NeuroHabitat: Hackathons People’s Choice Winner

On August 17–18, 2025, the Mission:Brain PAHS Chapter proudly represented Nepal at the first-ever international-level Mission:Brain Hackathon, competing alongside 80 teams from 42 countries, with over 240 passionate minds participating worldwide.

What began as a bold idea evolved into something truly meaningful. Our team developed NeuroHabitat, a free, offline stroke rehabilitation mobile app, designed especially for low-resource communities like rural Oaxaca, Mexico. The app features audio-visual exercises, daily reminders, and family-friendly stroke education — empowering patients and caregivers to begin recovery from the comfort of their homes.

🧠 Inspired by a Story, Built for Humanity

This challenge wasn’t just about code.
It was about AL — a stroke survivor from Oaxaca whose story anchored the entire case. Meeting AL during the closing session was a deeply emotional moment. His words reminded us: he’s not just a patient, he’s a person. A father. A shopkeeper. A fighter.His strength inspired every screen, every feature, and every late-night brainstorm.

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🏆 A Milestone for Nepal

We were honored to be selected among the Top 10 Global Finalists, and even more grateful to receive the People’s Choice Award — a powerful reminder that empathy-driven design resonates across borders.

We were proud to represent our country on a global stage. The experience connected us with an incredible community of medical students, engineers, and doctors from around the world — including mentors from Harvard Medical School, Georgia Tech, Howard University, University of Minnesota, Argentina, Peru, and Mexico.

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🌱 A Step Toward Better Healthcare Access

The NeuroHabitat project reflects Mission:Brain PAHS Chapter’s commitment to innovation in global neurosurgery and rehabilitation. It reinforces our belief that technology, empathy, and grassroots action can come together to improve lives — even in the most underserved corners of the world.

We believe this is just the beginning. With continued collaboration, local implementation, and global solidarity, we hope NeuroHabitat and initiatives like it can restore not just motion, but meaning — not just treatment, but dignity.

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This was more than a hackathon.
It was a reminder that innovation belongs not just in labs, but in lives.

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Team 62 | Mission:Brain PAHS Chapter