In case you missed it, this past Wednesday was a very special day for Girls in Tech Toronto. Teaming up with Google Canada, we held one of the world’s first female-centered hackathons, where guests were invited to hack a solution to a problem facing people in Singapore and Southeast Asia.

We wanted to take the time to recognize all those that attended, innovated, hacked, and presented their ideas. The following is a summary of the incredibly complex problem at hand, and the incredibly innovative solutions developed to tackle it.

The PROBLEM:

Finding a way to make society in Singapore and surrounding countries more comfortable transacting online. Currently, only 0.4% of all retail transactions occur online, as shoppers have many concerns around security and privacy. The local retail industry is still incredibly based on bricks-and-mortar.

Why is this IMPORTANT?

• This is critical for entrepreneurs, to develop successful high-tech companies
• This is critical for developed and developing countries, to stimulate innovation and develop innovative business models that leverage online payment and impact the greater society
• This is critical for women, who are career minded yet cannot work outside the home and may wish to pursue an entrepreneurial career path

Presenting the SOLUTIONS:

Team: A HARD DAY’s HACK

 This team’s eWardrobe solution targets women aged 18-35, and focuses on their impulse buying habits and interest in sharing purchases. The social network site allows users to upload images of any apparel goods they purchase in-store. Items are shared with family and friends, who can then purchase the same item or recommended matching items directly through the site.

 

 

 

 

TEAM: AWESOME

CheckIt was the solution presented by this team, which provides education and awareness to shoppers to encourage them to shop online. The site entails a crowdsourced ratings & reviews section, where existing payment gateways (i.e. PayPal) and merchants are verified for security and privacy. And the company works with merchants to deliver shipping best practices. Apart from the online portal is a CheckIt call-in number, which users can also use to verify the safety of vendors.

TEAM: CUSHY SOCKS

The story used by this team when presenting their solution was, how can you leverage digital devices to purchase cushy socks from a local flea market? Essentially, the purchaser – following negotiations of course – would SMS a purchase price from their phone to a merchant, who in turn would SMS an acceptance price back. A matching price would complete the transaction, depositing top-up money from one phone to the other. Or, a merchant could blast a price announcement to customers via SMS, and an SMS back would again complete the transaction. The idea was to harness the millions of micro-transactions that take place in Southeast Asia everyday, and get people comfortable using digital devices for small purchases to start.

TEAM: MANGO TANGO

A fresh and juicy approach to shopping! This team’s solution was a top-up card, which was only compatible with retail site Mango Tango. Knowing the card is issued by their local Bank, consumers are alleviated of any security and privacy concerns they have when shopping online. Merchants are able to promote their goods through the Mango Tango site, thus eliminating the need to develop their own e-commerce platforms.

TEAM: REBEL ALLIANCE

Presenting Orchid Circle, a wearable wristband that syncs with a secure payment app, to ensure security and privacy, and keep track of both online and offline purchases. The wristband is not only a fashion statement, but also accumulates points after every purchase (even in-store), which can then be redeemed online. An analytics component also tracks a user’s spending habits.

TEAM: HACKHERS

Doesn’t this team have the best name? The HackHers created what they call an ‘umbrella’ website, which allows users to advertise any transactional good through the site. Alternatively, users can connect via the site to others in their community, and start projects together – for example, a seamstress can connect with a fabric supplier to develop and sell dresses. By creating a community-driven and trusted platform, users will feel more secure transacting online.

TEAM: THE NIGHT’S WATCH

Introducing Style.ID, an e-commerce site featuring only the most prestigious brands. Users are first asked to complete a style profile, adding in elements from their wardrobe and style preferences. The website then recommends matching pieces, and enables purchases to be made directly through the platform. Because of the high-end nature of the website, consumers feel confident that their transactions are 100% secure.

So who won?

We’re not telling! We want you to guess. Provide your comments and feedback, and guess who the judges selected as having the most innovative, realistic, and impactful solution. The winning team will be announced next week.