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Hackathon
Michal Sela
The Michal Sala Safe@Home hackathon is the only competition in Israel to save lives and prevent violence against women through technology.
My team and I transformed an idea into a working concept. We didn’t just build a product, we diving deep into shaping a strong pitch, refining our storytelling, analyzing market entry opportunities, and building a clear business model.
The experience was incredibly enriching and left me with insights and lessons I’ll carry with me as I grow in my professional journey.
The Michal Sala Forum promotes the development of technological projects to prevent domestic violence (such as hackathons, accelerators, Startup communities), non-technological projects (such as the Michal Sala Dogs project and the Unit project) and implements national educational programs and proactive campaigns. The forum promotes extensive and interdisciplinary collaborations between the private sector and the public and third sectors.
Our Product
The persona is a women who are in the denial stage of an abusive relationship.
What does the denial stage mean? We focused on addressing the early phases of a toxic relationship, when red flags start to appear but are often misinterpreted as romantic gestures. At this stage, it’s difficult to validate one’s reality or recognize the harm.
We chose to focus on this specific stage because we believe that the most effective form of intervention is prevention.
Mirror Me
Our product is a solution that would address women in the denial stage, while ensuring complete discretion, which is important for creating trust.
When It Feels Familiar, We Meet Her There
The product reaches its target audience through influencer content and sponsored campaigns that spark interest and a sense of identification. From there, users are guided into a sensitive conversation with a chatbot.
Trusting relationship with a bot?
To some extent it is possible to create trust, also ensure complete discretion. The chatbot designed to gently reflect their reality and raise awareness.
Features for Safety and Support
The site includes key features such as “The Safe”, a secure space to store materials that may later serve as evidence. Also access to an anonymous online community for sharing and support.
Pitch Presentation
An Empowering and Unforgettable Experience
What made the whole experience even more meaningful was the amazing environment around us. The mentors were incredible, they jumped right into our project, understood the context so quickly, and asked the most thoughtful questions. Each one brought their own perspective and real world experience, which made a huge impact.
The beautiful offices at the Innovation Authority, the fun merch, great food, and even the late night snacks all helped us feel supported and energized throughout the hackathon.
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