Learn how to take your hackathons to the next level with Devpost’s project management and marketing services.
Considering a public hackathon? It's an incredible opportunity to engage your community, get your product into the hands of more developers, and generate buzz for your brand or product. But let's be honest, it can also feel like juggling a million tasks while blindfolded.
From nailing the logistics and legalities to attracting the right participants and keeping them engaged, a successful hackathon requires meticulous planning and flawless execution. Many organizers find themselves wishing they had more support to help bring their hackathon to life and ensure participants have a great experience. That’s where Devpost Managed Services steps in—to transform your vision into a resounding success.
Imagine having a team of experienced hackathon experts by your side, handling the heavy lifting while you focus on the big picture. At Devpost, we offer comprehensive project management and marketing support designed to streamline your process and amplify your reach. From initial planning and ongoing consultation to post-event analysis and prize fulfillment, we provide the support you need to create a seamless, impactful hackathon that delivers exceptional results.
Let’s get into it.
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Whether you're a seasoned hackathon organizer or venturing into this arena for the first time, running a hackathon takes a lot of organization and coordination. Devpost is here to alleviate those burdens and ensure your event runs like a well-oiled machine.
“The Devpost team is a pleasure to work with. I've worked with Michelle for two years in a row, and she is always on top of our milestones and making sure we're hitting our goals. She's very responsive and is always willing to step in to help and provide sound advice.” – Atlassian
Here’s a look at how you can get support at every stage of your hackathon through our project management services.
As the home for tens of thousands of hackathons since 2009, our team of expert hackathon organizers is here to guide you every step of the way as you plan your event. Depending on the level of support you need, we’ll create a hackathon plan (or use our expertise to help refine yours) to best suit your goals.
We’ll help you choose a hackathon topic that appeals to your target audience, answer all your hackathon-related questions, give expert advice, and support you as you run a stellar event. With our Full Project Management plan, we’ll take this to the next level and build your hackathon for you.
Hackathons are subject to skill-based competition law and must adhere to strict regulations. This is particularly important with global hackathons, as local contest laws vary from country to country.
Navigating competition law is a niche area. Your in-house counsel might not specialize in it, and finding the right expert can be costly and time-consuming. This is where Devpost provides immense value. We leverage our extensive experience from running thousands of hackathons and tap into our network of competition law experts to craft clear, comprehensive rules for you. We ensure that your rules are not only compliant but also tailored to the unique aspects of software competitions, saving you headaches and mitigating legal risks.
Well-crafted rules also help create a fair and predictable contest for participants, which gives them a good experience and reflects well on your brand.
Your hackathon page is the first point of contact for participants. It needs to be visually appealing, informative, and easy to navigate. A well-designed page can significantly impact participation rates. With our Full Project Management plan, you can focus on the big picture while we take care of the details. Our team will set up your entire hackathon page, including writing compelling web copy that resonates with your target audience, driving registrations and engagement.
If you’re like most hackathon organizers, running hackathons is not your full-time job. So, beyond the intricate planning and coordination, you undoubtedly have other work on your plate.
That’s where Devpost can help. Our dedicated project management team can cover all of the day-to-day activities involved in running a hackathon, so you can focus on overseeing it from a strategic level. With our Full Project Management plan, you'll be assigned a dedicated manager who designs and coordinates the entire hackathon, ensuring a smooth and efficient experience. Our team handles the daily activities while keeping you informed about key milestones and results.
Participant engagement is crucial for a successful hackathon. Without regular encouragement and support, developers might lose interest or encounter roadblocks they can't overcome, leading to fewer and lower-quality submissions.
Devpost offers comprehensive participant support, both on and off the platform. Our team actively monitors and responds to participants throughout the submission period, ensuring they feel supported and motivated.
You can also opt to have us create and monitor a dedicated channel for your hackathon in our Discord server, which has over 26,000 active members.
Pro tip: On the Devpost platform, you can use the updates tab to send emails to registrants, keeping them informed about upcoming events like office hours and workshops.
Every project submitted to your hackathon needs a baseline check to ensure it meets eligibility requirements. As you can imagine, the time it takes to do this can really add up if you’re doing it solo!
Our project management team thoroughly reviews every submission to ensure it meets all baseline eligibility requirements, saving you valuable time and ensuring your judges only evaluate eligible entries.
Note: When projects are submitted to Devpost-managed hackathons before the deadline, our team will check them for eligibility and communicate directly with submitters. This gives participants a chance to correct any errors and improves overall submission quality.
Prize fulfillment can be complex, especially with international winners. Tax procedures, affidavits, and processing payments to winners whose payment method options differ from country to country can create a significant administrative burden. Avoid the complications by letting Devpost handle it. Our streamlined process automates much of the work and is included in all of our project management packages.
Making a splash with your hackathon requires effective marketing. While paid advertising can reach some developers, grassroots outreach and marketing to the Devpost community provide a much higher ROI. Developers are notoriously difficult to reach through traditional marketing, so connecting through channels they’re already using is important.
Developers trust and engage with Devpost, making it the ideal platform for promotion. Working with Devpost's marketing services not only saves you time but also connects you directly with active developer communities who regularly seek new hackathons.
Here’s a look at the services available to you within our marketing packages:
Imagine launching your hackathon to an audience of over 4 million developers. That's the power of Devpost. Our platform isn't just software—it's a vibrant community. By hosting your hackathon here, you get instant access to this massive, engaged group.
Plus, we make your life easier. Developers already know and use Devpost. That means less explaining, less friction. Running your hackathon on our platform allows you to meet your audience where they already are and connect to them effortlessly.
Organizing a successful public hackathon is a challenging but incredibly rewarding endeavor. With Devpost Managed Services, you can transform your vision into a resounding success, reaching your target audience and achieving your goals. From comprehensive project management and legal compliance to strategic marketing and seamless prize fulfillment, Devpost is your partner in creating an impactful event.
Don't just run a hackathon—run a phenomenal hackathon. Book a demo today to learn how Devpost can elevate your event and connect you with millions of passionate developers.
