Columbus 2017 Pre-Submitted Ideas

The GiveBackHack Team   •   March 3, 2017

We are incredibly excited to share the first round of pre-submitted ideas for GiveBackHack! Posted here is an in-depth view of ideas that will be pitched alongside the typical 50+ brand new ideas on Friday night of GiveBackHack.

So, what do the ideas below mean to you? If you’re inspired by the ideas below, you can get your ticket for GiveBackHack Columbus 2017 now. The entrepreneurs who have submitted these ideas have come to GiveBackHack because they’re looking for partners to make them a reality. You can also buy a ticket to GiveBackHack to pitch your own idea, or you could even submit your idea in advance, too. Submissions will be accepted until March 23rd.

p.s. As always, any brand new idea can be pitched Friday night – regardless of whether you submit your idea in advance. However, no partially-vetted ideas will be accepted after March 23rd.


Idea #1

The Friendly AppSubmitted by Myles Taylor-Hicks


What is the problem are you solving?

The problem TFA solves is discrimination against the LGBT community. Sadly there is plenty of evidence of discrimination from violent bias-motivated crimes to blatant hate laws being passed everyday nationwide. The current political climate is pushing the need for TFA.


How will this idea solve the problem?

The Friendly App is to provide info to the LGBT community about which businesses near them support the LGBT and don’t discriminate based upon one’s sexual orientation.


Is this idea brand new or has it been partially-vetted?

Partially-vetted


How you have vetted your idea and the success or difficulties you have seen thus far?

I’m having trouble finding an app development company thats affordable. I’m also having trouble looking for possibly a technical co-founder or CTO.


Why are YOU uniquely positioned to solve the problem? What other people do you need to help?

I believe I am uniquely positioned for the Friendly App to be successful because i have sales experience with restaurants and 3rd party booking. My godfather also was the executive director of a non-profit organization for LGBT men providing safe sex education and community reaching programs. “The Tobias Project”. I came up under the Tobias Project and I find helping people very fulfilling. I feel I need help with actually developing the app.


Idea #2

SientoSubmitted by Carrie Phillips


What is the problem are you solving?

One in 68 children in the United States today is diagnosed with autism, and 22% of those diagnosed rely on “AAC” or “augmentative or alternative communication” other than verbal speech like sign language, picture books, and other software systems to express thoughts, needs, wants, and ideas.

With the advent of tablet computing, picture-based AAC’s have evolved from bulky communication boards costing thousands of dollars to infinitely customizable apps on smartphones and tablets that more easily blend in with the crowd. Disappointingly, many of these apps are broken, ugly, and juvenile. They rely on expensive, outdated clipart libraries and cost hundreds of dollars to download. App designs are cluttered and hard to navigate, and seem specifically targeted to the young, autistic learner while ignoring the 25-40% of stroke victims with Aphasia, the 33% of people with cerebral palsy, and 85% of those with Parkinson’s that increasingly rely on AACs to make themselves heard. We can do better, and the caregivers and communicators that rely on these tools deserve better.

Experimentation has stalled in the space, but building a next-generation AAC application would take considerable time and have to be somewhat fully featured (including the ability to create custom picture communication cards, add audio, and more) before a caregiver would consider abandoning the expensive, outdated apps currently available. Instead of trying to build such a large tool, I have identified several variables that have not yet been explored in picture based AAC applications, and would like to trial them on much smaller concept first called “Siento” (“I feel” in Spanish).


How will this idea solve the problem?

When a therapist or caregiver is training a client on an AAC, one of the first simple sentences practiced is “I want” or “I feel” and the learner chooses an image of the object or answer to complete the sentence. “I want” is open-ended and subjective based on environment, but “I feel” lends itself to a smaller subset of common answers. “I feel” is also useful in hospital settings, recovery rooms, and more.

By building a simple “I feel” communication tool, we will be able to learn how users of varying ability, condition, and diagnosis engage with new communication variables like animation, a customizable representation of self, and an “intensity of emotion” slider. I’d also love to incorporate the chosen picture communication of our modern age, GIFs and emojis, to help build a bridge of common visual language between typical verbal communicators (you and me) and our less verbal friends. Siento will be an MVP worth downloading and allow us to test and learn with real-world users before attempting to build a more fully-fledged AAC application in the future, experiment with animation and variables not yet tested in the space, and hopefully empower more people to speak clearly and efficiently with their friends, family, and caregivers.


Is this idea brand new or has it been partially-vetted?

Partially-vetted


How you have vetted your idea and the success or difficulties you have seen thus far?

My idea has been partially vetted in the sense that I have completed a couple weeks of research, collected testers and am in ongoing conversation with future-users including therapists and experts in the space, and begun wire-framing and sketching flows and concepts.

We are currently combining and refining multiple concepts into one, which I’d like to take through a couple iterations of clickable prototypes (via Invision) in the coming weeks.


Why are YOU uniquely positioned to solve the problem? What other people do you need to help?

It has always been my goal to use my skills to create products from people with disabilities. I grew up with a little sister who had suffered a pre-natal stroke and to this day struggles to communicate clearly. I’ve sat through countless speech therapy sessions, seen my parents pay out-of-pocket for expensive medical devices and custom supports, and watched kids and adults alike nervously nod through my sister’s jumbled speech without understanding what she’s said.

In design school at Ohio State, I was privileged to work with Columbus Speech and Hearing and a multi-disciplinary student team to build Citra, a picture-communication iPad app. It was my very first app project and while I learned a ton, I mostly learned that I had no idea what I was doing. I moved to San Francisco after graduating to work as a designer at startups in the valley and learn how to build products people love.

