Aspiring technologists created apps to improve access to services for the homeless and to support young women exploring careers in STEAM

Georgia was at the center of Morgan Stanley’s most recent Code to Give Hackathon, a four-day virtual coding event which delivered innovative technical designs to two regional nonprofits – Atlanta Mission and Tech Alpharetta. 114 students and recent graduates from universities from across the country competed in the Firm’s first U.S. based Code to Give event, part of a series of challenges that tap the community of technology innovators to help charitable organizations tackle real-world challenges.

Coached and mentored by Morgan Stanley top technologists, the winning teams leveraged open-source technologies, chatbots, psychometric testing, and artificial intelligence software to design bespoke solutions for the nonprofit beneficiaries with the promise to have a long-term impact: Tech Alpharetta will be able to improve its services to young women seeking to build STEAM careers, while Atlanta Mission will better engage with and serve the region’s homeless population.

“Georgia has become a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship, and we believe its impressive talent pool will make it a key growth location for Morgan Stanley Technology over the next several years,” said Michael Poser, Co-Chief Technology Officer at Morgan Stanley. “It’s only fitting that we bring our transformational Code to Give program to the area, allowing young innovators, experienced technologists and local nonprofits to work together to improve the community.”

“The new app will truly be a game changer,” said Tech Alpharetta Chief Executive Officer, Karen Cashion. “Our organization will be able to scale our STEAM mentoring program to reach and inspire more female high school students to pursue careers in technology.”

“Approaching the challenge from the lens of those experiencing homelessness yielded fantastic ideas that our team had never considered,” said Atlanta Mission Chief Technology Officer, James Barrell. “The new solution will help us better connect, engage, listen to and celebrate those that we serve and provide them sustaining hope.”

Experienced Morgan Stanley technologists are volunteering to develop the winning designs into fully functional solutions as part of Morgan Stanley’s Global Technology Change Makers program, a Firmwide initiative that supports nonprofits on their digital transformation journeys. The program has delivered technology pro bono services to 33 nonprofits in diverse mission areas, including children’s health, hunger and homelessness, and environmental impact.

"I’m impressed by the many students, graduates and mentors who answered the call to code," said Sal Cucchiara, Head of Wealth Management & Investment Management Technology. “Giving back is a core value for us. I can’t think of a better way than using our technology skills to make a difference in the communities where we live and work.”

The Code to Give Hackathon is part of Morgan Stanley’s efforts to grow and invest in talent and the community in the greater Alpharetta corridor. Morgan Stanley has brought hundreds of technology positions for experienced and entry-level professionals to Alpharetta, ranging from developers, engineers, and data scientists to project managers, risk managers, and agile coaches.

Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) is a leading global financial services firm providing a wide range of investment banking, securities, wealth management and investment management services. With offices in 41 countries, the Firm’s employees serve clients worldwide including corporations, governments, institutions, and individuals. For further information about Morgan Stanley, please visit www.morganstanley.com.

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