Postman, a platform for application programming interface [API] development, has partnered with Cal Hacks, a nonprofit organization composed of students passionate about fostering a culture of hacking, to host hack:now virtual hackathon. 

Starting April 24, 2020, hack:now will be a 36-hour, global online hackathon for students to advance innovative and technical solutions to tackle challenges caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The hackathon will commence with a keynote address by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.

“Coronavirus has created an array of issues for just about everyone in the world,” says Abhinav Asthana, CEO and co-founder at Postman. “We believe this hackathon is an opportunity for up-and-coming developers to collaborate and help solve some of our biggest current issues.”

The online hackathon is designed for the student community to work together and create solutions to trace, contain and spread awareness about COVID-19. Such an event can help connect students and empower them to make a definite social impact—no matter how big or small.

From health to communication to productivity, these three paths (or tracks) will be the focus designed for hackers to solve problems in a certain industry, build using a specific technology, or tackle issues in a field of interest without having a concrete project in mind. Each track includes mentors, starter packs, and a community of fellow hackers to support each other.

Postman is also making available a set of resources via the Postman COVID-19 API Resource Center to give those on the front lines of battling the pandemic easy access to real-time critical data. Learn more at https://covid-19-apis.postman.com.