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Growing Long Beach: Climathon Tackles Economic, Climate Solutions For Global Issues

Release Date: 2019-11-04

By Denny Cristales

If there were only 24 hours to develop a solution to one of the world’s biggest economic issues, could it be done? The participants of the global, 24-hour Climathon faced that challenge head-on on October 25.

The Climathon takes place simultaneously in cities around the world to attract innovators, entrepreneurs, students and professionals to create solutions for global climate challenges, according to Wade Martin, professor of economics and director of the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IIE) at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB). The Climathon is inspired by hackathons, collaborative events in which programmers complete certain tasks over a short period of time.

A total of 122 cities hosted a Climathon this year, Martin said, noting that Long Beach is only one of four cities in the United States that participated. The IIE, in partnership with the Long Beach Economic Development Department, has hosted the event for three years. “[The economic development department] believes in the event’s innovative and entrepreneurial approach to addressing climate issues,” Martin said.

Read more on the Long Beach Business Journal