In the past 4 years, I’ve been a part of batch 5 of 500 Startups tech accelerator, designed an award winning personal finance application on iOS and Android called Level Money (acquired by Capital One), and presented at Apps for Social Change. Last year, during a free weekend, an iOS-dev friend and I designed and pushed a very small AAC app called “Statement” (available for free on the iOS App Store and Android PlayStore) to help my little sister communicate more effectively. It was featured on Product Hunt and reignited my “contagious rage” over the state of apps for people with disabilities and snails-pace of experimentation in the space. I’m currently traveling the world with Remote Year while working part-time for a healthcare startup called Amino, and incredibly excited to be dedicating my remaining time to Siento.

I feel that I have the personal experience and product design skills to create a well-prototyped and tested solution, but am in great need of iOS or Android developers that would be willing to vet complexity along the way and (hopefully!) build the solution. Finding testers (ABA and speech therapists, caregivers, and experts in AAC) willing to donate their time and expertise for free isn’t terribly hard, but I feel guilty considering how overworked they often are already. I’d also love to set up a non-profit so that those who donate their time and effort can write it off in tax season.


Idea #3

GatewaySubmitted by Chad Gainor


What is the problem are you solving?

I’m thinking it wouldn’t be too hard to build a system that prevented children from accessing internet pornography.


How will this idea solve the problem?

I want to build a “Gateway” that existing sites containing adult content would (conceivably) be required to integrate, and develop a low-friction authentication method to grant of-age users access through the “Gateway,” and to their desired content.


Is this idea brand new or has it been partially-vetted?

Brand New


Why are YOU uniquely positioned to solve the problem? What other people do you need to help?

I’m a IT guy, and I know exactly how the internet works.. I’m more software designer than developer; I just thought of the smartest, most lucrative potential thing I could design in the social good realm, and this is what came to mind.

I would need developers; there isn’t much to the system, but it would have to be very well developed; internet pornography is responsible for roughly 70% of all web traffic, so the servers for this system would need to be able to endure constant load.

I’d like some help with the monetization strategy, although when you’re making a webpage that will be seen by 70% of web traffic you really just have to plaster the “”Gateway”” page with ads and make Billions of dollars.

I’d like some help figuring out the smartest way to structure something like this from a legal/tax standpoint. B-Corp, directing an enormous percentage (60%?) of revenue towards a cause of our teams choosing.

There would have to be a law passed that would require all adult content providers to integrate our code into their code (like Google Analytics, but to prevent kids from accessing porn online).


Idea #4

One RaftSubmitted by Guy Jacks


What is the problem are you solving?

One Raft serves a three leg market of NPOs, people, and businesses. Charities are always looking for new ways to engage sponsors, donors, and volunteers. People want to do more and they want what they do to make a difference. Business spend billions (>90B) on cause marketing without the ROI to justify it.


How will this idea solve the problem?

One Raft essentially provides a platform for businesses to crowdsource the curation of causes to which businesses give to employees and customers. From a user perspective, One Raft provides a platform that makes giving more impactful and emotionally rewarding for users. A more rewarding experience results in better engagement with NPOs. We’re essentially realigning incentives for charitable giving.


Is this idea brand new or has it been partially-vetted?

Partially-vetted


How you have vetted your idea and the success or difficulties you have seen thus far?

At the moment, I’ve developed the brand and messaging and am currently working to relaunch the website at oneraft.com. I don’t have users yet, but I have recently been networking and socializing the idea over dozens of coffees! I’m currently directing people to facebook.com/oneraft to get a sneak peak at the new branding.


Why are YOU uniquely positioned to solve the problem? What other people do you need to help?

I’m a software engineer by trade who has been a part of a few successful startups. I’m also very creative and have been studying gamification and big data for quite some time. Both of which are paramount to One Raft. I’m experienced in leading people and have always found success in being the one to think outside of the box. One Raft is very much out of the box as there is nothing else remotely like it in the cause marketing space. My biggest need is hustlers (as they’re called at Startup Weekend). I want people who can find creative ways to make connections and position the idea. I have a lot of iconography completed, but One Raft has an endless appetite for digital illustration so designers would be a plus though a luxury at the moment.


Idea #5

Copay It ForwardSubmitted by Briana Miller


What is the problem are you solving?

Funding medical copays for people who can not afford them, but are above the poverty line to qualify for lower income programs (i.e. the working and in debt poor).


How will this idea solve the problem?

Copay It Forward is a point-of-sale fundraising mechanism to enable people to pay other people’s medical copays that can not afford their own.


Is this idea brand new or has it been partially-vetted?

Partially-vetted


How you have vetted your idea and the success or difficulties you have seen thus far?

We partially vetted the idea at startup weekend and got second place so we think we have a good one, just requires the right people and contacts, advice and guidance to move on. A little funding would help too!


Why are YOU uniquely positioned to solve the problem? What other people do you need to help?

I have medical billing and medical provider experience as well as work directly with people this program would benefit from having their copays cover for them. Strategic business connections are required as well as the people to build the tech for it. We do not want to build a new wheel, just make the one we have better with grease, thus we would like to connect with already existing groups to make this happen.


Idea #6

MyFamilyNurseSubmitted by Samantha Boch


What is the problem are you solving?

The United States spends more on healthcare than other high-income nations, with lower life expectancy, and worse patient outcomes. Coupled with the finding that the number one reason Americans file for bankruptcy is related to medical expenses, our nation is in a healthcare crisis. In the era of technological advancement and telemedicine, there is a shift towards the patient centered medical home and personalized medicine. Due to the complexities of our current healthcare system, nurses and advanced level providers experience high rates of burnout. As our country wavers between public and private healthcare insurance plans, our nation must start thinking creatively, rather quickly, about novel disruptive entrepreneurship designed to be truly patient and provider centered.


