Hackathon planning
What is a hackathon?
Master these hackathon fundamentals to help you get ready to plan a successful event.
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Conquer common hackathon challenges with these tips on running successful public hackathons.
Planning a hackathon can be a scary endeavor, filled with potential pitfalls that could turn your event into a horror story. From the dreaded "sponsor ghosting" to the terrifying "technical meltdown," there are plenty of challenges that can keep even the most seasoned organizers up at night. But fear not!
In this blog post, we'll shine a light on these common hackathon horrors and share tips on how to avoid them—ensuring your event is a spooktacular success. With the right strategies and tools like Devpost and AI, you can transform your hackathon into a treat-filled experience for everyone involved. So grab your garlic and get ready to banish those event-planning nightmares!
Note: This blog post was co-authored with the assistance of Google Gemini.
Searching for sponsors can feel like a ghost hunt, with empty rooms where funding should be. Partnering with sponsors for your hackathons goes a long way—you'll reach more developers, offer them more tools to build amazing projects with, and share the cost of prizes. To help you conquer the sponsorship drought, here are some tips on securing sponsorships and building strong partnerships for your next hackathon.
Start your sponsorship search early to give potential sponsors ample time to consider your proposal. Clearly articulate the value proposition for sponsors, highlighting how their involvement can benefit their brand and reach their target audience. Offer exclusive experiences or opportunities for sponsors to interact with participants and judges to make their sponsorship more attractive.
Devpost offers a centralized platform for organizing hackathons, which can help build confidence with potential internal and external sponsors. By creating a compelling profile on Devpost, you can showcase your hackathon to a wider audience, increasing visibility and demonstrating your ability to host a great hackathon.
Gemini can help you create tailored sponsorship proposals by analyzing each potential sponsor's business interests and goals, then highlighting how partnering with your hackathon will specifically benefit their organization. This personalized approach can help build stronger relationships with sponsors and increase your chances of securing sponsorships.
As the event date approaches, a horde of participants might mysteriously disappear, leaving you with more empty chairs (virtual and IRL) than you can handle. Whether you’re running an in-person or virtual hackathon, the goal is to inspire developers to build and maximize the number of completed projects. Here are quick tips to keep participants engaged throughout the hackathon.
Want to improve hackathon engagement? Download our guide on how to boost hackathon registrations and submissions.
Keep participants excited about the hackathon by sending regular updates and reminders about event details and deadlines. Offer incentives, such as discounts or exclusive perks, to encourage participants to register early and confirm their attendance.
Gemini can help with tasks like writing reminders and updates for participants, saving you time and ensuring that everyone stays informed. This can also help to reduce the number of no-shows by keeping participants engaged and informed.
Streamline registration, tracking, and communication with registration forms, communication features, and the ability to track attendance through Devpost. These tools can help you keep track of who has registered and help them find teammates they’ll be excited to work with.
Running an in-person hackathon? Picture a nightmarish scenario where the Wi-Fi crashes, the servers go down, and your carefully planned hackathon descends into chaos. But don’t worry—with the right planning and backup systems in place, here’s how to prevent technical issues from crashing your hackathon.
Want to learn more about running a successful in-person hackathon? Download our guide with best practices for in-person hackathon managers.
Be prepared for potential technical issues by developing a contingency plan that outlines how you’ll respond to problems. This plan should include backup systems for important equipment and a list of contacts for technical support.
Gemini can help you identify and resolve technical problems before they become major issues. This can help to prevent downtime and ensure a smooth event experience for participants.
Collecting all the projects on Devpost provides the best possible way of showcasing the amazing work created during the hackathon, even if live demos aren't possible. Use Devpost’s popular choice voting features to re-engage participants and maintain excitement, even if technical difficulties arise.
By addressing these hackathon challenges, you can transform your event into a truly spooktacular experience. Remember, with careful planning and the right tools, you can banish the ghouls and goblins of event planning and create a memorable and impactful hackathon for all involved. Happy Halloween, and may your hackathons be filled with creativity, innovation, and plenty of treats!
Ready to get started on your next hackathon? