Deutsche Bank is to run a 24-hour hackathon in tandem with autism charity Autistica to develop an app that will help people suffering from the disability deal with anxiety.
The event will see more than 150 of the bank’s technology and design experts from around the world compete to build a prototype smartphone app. Joining them will be students, technology undergraduates and interns with autism currently working at the bank.
Teams of developers will be charged with creating an app that will harness the mental health research of Autistica, and build on a paper-based anxiety toolkit created by Professor Emily Simonoff of King’s College London.
Scott Marcar, chief technology officer of Deutsche Bank, says: “This hackathon gives us the chance to apply our design technology skills to make a real difference to people with autism. By putting together a diverse team of technologists, students and interns with autism working at Deutsche Bank, we will create a fully functioning prototype app to help autistic people manage anxiety.”