53 MAGAZINE We are currently witnessing a global hackathon to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. This event has subverted all political, economic, and even cultural expectations regarding how this sort of project is carried out. We live in a world where, in theory, we can connect with thousands of people simultaneously, but in practice we feel more alone than ever before. A world where “likes” abound but hugs are scarce, a world appearing to go crazy on the surface, but where there are even more complex goings-on behind the scenes. In this world, organizational structuring and leadership have shifted radically. In the middle of a pandemic, we are also facing an infodemic, an oversaturation of information that requires its own separate considerations. Technology has been a key factor in combatting the pandemic across economical, epidemiological, and social spheres. Efforts from the technological sector operate from two distinct standpoints, one more apocalyptic and the other more optimistic, one more cynical and the other more desperate. Through all of this, society must worry about privacy concerns regarding personal data, as well as the potential distribution of a vaccine created with unprecedented speed. For what might be the first time in human history, the entire globe is focused on the same problem. It was in these circumstances that a global hackathon began, with the express purpose of combating the pandemic. Technological evolution has been spurred onward. Many sectors have been forced to incorporate previously unseen technological elements, and many of our parents have had to improve their digital literacy as a result. The intergenerational digital divide has narrowed. Hundreds of thousands of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have survived thanks to e-commerce platforms allowing them to dramatically change their business model. A large portion of the human race currently lives in a state of 24/7 connection and constant contact, on one level or another. But we may be approaching a paradigm shift toward a desire to disconnect. In the current reality, it is easy to feel as though we have lost the right to remain disconnected. The nature of Joan Cwaik Head of Latam Marketing, Maytronics / Argentina For what might be the first time in human history, the entire globe is focused on the same problem. It was in these circumstances that a global hackathon began, with the express purpose of combating the pandemic