Mental Growth Network

Hackathons and the Future of Mental Health Innovation




What Is a Hackathon?
A hackathon is an intense, short-term creative workshop where people from different backgrounds come together to solve real problems. The word combines hack—to explore and create in an unconventional way—with marathon—a focused, time-bound challenge.

For one or several days, participants form small teams, share knowledge, and build prototypes or new approaches to a defined issue. At the end, they present their ideas to mentors, peers, and sometimes investors or policymakers.

The first hackathons took place in 1999, when open-source developers met in Calgary to collaborate on cryptographic software, and another at Sun Microsystems’ JavaOne conference challenged programmers to build applications for Palm devices. What started as a playful coding experiment has since become a global format for innovation used in science, technology, business, education, and healthcare.



Who Joins—and Why
Hackathons attract a beautiful mix of people. You’ll often find programmers and data scientists working side by side with designers, researchers, clinicians, students, entrepreneurs, and people who have lived experience in the problem being discussed.

Everyone comes for a slightly different reason: to learn, to share expertise, to meet collaborators, to test an idea, or simply to contribute to something that matters.

What unites them is curiosity and a shared desire to make progress through action. In a hackathon, knowledge moves quickly, hierarchies disappear, and cooperation replaces competition.



What Participants Create
In just a few days, teams can produce surprisingly tangible results—digital tools, service models, communication strategies, or new research ideas. Some projects continue long after the event, supported by mentorship or small grants.

Prizes vary. Some hackathons offer modest cash awards; others provide access to incubators, academic partnerships, pilot opportunities, or cloud technology credits. The largest global hackathons—such as ETHGlobal, HackZurich, or NASA Space Apps Challenge—offer prize pools from hundreds of thousands to over a million dollars. But in social and healthcare innovation, the most valuable prize is often the chance to pilot an idea that helps real people.



Why Healthcare—and Especially Mental Health—Needs Hackathons
Healthcare is a field full of intelligent, dedicated people who work inside highly complex systems. Change often happens slowly because of regulations, safety standards, and structural barriers. Hackathons provide a complementary space—fast, creative, and low-risk—where professionals and innovators can explore new ideas together.

In a few concentrated days, clinicians, researchers, developers, and patients can test solutions that might otherwise take months to design. They can explore new uses of technology, rethink patient journeys, and build bridges between science, design, and lived experience.

For mental health, the need is even greater. One in seven people worldwide lives with a mental disorder, and access to support remains uneven. Stigma still silences many, and existing services are often overburdened.

Hackathons help by transforming empathy into design. They create space for people to imagine tools for emotional support, prevention, or therapy—solutions that are practical, inclusive, and compassionate.

Events like HackMentalHealth in the United States have already shown how powerful this approach can be: hundreds of participants, dozens of prototypes, and new collaborations between clinicians and technologists that continued long after the event ended.



What Makes a Good Hackathon
A good hackathon doesn’t start with technology—it starts with a well-defined human problem. It provides structure, mentorship, and psychological safety. It brings together clinicians, designers, developers, and users as equals. It invites data but also empathy.

The best hackathons don’t end with awards; they continue as communities. Participants stay in touch, refine their projects, and turn prototypes into real-world pilots. Over time, a single event can evolve into an ecosystem of shared learning and co-creation.



The Vision of MGN
At Mental Growth Network (MGN), we see hackathons as more than innovation events—they are catalysts for connection and growth in the mental health field.

We are developing a recurring series of hybrid hackathons (offline b2b2g / online b2c participants)—two each year—held in Barcelona, Madrid, and other partner cities across Spain and Europe. Each event will blend offline collaboration with online access so that mental health professionals, technologists, and community members can participate regardless of location.

Our goal is to create a sustainable ecosystem where ideas become prototypes, prototypes become pilots, and pilots evolve into lasting projects that improve lives.



An Open Invitation
If you work in mental health, technology, education, or social care— if you have an idea, a story, or simply a willingness to collaborate— we invite you to join us.

You can take part as a participant, a mentor, a partner organization, or a sponsor. Your experience, your perspective, and your care can make all the difference.

To connect with us and stay informed about upcoming events, please subscribe to our LinkedIN group or reach out directly to Yi Meandro in out Linkedin Group official: www.linkedin.com/company/mentalgrowthnetwork/



Together, let’s build a space where innovation grows from empathy, and where every new idea brings us a step closer to better mental health for all.



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2 months ago | [YT] | 1

Mental Growth Network

a new podcast

3 months ago | [YT] | 1

Mental Growth Network

🎙️New MGN Podcast Episode: How Burnout Affects Your Eating Habits: Science-Backed Insights

Discover how burnout hijacks your biology and reshapes your relationship with food—from cravings to crashes—with expert-backed science. Learn why stress eating isn't just in your head and how to reclaim balance through mindful nutrition.

Join host Yi Meandro, digital health strategist, and guest Jessica Power, behavioural nutritionist, as they unpack the surprising science behind burnout, hormones, and our eating habits.

🔍 Inside this episode, we explore:
- The real difference between burnout and everyday stress
- How burnout disrupts hunger hormones like ghrelin and leptin
- Why you're suddenly craving sugar, caffeine, or comfort carbs
- The role of cortisol and how it impacts appetite regulation
- How to rebalance your nervous system through food and nutrition
- Actionable tips for mindful eating when you're emotionally or physically depleted

💡 Whether you overeat, undereat, or feel stuck in a cycle of food guilt, this episode offers real insights and doable steps.

Watch it now https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2t_b... #MGNPodcast

#MentalGrowthNetwork #JessicaPower #Burnout #Nutrition #EatingHabits #MentalHealth

6 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 3

Mental Growth Network

Your story can make a difference.

This Mental Health Awareness Month, we're inviting YOU to help us raise awareness about mental health at work.

🎥 Submit a 60–90 second vertical video sharing:

1. What is one mental health challenge you’ve experienced in a work setting? (burnout, empathy fatigue)
2. What helped you manage or overcome it? (e.g. tools, support, habits, mindset)
3. Why do you believe it's important to speak openly about mental health at work?

Share it on social media with our hashtag hashtag#MentalHealthAtWorkMatters, tag Mental Growth Network, and invite your friend to be part of something meaningful!

Join our campaign! Let’s break the silence and build a more supportive workplace together. Your voice matters!

👉 Use the hashtag hashtag#MentalHealthAtWorkMatters when sharing your story!

🌿 About MGN MENTAL GROWTH NETWORK
The Mental Growth Network (MGN) is a non-profit initiative dedicated to emotional well-being, lifelong learning and community building among mental health professionals. Our mission is to provide free, accessible resources that support and inspire mental health professionals.

Your story can help others feel seen. It's okay to be real.
Are you ready to share your voice?

#MentalHealthAtWorkMatters #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth #MentalGrowthNetwork #MGN #MentalWellbeing #MentalHealth

7 months ago | [YT] | 2