Midwest Real Estate Data, (MRED) Chicagoland’s multiple listing service, is working with the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers  (IEEE Chicago) and CVSHealth for the Land of Lincoln Hackathon. The  event aims to promote the public data found at the State of Illinois open data portal.

The Land of Lincoln Hackathon’s goal is to advocate awareness of the resources offered to citizens and to encourage innovation from the academic and professional communities. The 2015 challenge will ask participants to find software solutions to utilize the public data found at the State of Illinois open data portal.

Registration is open for the month-long event. Prizes will be granted in different categories: K-12, Collegiate and Professional. There is also the “Women Who Code” award for groups that have at least one woman, to motivate more females participation in STEM. Prizes will be given out Nov. 2nd at the IEEE Chicago Symposium, Motorola Solutions Schaumburg Campus. 

Chris Lambrou, MRED’s Vice-President of Special Projects/R &D and Chairman of this year’s event, said that the competition will be a benefit to Chicagoland.

“It’s important to raise awareness of the state’s portal and bring the data closer to the consumer,” Lambrou said. “Events such as this give software developers the opportunity to utilize public data as a utility to innovate with and enhance the quality of life in the Chicagoland area.”