The Clinic Hosts McMaster Hub for Harvard Health Systems Innovation Hackathon

The Clinic welcomed students, researchers, and innovators from across McMaster for a weekend of interdisciplinary collaboration as the University hosted the first ever Hamilton hub for the Harvard Health Systems Innovation Lab Hackathon.

Focused on the challenge of how artificial intelligence can help build a higher-value health system, the event brought participants together to explore real-world healthcare challenges and develop solutions in a fast-paced, team-based environment. From early brainstorming to final pitches, the weekend highlighted the power of diverse perspectives coming together around shared problems.

As part of the DeGroote Heersink Hub, McMaster’s integrated home for commercialization and entrepreneurship training, The Clinic helps create experiential opportunities that equip participants with the skills, connections, and confidence to move ideas toward real-world impact. The hackathon also reflected the direction set out in McMaster’s Accelerating Commercialization and Entrepreneurship (ACE) report, which calls for stronger pathways to support innovation, entrepreneurship, and commercialization across the institution.

Throughout the weekend, participants worked in interdisciplinary teams to test and refine their ideas with support from mentors, judges, and partners from across McMaster’s commercialization and entrepreneurship ecosystem. Drawing on expertise from clinical care, research, innovation, and venture development, these contributors helped teams strengthen their concepts and prepare for the final round.

The event culminated in a finals showcase, where the top six teams took the stage to pitch, and two teams were selected as the winners.

Congratulations to our award recipients:

Sunbeam Health
David George, Faculty of Life Sciences

EQUAL
Anushka Patel, Abjot Basra, Rimzim Dhillon, and Muskaan Natt, Faculty of Health Sciences

People’s Choice Award
EQUAL

The two winning teams will now move on to participate in Harvard HSIL’s Venture Building Bootcamp, with the opportunity to advance to the final in Boston this June.

The weekend offered a strong example of what becomes possible when students and innovators from different disciplines are given the space to collaborate, build, and test ideas that respond to meaningful health challenges. It also underscored the importance of creating environments where entrepreneurship, commercialization, and innovation can be explored through hands-on experience.

It also takes a village to make an experience like this possible. We are deeply grateful to the mentors, judges, and ecosystem partners who supported participating teams throughout the weekend by sharing their time, expertise, and encouragement.

Thank you to:
Jasleen Saini
Mariya Leslie
Fazmin Nizam
Ali Sohli
Ken Owen
Erin Skimson
Stevie Foglia
Manak Bajaj
Shruti Cheetu
Michael Jones
Kyle Jackson
Fiona Bergin

We are proud to have hosted this global event at The Clinic and to have welcomed participants into a space where collaboration across disciplines can spark ideas with real potential for impact.

Congratulations again to all who participated, and especially to the teams continuing on to the next stage with Harvard HSIL.