How will this idea solve the problem?

MyFamilyNurse will be an app that merges the conceptual ideas of Uber and Rover (but for nurses). Nurses are independently licensed providers that are able to design their own “profile” of work experiences (within a specific mile radius) designed for local customers to peruse and instant message. Local customers are then able to set up a 1) home-based consultation visit, 2) telemedicine virtual visit, or 3) nurse navigation visit (a nurse navigation visit can include transportation of clients in non-emergent situations, such as assisting Grandpa to the pharmacy to pick up his prescriptions or assisting Grandpa to the grocery store to help select healthy renal-diet choices). Nurses are able to provide their healthcare knowledge to the customer and their family on a variety of concerns from chronic care disease management to mental health education on adolescent behavioral intervention strategies. MyFamilyNurse can help educate families on when and how to to place Grandpa in an Alzheimer’s facility or perhaps, provide additional home health care, in the time period before placement. Due to the high rates of nurse burnout related to long hours and high nurse-patient ratios, this app centers the care of the patient by linking nurses to the home, granting more autonomy to nurses interested in investing in the health of their local communities. Further, due to the increased distance between family members due to jobs, college, or partners; MyFamilyNurse fulfills the need for those members to care for their loved ones, while even states apart. The customer (or patient) is able to rate the nurse’s care and education, in addition to the nurse being able to rate their experience with the customer and/or family. MyFamilyNurse stems out of the decades of research garnered the Nurse Family Partnership Study- a study that linked first time mothers and their newborns to public health nurses. Over the course of 2 years, better health outcomes were observed for both the mom and baby in comparison to general outpatient education. Better health management that is patient centered, at lower cost, and higher value from local and trusted healthcare professionals is MyFamilyNurse. MyFamilyNurse will address nation’s needs by centering the client, ridding the middle health insurance man, and decrease emergency room utilization by providing families with more access to the nation’s most trusted healthcare professional, the nurse.


Is this idea brand new or has it been partially-vetted?

Partially-vetted


How you have vetted your idea and the success or difficulties you have seen thus far?

My partner, Molly Hughes, and I recently met with the Director of Fuse by Cardinal Health to discuss the process of potential collaboration. Our idea was not pitched to Cardinal Health as we decided to explore other possible venues such as GiveBackHack. In addition, we consulted with a local attorney to begin the legal process of formal incorporation.


Why are YOU uniquely positioned to solve the problem? What other people do you need to help?

As a public health nurse about to graduate with my doctorate, I am uniquely positioned as a clinician,and budding data scientist to think of practical solutions to complex population health issues. However, this idea stemmed more from my years triaging and assisting my own family members through various stages of the healthcare system. Whether it was assisting my Grandma through the Emergency Department or navigating the discontinuity of care between healthcare systems (e.g. the inability of prescriptions to be filled in a timely fashion in certain nursing homes), I always stopped and wondered about what other families do when there is no family member who is a healthcare professional to help assist. My co-partner Molly is a friend from undergrad and a manager of strategic sourcing at Cardinal Health. I think MyFamilyNurse could use a product designer, a marketer, a large angel investor, among many other amazing people willing to bring healthcare to the people through better economic and practical means.


Idea #7

Co-Visioner Management Software PlatformSubmitted by Jonathan Youngman, Executive Director of Franklinton Cycleworks


What is the problem are you solving?

Organizations, such as cooperatives, that rely on volunteers and reward volunteers with credit (rather than paying them) spend a lot of time scheduling, coordinating, and bookkeeping. Having run such an organization for 6 years, I have not come across a software platform that allows volunteers to schedule volunteer shifts remotely, log-in at the shop at the beginning of their shift and log-out at the end, automatically tabulate the volunteer’s hours and corresponding “shop credit”, creates a volunteer profile to house the credit data as well as other information (such as skills or accreditation), and integrates with point of sale software so volunteers can use their “shop credit” to purchase items from the shop.


How will this idea solve the problem?

This software platform will both ease the administrative burden, and empower our volunteers by giving them access to scheduling, and their shop credit totals. We expect to spend less time with volunteer management, and see our volunteer numbers (and engagement) grow.


Is this idea brand new or has it been partially-vetted?

Partially-vetted


How you have vetted your idea and the success or difficulties you have seen thus far?

An FCW volunteer (visioner) and I have talked about the platform and what we’d like it to include. Having worked for years at the cooperative, I have a good idea about what it needs accomplish. The volunteer has begun coding a skeleton platform so we have an idea of how it might come together. The skeleton may serve as a starting point in GiveBackHack, but we’re open to the possibility of this code being scrapped in exchange for a fresh start.


Why are YOU uniquely positioned to solve the problem? What other people do you need to help?

I am a co-founder and the executive director of Franklinton Cycleworks, a non-profit bicycle cooperative on Columbus’s west side. Since the beginning, we’ve been largely volunteer run and have grown from an idea among a few neighborhood residents to a full scale non-profit holding consistent hours and programs. Over the past six years, I’ve gained a unique insight into volunteer management/coordination and what is required to appropriately empower volunteers. I’ve known a software solution was needed for some time, but didn’t know where to find it. In order to bring this platform to market in a sustainable way, we’ll need to first create the software platform; as previously mentioned I have one programmer working to build a skeleton (largely as a way to vet our ideas). Talented programs will be required to build this platform so that its user friendly, secure, and reliable. Secondly, my main concern is Franklinton Cycleworks. I consider myself the visionary, but am not interested in managing the day to day roll-out of this platform. We’ll need business hustlers who want to promote this platform to other organizations and turn it into something sustainable. Finally, we’ll need marketing experts who know how to make our product attractive to others.


Idea #8

Global Youth ArtsSubmitted by Yolanda Brown


What is the problem are you solving?

Providing quality differentiated art education programming via after school/home school programs globally. The programs at this writing can be stand-alone or inserted into ongoing recreation and/or enrichment programs. My hope is that we can populate the programs on the scale of Red Cross or Starbucks globally.


How will this idea solve the problem?

Providing art studio programming will diminish the numbers of adults going into Adult Arts Day Programs that have little to no art studio training. The programs will level the playing ground for students with special needs to participate in visual arts programming offered in established recreation/enrichment programs. Students that have an affinity for the arts will have increased access to real artist training where in the past the instructors had no experience working with special needs patrons. Eventually I will want to add adaptive Athletics, Dance and music services. The Very Special Arts (VSA) and other local/state/schools at this writing offer limited access to professional visual arts training to MS-HS age students beyond school hours. I think GYA bridges the gap.


Is this idea brand new or has it been partially-vetted?

Brand New


Why are YOU uniquely positioned to solve the problem? What other people do you need to help?

I have been an Art Educator for 35+ years. The training in post secondary’s programs for art educators/reg.education teachers barely if at all deals with the unique concerns of special education youth that have a talent or growing interest in visual art. I have spent a good deal of my career since 1997 learning how to serve special needs students in an art studio setting. This has involved training paraprofessionals that attend classes with students too. I have joined the Art Think Tank/Collaborative Arts organization led by a Patty Mitchell who helped establish the model for many Adult Art Day Programs for adults with disabilities. A great deal of my training has come from attending the workshops facilitated by Mitchell and her cohort Susan Dlouhy. In my research over 90% of the adults in the Ohio based arts day programs have had little to not art training prior to enrolling in those programs. I want to train a legion of youth artisans to go into those Day programs in Ohio and grow the program globally. I was the 2010 Middle School Art Educator of Ohio, and the 2012 Outstanding Art Educator for Central Ohio. I have taught studio art and art history course for the K-12-College Level and I have been a serial entrepreneur for 45+ years.


Idea #9

Hearing Aid Recycling for KidsSubmitted by Susan Bradley


What is the problem are you solving?

There is a need for assistance with hearing aids for children. They are expensive and can be a financial burden on families. Several private insurance companies don’t cover them, potentially leaving hearing impaired children without the hearing aids they need. We’d like to collect used hearing aids, then have them be recycled and given to families that need them.


How will this idea solve the problem?

We would collect the hearing aids and perhaps work with a 3rd party that would reset the hearing aids to their factory settings. We would then distribute them based on need. There is also a need for more support for hearing impaired children whether they are bilaterally or unilaterally impaired. We’d like to create a book or support bag to be given to each child.


Is this idea brand new or has it been partially-vetted?

Brand New


Why are YOU uniquely positioned to solve the problem? What other people do you need to help?

Since birth, my 11 daughter was diagnosed with unilateral hearing loss in the high frequency range. While she didn’t need a hearing aid, we tried one. It wasn’t covered by my private insurance and was a financial strain. She needed new ear molds as she grew which were also expensive. We were really struck by the fact of how expensive hearing aids were and what happened when a family couldn’t afford them. She was also given a book, but there was nothing for unilateral hearing loss. There was nothing in terms of how to handle questions from other kids or being made fun of. My daughter wants to start this organization so she can help others like her.


Idea #10

Time & ChangeSubmitted by Adam Sauer


What is the problem are you solving?

Neglected public spaces easily crop up around the city, and the upkeep of these areas is often difficult to fit into the priorities of various community organizations.


How will this idea solve the problem?

This idea will encourage the smartphone equipped public to bring exposure and attention to these areas, with incentive to make measurable improvements to these areas at an individual level. How?

In a model of the city, as users explore various areas, they can point out spots that need community effort to clean it up and make it presentable. Points might be awarded for finding these spots. Then if somebody is passing by that area and has this app on their phone, it may vibrate asking them to help make it look just a little bit better. That user takes a “Before” picture, picks up some trash or something, and then takes an “After” picture. Pictures are uploaded to the map, and other users are randomly selected to vet the improvements as legitimate.

Over time, a time-lapse is generated for the spot, showing how the exposure and attention led to a positive change to the area.

Companies could sponsor certain cleanup projects, and offer rewards for so many vetted improvements (free beers, coupons, etc.) and community improvement could go from a large and slow moving organizational effort to an agile individually driven gamified experience.


Is this idea brand new or has it been partially-vetted?

Brand New


Why are YOU uniquely positioned to solve the problem? What other people do you need to help?

I’m an Electrical Engineer with a decent understanding of GIS mapping software and would be able to put something together that at least demonstrates the concept with an environment similar to Pokemon Go (same AR mapping system). I also have a smartphone with a camera, a way to get around town to take pictures and test out the idea on social media, and a number of friends who might be willing to help cleanup various areas to test it out.

I need other designers and developers who can help build a location based mobile app. We would most likely need to build a database of users and location pictures, and design a reward system for showing progress on an area and exposing new areas of need.


Idea #11

The BeehiveSubmitted by Austin Still


What is the problem are you solving?

The way we approach mental healthcare is not adequate. Whether it is Inpatient Hospitalization, or Community Mental Health. We are inevitably setting people with chronic mental illnesses up for readmission and/or we don't have enough resources for them in between them. There's nothing that helps people suffering from chronic mental illness find a purpose, and to find a better quality of life.


How will this idea solve the problem?

I want to create a free clinic here in Columbus that partners the beauty industry with the mental health field. I want to offer services from local salons, and I want to have social workers, counselors, and different social programs to allow them to move forward in life.


Is this idea brand new or has it been partially-vetted?

Brand New


Why are YOU uniquely positioned to solve the problem? What other people do you need to help?

My very first job was with Charles Penzone, and I grew up in that industry and am connected to most salons in Columbus. From there, I started a nonprofit movement when I was 17 that helped roughly 12k people. For the past three years I have worked in Psychiatry at OSU and OhioHealth and have built relationships all over the Columbus area in the mental health field. I am great at speaking about what I am passionate about. I am focused, organized and ready to make this happen. However, I do not have a lot of titles in front of my name. I need people who have the experience and the best interest when it comes to helping others. In order to bring this to the market, I need people who have experience creating a nonprofit organization. I need people who believe in my vision, and see these patients how I see them.


Idea #12

bust-a-moveSubmitted by Alison Leddy


What is the problem are you solving?

bust-a-move addresses the fact that girls quit sports because their sports bras do not properly support them. Studies show that when they hit puberty, girls drop out of sports at six times the rate of boys. Another study from the UK concludes that 46% of girls viewed their breasts as a deterrent to exercise and sports participation. This issue has a lasting impact on girls and their wellbeing because fitness is essential to a healthy lifestyle and sports build confidence, character, and resiliency that is critical to success.


How will this idea solve the problem?

bust-a-move combines a human-centered sports bra design, educational tools, and community outreach programs to ensure our customers feel supported - literally and figuratively - on the field, around the track, and in everyday life.


Is this idea brand new or has it been partially-vetted?

Partially-vetted


How you have vetted your idea and the success or difficulties you have seen thus far?

I participated in Columbus Startup Weekend in November 2016, and my team won first place and People's Choice Award. I've been working on the design of the prototype, but it's a slow process. I would love to recruit a team to work on our brand and community outreach.


Why are YOU uniquely positioned to solve the problem? What other people do you need to help?

I am able to address this problem because I, along with many women in my network and communities, have faced this issue. As an exercise enthusiast, I understand the mental and physical discomfort that can result from bad bras. Also, I am deeply passionate about addressing the needs of girls, so often forgotten by large companies and organizations.

It would be great to have team members to help with educational programming and website creation. Definitely would benefit from a graphic designer for the branding and anyone with retail management experience.


Idea #13

Lend a MinuteSubmitted by Laura Bloch


What is the problem are you solving?

Many people who would like to volunteer for a cause may not know their availabilities until the day, or even hour, before an opportunity.


How will this idea solve the problem?

This app will allow users to search for quick, actionable tasks that can be instantly selected and completed. The tasks will be filtered by cause, distance from user, and time commitment, so that a user can identify a task that works with his current schedule and preference.


Is this idea brand new or has it been partially-vetted?

Brand New


Why are YOU uniquely positioned to solve the problem? What other people do you need to help?

My background is in computer engineering, so I have a technical mindset and understand the kind of specifications and requirements necessary to bring this type of project to life.

I currently work as a Business Analyst and Project Manager, and I see myself taking on this type of role on the project. I’d like to work with a team of one to two Android or iOS developers and a UX designer to create the application. My team would benefit from a member with a business background to help answer some of the questions I’ve come up with regarding monetization and marketing. I’d also like to consult with, or bring onto the team, someone who works closely with non-profits so that he or she can expose some of the risks, limitations, and potential uses of this application.


Idea #14

Mobile Community MovingSubmitted by Diamond Ingram


What is the problem are you solving?

I am solving a problem people have with being able to make ends meet and providing jobs and new businesses through out possibly the world.


How will this idea solve the problem?

A mobile community moving service app that turns workers into instance businesses and provide a needed service to the community in which it serves.

It wont erase the problem people have making ends meet but it will provide people another needed way to make ends meet and also give people a simple and legit way to start a business of their own.


Is this idea brand new or has it been partially-vetted?

Brand New


Why are YOU uniquely positioned to solve the problem? What other people do you need to help?

I bring some coding skills and a lot of energy in getting this tech business off the ground.


Idea #15

OmarichaSubmitted by Erin Hallernan


What is the problem are you solving?

International trade of commodities that could significantly improve quality of life.


How will this idea solve the problem?

This will break down barriers to trade.


Is this idea brand new or has it been partially-vetted?

Brand New


Why are YOU uniquely positioned to solve the problem? What other people do you need to help?

I have a background in Finance and Leadership Studies. I have a passion for international economic development, and plans to travel overseas.


Idea #16

CommonCentsSubmitted by Justin Taber, Chris Peabody


What is the problem are you solving?

People want to donate, but they don't think they have enough disposable income and currently there isn't a convenient "one stop shop" to donate to nonprofits or other causes. We are creating a platform that allows people to donate "spare change" to one or several nonprofits and/or causes of their choice.


How will this idea solve the problem?

People want to give, but don't know if they have the money to give, how much to give, where to give, and why they are giving.

Through our mobile app, people will be exposed to nonprofits and causes that disclose who they are and how they are impacting their community. Donors will be able to donate through a "round up" system that they can control and customize. The user can "round up" their purchases when they buy a coffee, groceries, etc. and donate their "rounded-up" dollars to the organization or organizations of their choice.

Ex) I buy a coffee for $2.10 and "round up" my purchase to $3.00. The $0.90 is then donated to the Capital Area Humane Society to buy new dog beds.


Is this idea brand new or has it been partially-vetted?

Partially-vetted


How you have vetted your idea and the success or difficulties you have seen thus far?

To this point we have been speaking with as many people as possible to prove out our initial hypothesis: People want an app that allows them to conveniently donate to causes that they are passionate about/have personal ties with. Through conversations and sending out a GoogleForm, we learned that there is significant interest in donating to nonprofits and causes that have both local and global ties through a mobile application.

My partner and I come from business and sales backgrounds and we have been putting off developing this app due to a lack of a technological knowledge. We have a rough outline for the workflow of the app and how we want it to look and function, but have not created any technology yet. We have met with several entrepreneurs locally and are learning more about the tech industry and the direction we should be aiming. We hope that over the weekend we are able to meet others who are passionate, creative and tech oriented to help make this app a reality. We believe that we can build a company that can help local nonprofits as well as serving global causes.


Why are YOU uniquely positioned to solve the problem? What other people do you need to help?

We are uniquely positioned to solve this problem because of the following:

We could and we should be donating our dollars, but there is too much time and effort that is put into going onto a computer and reading about a charity, then researching another charity, having to commit to recurring payments and then getting frustrated with the whole process. It’s exhausting just like the former sentence.

You don’t feel tied to your donation and feel like you are actually making a difference. It’s a shitty user experience and we know there is a better way.

We want to provide easy access and visibility to the nonprofits that exist.
We want to provide a way to donate that is less time consuming.
We want to provide people with the knowledge of how their donations are being used.
We want to provide a feel good experience.

Although there are 3 other players in the market, all 3 have not yet launched a successful platform to donate spare change.

Our background is in business and sales, we have come up with what we believe is a GREAT idea that could be impactful to not just local causes but global causes as well. In order to bring our idea to the market we need to meet passionate, creative and tech oriented people to help make this app a reality. Ideally, we'd like to meet people with iOS and web development background as well as anyone who can help create a more robust and functional platform. Creative minds are a must.


Idea #17

Urban Garden SwapSubmitted by Alexandria Kalikas


What is the problem are you solving?

With rise of popularity of urban gardening an issues I'm seeing is wasted produce, lack of opportunities to barter excess harvest, and lack of knowledge on kinds and amounts of fresh produce donations accepted by various soup kitchens and food pantries. Fresh produce is always in demand at food pantries - instead of compost, pantry requests could be filled with either unsold or unwanted produce. With rise of farm markets as well there are opportunities for people to barter or donate their excess produce and product that might not otherwise reach a willing consumer or a hungry person in need.


How will this idea solve the problem?

My idea is to create an easy to use phone app for urban gardeners and farmers as well as food pantries to use. Both parties would be able to quickly see if there are bartering options or donation options in the area for their goods. This idea will help avoid harvest waste and encourage efficient most beneficial use of harvest. The app would encourage hyper-local exchanges, focusing on other gardeners and charities in the area with an option to search a wider region. Whether you're experiencing food insecurity and growing a garden to supplement the food budget, or you view urban gardens as a path to sustainability - you could expand your garden's reach, and if you wish, donate to a soup kitchen or pantry in need.
Currently there are online classifieds and facebook groups and maybe some websites and small shops organizing food swaps. However this app would make the process easy and efficient - with a map location and picture of your excess harvest you can offer it for trade locally or see if the charity in the area is in need of that produce. A non-profit in the area can post about its need for particular produce or fruit. Maybe they received plenty of kale already and your harvest could do more good at another location. Maybe a local kitchen is looking for the apples you have too many of. Ease of use, user friendly interface as well as location-based capability will make this app an efficient way to reduce harvest waste and create a more vibrant, sustainable urban gardening communities who can also help out their local non-profits.


Is this idea brand new or has it been partially-vetted?

Brand New


Why are YOU uniquely positioned to solve the problem? What other people do you need to help?

I am new to urban gardening but in a few years I realized I can grow cherry tomatoes. Tons of them. However, one year, a pest destroyed all of my zucchini. I couldn't grow a raspberry plant to save my life but knew people who had lots of berries. While I always saw classified posts and Facebook group posts about excess harvests, I wished there was a centralized place to post and barter. Learning about the needs of soup kitchens and pantries, and learning that some of the harvest not sold at farmers markets goes to them made me wonder even more about how to reduce food waste and make urban gardening a real positive force in food-insecure neighborhoods around Columbus and eventually the United States.
My professional background is in science and technology. I have a Bachelor's degree in Physics. I have worked in application development and currently work as a database analyst with NoSQL open source technologies. I have some skills in apps and Java/Javascript coding but would need more help in terms of developing the whole app (yes I'm an android person). I would love to include someone with experience on interface design who can make the idea I have in my head in a very user friendly concept. Also anyone familiar with the food bank/pantry/soup kitchen non-profit operations to understand more closely their needs and wants.


Idea #18

Silence SpeaksSubmitted by James Paskett


What is the problem are you solving?

The challenge is : How might we eliminate discrimination against those with mental illness, decrease social stigma of mental diseases, and increase mental health awareness? [http://huff.to/2d3ckjL ]


How will this idea solve the problem?

Our approach is to create a non-profit or fund for creatives, technologists, social media strategists to empower mental health advocacy.

The first advocacy campaign uses the viral video app "Silence Speaks": a collective voice for those who suffer(ed) from mental illness in silence -- for fear of discrimination or social stigma.

The "Silence Speaks" has three key features: Direction, Production and Screening.

The videos will be curated into a living documentary. They will be the viral content for an awareness campaign. And ultimately tour art museums and/or colleges as a social art project to raise funds for mental health research. Ultimately we will submit to the library of congress and the Smithsonian.

(1) Direction : The focus here is on the lighting, script, and user experience. We mimic professional fine art portrait lighting, simply: a UI with black background and a large white ring [http://bit.ly/2mYTKsD]. Participants can use a teleprompter to script their (<=5min) story. The experience is simple with a quick on-boarding reel, legal release, and a minimal recording UI.

(2)Production: Here is where the magic happens ; ) There are 4 UI components (i)script writer/player, (ii)lighting, (iii)video capture/editor and (iv)privacy settings. Everything is explanatory albeit (iv)privacy settings. This controls whether you blur your face, blur with tap/click to view, or stay in focus. It also allows you to set viewing privileges (public, private, protected).

(3)Screening: Video presentation is TBD. Videos are shared as a group of portraits. No one stands alone. Each participant is provided a default curated group. Participants may also choose to create a group, join a group, and invite others to participate. There are options to use social media integrations to share their testimonial. Videos can also be contributed anonymously.

CLOSE YOUR EYES
In the distance you hear voices. They become louder; crescendoing, with each talking over the other. Immediate decrescendo to quiet.

Then the silence speaks.


Is this idea brand new or has it been partially-vetted?

Brand New


Why are YOU uniquely positioned to solve the problem? What other people do you need to help?

As a designer, developer, and entrepreneur I founded Insitu Health, a digital healthcare startup for chronic mental illness, after I became sick last spring.

Now I know that every spring many others will get sick. Research of seasonal effects on suicide rates suggests that the prevalence of suicide is greatest during the late spring and early summer months, despite the common belief that suicide rates peak during the cold and dark months of the winter season. The pronounced weather shift creates a deadly mix of leftover seasonal depression, expected life change, and a burst of warm weather energy.

This spring, our mission is to curve suicide rates and provide social support for those who get sick.


Idea #19

SpotSubmitted by Seth Moeckel


What is the problem are you solving?

In this crazy world of modern technology, we have so many mechanisms to communicate. Many of these are amazing at what they do, but lack any organic discovery or connection and thats a problem. Throughout life we all look to make real connections, find people who value what we do and share our passions with those people!

The problem we are attempting to solve is the lack of organic social discovery. We all live crazy lives and look for real connections, but we lack an interface for making those connections a reality. Making new friends is hardly done by swiping through a list of candidates sorted by what we think we want in a friend. We need a way to meet others based around what we already do and love!


How will this idea solve the problem?

Spot will solve this problem in two ways: by making messaging truly interactive and by centering social discovery around physical locations or events, not a search bar or Facebook recommendations.


Is this idea brand new or has it been partially-vetted?

Partially-vetted


How you have vetted your idea and the success or difficulties you have seen thus far?

In addition to talking to several contacts (people who have experience in the mobile app market), I have talked to many people I can trust to give an honest opinion. Almost everyone who understood what this project was/was trying to solve loved it.

We also studied similar ideas and why they have been successful, what users like about those platforms and how we can use this information to better our platform.


Why are YOU uniquely positioned to solve the problem? What other people do you need to help?

The truth is, I'm really not! I'm simply someone who is passionate about what they do, passionate about people and improving others lives that realized an opportunity. Just like anyone else I am capable of attempting this (or any other) idea. I have always been an enabler and I feel that I could lead the development of this amazing project to success.

From a technical standpoint, I have the skills and knowhow to realize this project, but I realize that it takes many to make something great (I can't and shouldn't do this all on my own). What our team would need are mostly non-technical people like marketers, strategists, designers (UI/UX) etc. We have the development team to get this project going, we simple need the right people to help us present this project in a way that others can realize it's potential.


Idea #20

Higher Ground AgricultureSubmitted by Greg Shak


What is the problem are you solving?

Help feed the world’s urban communities with high-quality, locally-sourced food.


How will this idea solve the problem?

We intend to grow high enough volumes of produce and freshwater seafood that will offset urban land and development costs. We will then develop real estate and distribution networks to scale our model within Columbus. Then, once the process is refined, we can expand into other cities nationally and internationally.


Is this idea brand new or has it been partially-vetted?

Partially-vetted


How you have vetted your idea and the success or difficulties you have seen thus far?

We have built a prototype that generates 9-10 plants per square foot by using Aquaponics technologies. We've received Letters of Commitment from a few local restaurants interested in purchasing product from us. We have pitched to local schools about installing aquaponics systems as part of their education programs. We have vetted several investors to raise seed capital for our venture. We've identified our launch property in the Grove City area and are discussing lease terms to launch out of one of their greenhouses.

Nonetheless, we are still having difficulty getting the brand message out to more people to explain the benefits of local, self-sustainable food systems and to assist with building a steady clientele base to ensure that all of our our initial product can be delivered to the top local restaurants and food providers. In addition, we are working to evaluate whether particular types of product (i.e. certain vegetables & herbs) are financially viable within the marketplace based upon our unique model and differentiating features that we can offer.

Moreover, we see an opportunity to utilize this technology to produce, manage and distribute food into impoverished communities to help solve the food desert crisis within urban communities. We are working to overcome the complexities of managing our own distribution channels to ensure that we can scale to each of the various communities throughout Columbus. Furthermore, once we’ve proven the concept in Columbus, another challenge will be rolling out our plans into other cities & regions.


Why are YOU uniquely positioned to solve the problem? What other people do you need to help?

Personally, I have a background in Systems Engineering, Intellectual Property, and Real Estate to understand the business strategies required to execute on this vision. In addition, we have assembled a team of Aquaponics specialists and people with a variety of business skills to organize and execute on our projects once we formally launch. Still, we understand that this project will require a variety of unique skills and we would love to attract people into this project that have any of the following skills: graphic design, marketing/branding, sales, logistics, distribution networks, software engineering/development, sustainability analysis, grant-writing, public-private partnerships, and any relationships that could be built within the local food community (i.e. restaurants, grocery stores, purchasing institutions).


Idea #21

Gender By UsSubmitted by Sara Mitchell


What is the problem are you solving?

The Women’s Fund is actively seeking community-led solutions to disrupt limiting gender norms, ultimately to increase women’s economic self-sufficiency, leadership opportunities, and life skills for girls.

Gender norms are the popular and conventional ideas most people have about what it means to 'act like' a man or a woman. We tend to learn them from our experiences in the family, peer groups, churches, schools, movies, magazines, and the internet, for example. They come to be taken for granted or thought of as 'natural' and 'just the way things are.' Gender Norms tend to be narrow and limit the range of possibilities for gender expression.

The Women’s Fund has created an innovative conversation toolkit that encourages dialogue and solutions to raise awareness around limiting gender norms; with the ultimate goal that through awareness raising attitudes can shift and behaviors change. By asking the question ‘how can we expand reach, impact, and inclusiveness’ we identified a need to have a mobile, dynamic tool.


How will this idea solve the problem?

Raising awareness around gender norms is the first step. By creating an inclusive, approachable, and accessible vehicle to be exposed, to ask questions, to share the data, and reflect we will be able to greatly impact outcomes for increased opportunity for girls, boys, women and men in our community and beyond. Incorporating calls to action and commitments around steps to take as at the individual, organizational, and/or community level will allow for this app to be the launching pad for a larger, holistic, and lasting effect for positive social change.


Is this idea brand new or has it been partially-vetted?

Brand New


Why are YOU uniquely positioned to solve the problem? What other people do you need to help?

The Women’s Fund is the first and only organization in Ohio actively working to disrupt limiting gender norms to increase economic self-sufficiency for women, and ultimately the community. Additionally, we are the only nonprofit in the United States who has commissioned research (through the Kirwan Institute at The Ohio State University) that looks at the impact of rigid gender norms on outcomes for economic self-sufficiency, leadership for women, and lifeskills for girls. As the local expert on this topic, and a leader in convening the community around issues that impact women and girls, we are uniquely positioned to solve this problem from a content perspective. Our needs lie in the technical and creative application of how to take the work we have done, and to make it accessible, available, and noticeable to a larger range of individuals and organizations to disrupt rigid gender norms.


Idea #22

Fight Darkness AKA Social Impact Innovation CombinatorySubmitted by Alex Jonas


What is the problem are you solving?

The nonprofit industry is ranked as the third largest industry. Despite this fact, people are still suffering! That means that the current ways we are doing things are NOT working. Billions of people suffer needlessly and the planet suffers under the weight of humans.

Darknesses are things that cause human and planet suffering. There are lots of Darknesses in the world, big ones and small ones, hunger, poverty, environmental destruction, disease, improper education, depression and despair, species decimation, loneliness, homelessness, and even unshared thoughts, unused ideas, and unimplemented solutions.

The reason why we have those problems is nobody ever invented a solution from start to finish to solve them. Plenty of people had ideas but there was never the proper support structure to inspire them to develop that idea from spark to worldwide implementation. It's never the idea's fault or the person's fault, it's the lack of structure's fault. The structure failed to share, organize, use, develop, support and apply the idea to the solution. Somebody has a great idea and they either get the support to pursue that idea or it gets lost. So the Problem boils down to getting to the Solution being the Problem.


How will this idea solve the problem?

We must create the proper structures to solve the world problems before they're over the tipping point and it's too late. We have the complex solution to the complex problem. We are building the structure that builds all those other structures. We CAN shine light into those dark corners and help those that dwell in those darknesses. We will establish a Mission oriented Social Impact ecosystem devoted to each Darkness that affects mankind or the planet.

Our project is called FIGHT DARKNESS AKA Social Impact Innovation Combinatory. Easing Human and Planet suffering is our primary goal and we don't care how it gets done...It MUST get done for us to achieve the societal transformation needed for our future survival and thriving. We either push the Human Race Forward or we drag it kicking and screaming into the future, but it LIVES to see tomorrow.

We combine Everything needed for the final solution into a wonderous new system that connects Everybody, Everywhere, Everyhow, all encompassing, All people, orgs, companies, methods, goals, technologies, in a multi-tiered approach and new style, morphable, malleable, flexible, collaborative, friendly competitive, that reshapes itself on what is being built on top. Whether people want to share an idea or invention, create a company or charity, work on projects together, R&D something, give time and knowledge to the common good, or just help out. We will recognize that each of those may be a component in a solution or multiple solutions, giving it enough support to find it's right place and time.

WE CAN transform the world into what it should be if we build the proper structure to succeed.

Join us to FIGHT DARKNESS


Is this idea brand new or has it been partially-vetted?

Partially-vetted


How you have vetted your idea and the success or difficulties you have seen thus far?

We are in the pre-alpha stage and goal would be to move to alpha over the weekend and create our first website, team, and presentation. I have shown this to enough people that like it and want to be a part of it to call it partially vetted. This is much more complex and filled out then I can explain in a short form. Many parts have been in development for long time but all on paper still, and need the GiveBackHack process to put all parts together with a group. no funding yet, no awards yet but lots of excitement and agreement that this is what the Ohio and the world needs.


Why are YOU uniquely positioned to solve the problem? What other people do you need to help?

I am a long time innovator and entrepreneur, great brainstormer and new concept inventor. I have been running multiple help other type groups. We need Mission Directors (aka co-founders) that bring their various expertise and passions to focus on a specific mission and also to build the main structure. We need Sponsors, lean experts, funding people, designers, writers and content creators, developers, makers, engineers, marketing, social network experts, techies of all types, non profit and NGO people. We can find a place for anybody that wants to help us at any level of experience.

Inspired? 

Get your ticket for GiveBackHack Columbus 2017 or even submit your own social enterprise idea in advance. Submissions will be accepted until March 23rd.