found, booked, and reviewed by people seeking their offerings. Think body, esoteric, and ritual workers, doulas, herbalists, coaches, etc.
Team: Bridget Conway-Taylor, Marisa Hall, Sky Davis and Gala Mukomolova
ARTAI
3rd place
ARTAI empowers both students and professionals of the fine art world by directly connecting them with clients. By showcasing products in a curated & modern online platform using VR technology to simulate the gallery experience.
Team: Pauly Ramirez, Karlo Martin, Becs Prager, Amy Detwiler, Chan Heng Hong
Podium
Finalist
Break the echo chamber.
Team: Li bearden, Misha Kessler
Pride Dr.
Finalist
A safe place where telemedicine meets the LGBTQ+ community where they live.
Team: Justin Ayars, Illyana Bocanegra, Mario Nouel
- 2020 Judges & Performers
LGBTQ Industry Experts & Headlining Performers
Robyn Exton - Judge
CEO & Founder of HER
HER the world's largest brand for LGBTQ womxn & queer people. Their app is home to 6 million people across the world, helping them connect and chat with each other and their community.Lindsay Nuon - Judge
Founder & CEO EmpirEqual (launched at HackOut 2018) & StartOut Board Memeber
Lindsay began her career in STEM in the US military 15 years ago and has since worked in the US Intelligence Community with government agencies including NCIS, the FBI, and HHS; Fortune 500 companies, and Cybersecurity start-ups.
Chad Palmatier - Judge
Co-Founder & Chief Brand Officer
Lick Honest Ice Creams has been making seasonal and sustainable artisan ice creams since 2011 that celebrate the flavors and culture of Texas.William Coombes - Judge
Head of Global Design, Visa
With teams in Austin, San Francisco, Seattle and New York City, Will is responsible for visual design, usability, design innovation and design engineering for all of Visa’s products and services.
Divinity Roxx - Performer
World Acclaimed Bassist. Composer. Producer. Former Music Director for Beyoncé.
Inspirational and genuine, Grammy-nominated musician and artist Divinity Roxx has earned the reputation of irrefutable front-woman of her own genre-bursting and compelling musical journey
Mustache Envy - Performance
Drag & Queerlesque
Mustache Envy Drag & Queerlesque's Gendernauts, take you on multigendernautical adventures through queerdom!Carina Magyar - Performer
Mom, writer, comedian, content strategist, journalist, lesbian, other labels.
Carina Magyar has been performing stand-up comedy in Austin since 2010. She was the runner-up in the 2017 Funniest Person in Austin contest. Recently, she's performed at the Moontower Comedy Festival & roast battled at SXSW.
- 2020 LEADERSHIP TEAM
HackOut is run by an amazing team of volunteers
Co-Facilitator
Product Manager & iOS Developer
Julian has been the lead HackOut Facilitator for multiple years (2019, 2018). He's facilitated countless StartUp Weekend events with TechStars and also works as a Product Manager and iOS Developer for his own small business.Lead Organizer
Community & Partnerships Manager - Walmart
Desmond was too humble to write a blurb for himself, so we wrote one for him: he's the most focused events and partnerships expert you'll meet.
Lead Organizer
Taylor McCaslin is a multi-disciplinary investor, technologist, and Product Manager. He also runs an angel fund: Product Trust InvestmentsApplication Coordinator
Software Engineer - Senseye
Katie approaches software engineering as a creative work. She got a non-traditional start into tech and is excited to help others do the same.Areej Rabie
Mentor & Judge Facilitator
Director of Growth & Operations - Backtracks
Passionate about helping empower entrepreneurs to actualize their dreams. Regular supporter of diversity and inclusion efforts across Texas.
Kayla Burkholder
Application Coordinator
Design Researcher - H-E-B
Kayla has a passion for product innovation and creating killer customer experiences. She has worked in both physical and digital product development, ranging from developing a medical device startup to working on digital products at Carmax and H-E-B Digital.
Mentor & Judge Facilitator
Director, Digital & MarTech - Silicon Valley Bank
I ❤️ tech, human centered design & digital. Passionate about equality & mentorship ✈️.
Lottie Tai
Facilitation Assistant
Accounting Manager - Full Stack Finance
Brandon Monsees
Design
Marketing / Graphic Design
Brandon designs stickers, websites, and t-shirts for companies.
StartOut Liaison
Austin Chapter Lead - StartOut
Passionate about using technology and impeccable design to build software products that improve the businesses and lives of people.
Sponsorships
Development Director - StartOut
Tony serves as the Director of Development at StartOut and is a LatinX Advocate Volunteers
Our amazing staff of volunteers who help make the event a success
Sarah Sharif
Dedicated Advisor
Tracy Smith
Dedicated Advisor
Natalie Rose
Dedicated Advisor
Grant Carlile
Dedicated Advisor
Carly Johnson
Expert Mentor
Aayush Iyer
Expert Mentor
Adrianna Cantu
Expert Mentor
Hayley Netherton
Expert Mentor
Elizabeth Pranger
Expert Mentor
Drew Stern
Expert Mentor
Erica Prenga
Expert Mentor
Asher Diaz
Expert Mentor
Jenn Starr
Expert Mentor
Kelly Karsnia
Expert Mentor
Jenna Ritten
Expert Mentor
Michael Humphries
Expert Mentor
Radissen Ramoutar
Expert Mentor
Tony Pham
Expert Mentor
Steve Kramer
Expert Mentor
Ben Wilde
Expert Mentor
Ojas Patel
Expert Mentor
Daniel Senyard
Expert Mentor
Alex Edelstein
Expert Mentor
SCHEDULE
September 10-13, 2020
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9
- 12:00PM CT - Online pitch submissions
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10
- 6:00PM CT - Pitch submission deadline
- 7:00PM CT - Team voting begins - vote for your 3 favorite pitch ideas
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11
- 12:00PM CT - Team Voting deadline
- 6:00PM CT - kickoff livestream begins
- 8:00PM CT - Form teams & begin work
- 8:30PM CT - Facilitator Assignments - each team will be assigned a dedicated facilitator to ask questions and lean on during the process
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12
- 10:00AM CST - Social Breakfast
- 10:30AM CST - Morning Check-In with Facilitators
- 11:00AM CST - Teams working & mentor meetings as needed
- 2:00PM CST - Sponsor Session: Creating Accessible Technologies
- 3:30PM CST - HackOut 101: Fundraising as Underestimated Founders
- 6:00PM CST - Social Happy Hour
- 8:00PM CST - Drag Performance: Mustache Envy
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13
- 10:00AM CT - Social Breakfast - You'll be paired with a random selection of attendees from the event and given a prompt to chat about!
- 10:30AM CT - Morning Check-In with Facilitators
- 12:00PM CT - Pitch Practice Starts
- 2:00PM CT - Pitch Practice Ends
- 4:00PM CT - Project Submission Due for 1st Round of Judging
- 4:30PM CT - 1st Round of Judging Begins
- 5:30PM CT - 1st Round of Judging Ends
- 6:00PM CT - Top 5 Teams Announced; Tech Check for Top 5 Teams
FINAL PRESENTATIONS - SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13- 7:00PM CT - Final Presentation + Q&A
- 8:00PM CT - Comedian Carina Magyar entertains while judges deliberate
- 8:30PM CT - Awards: Winning teams announced + $5,000 cash prizes
- 9:00PM CT - Live Performance & Discussion: Divinity Roxx
- 2020 SPONSORsThank you for supporting
#LGBTQIA entrepreneurship!BECOME A SPONSOR!
Your Corporate Logo Here!
Support #LGBTQIA Entrepreneurship & Sponsor the world's largest LGBTQIA-themed Startup hackathon!
- #HackOut in the News
Are you press? We would love to talk to you!
Share your email below for media inquiries :-)
Built In
Creating a safe digital space for LGBTQ+ Entrapanuers
SexTech Guide
The US’s only hackathon for LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs is the latest to replace its in-person live events with a fully virtual lineup for its upcoming 2020 hackathon.
Built In Austin
Based on our reporting from every major U.S. tech hub, there’s a strong case for optimism in an uncertain year.
The Austin Chronicle
Since the inaugural weekend in 2014, HackOut has risen to an international scale
Crunchbase - June 5, 2019
Crunchbase coverage of 2019 HackOut and winner Solace
Spectrum News
Leaders in the Austin tech scene are doing their part to further LGBTQ inclusion in the industry.
Austin Business Journal
Social-business lessons are valuable and a way to connect with new people and new ways of thinking.
blog.HomeAway.com
Startup Weekend HackOut aims to teach potential LGBTQIA entrepreneurs how to launch their ideas.
KHOU 11 - khou.com
This weekend, members of the LGBTQ community in tech are learning how to grow their startups.
LinkedIn Pulse
"We wanted to keep the cost low and the diversity and inclusion high."
Austin Inno
Safenight connects well-vetted hosts who can offer a safe place to stay for queer youth in need.
Built In Austin
"I explained how I’m bisexual, how I’m trans ... and [my father] didn’t want me living in the house."
Dig South
LGBTQ entrepreneurs in Austin, Texas can tap into a growing support system thanks to StartOut.
#HackOut
#HackOut
Facebook group page
StartOut Entrepreneuers Network
SWHackOut Slack Group
SWHackOut LinkedIn Group
#HackOut is a StartOut Event
The national nonprofit supporting LGBTQ entrepreneurs
