Melanie Rideout, AI strategist at the Swedish Red Cross, has been named a jury member for FirstBlock-athon.

What she brings to the table

At the Swedish Red Cross she leads the organisation's AI work across climate, health, crisis response and the effectiveness of aid internally. Her remit covers identifying and deploying AI systems, and pushing for adoption that is ethical and responsible.

That combination matters at a hackathon. Teams have 48 hours and every incentive to build something that demos well. A judge who deploys technology in crisis settings will be asking whether it holds up when conditions are poor and the stakes are high.

A pattern in the jury

She is the second jury member announced from the humanitarian sector, after UNICEF's blockchain lead.

Of the eight areas participants can work in, only two are finance. One of the problem statements released so far comes from a charity asking how donors can see where their money actually goes. The jury is being assembled to match.

FirstBlock-athon runs 7–11 September in Stockholm as part of Nordic Tech Week 2026. Applications are open.

More on what's built on the blockchain beyond finance in Onchain Build.