HackFargo, Startup Weekend winner, appears at 1 Million Cups

Startup Weekend Fargo’s winning team for the weekend-long 2014 event had its first formal introduction into our community during last week’s 1 Million Cups Fargo.

Take a moment to check out the prototype, HackFargo, for a more transparent city.

Led by team captain Blaine Booher, the cohort promotes the accessibility of Fargo government and city data by presenting collected public information in a standardized format. The team assures there are many applications of this concept, both practical and social.

For example, HackFargo created a Twitter bot that tweets out specific Fargo Police dispatch reports, allowing readers to see automatically updated social media messages on city occurrences in which police are involved. The group also created a web app to find noted party houses through a random address generator including only addresses previously complained about for excessive partying.

As for next steps, HackFargo is in the process of developing its strategy for expansion and advancement. They plan to collaborate with hackathon participants in the future to further develop their ideas. The team has expressed much gratitude for the support of Startup Weekend participants as well as Fargo in its entirety, and reports that they are interested in speaking with anyone who would like to contribute to this unique project. In particular, they are always looking for feedback on app ideas as well as places from which they should retrieve data.

It is difficult to imagine that just five days before this 1 Million Cups appearance, HackFargo was only a thought in Blaine’s mind. After an initial pitch, Blaine added seven teammates who committed to the idea: Sri Kadimisetty, David Lannoye, Mike Ressl, Florence Sauvageau, Zachary Tracy, Justin Tucheck, and Shane White. One week later, all eight original members have expressed interest in continuing the project. Emerging Prairie is excited to see what happens with HackFargo as the team progresses with their plans and has time to truly develop their product.

Of the 12 teams that competed in Startup Weekend Fargo 2014, there are at least two that are continuing with their ideas. Rumor has it Handles Mug Co. had a company meeting this past weekend. Be sure to keep Emerging Prairie in the loop as you develop your concepts and progress with your companies – we’re always excited to promote the ideas coming out of Fargo.

And be sure to check out 1 Million Cups Fargo as it continues to support entrepreneurs, community, and morning coffee this Wednesday, March 19, at 9:00am in the Plains Art Museum. This week will feature Kirk Anton, founder of Heat Transfer Warehouse. Kirk operates a national supplier of digital prints and plotter cut films used for decorating clothing (and much more!). Take this opportunity to learn how Kirk started his business that now has offices in Fargo, Cincinnati, and Las Vegas. Fill out this form if you plan to stop by.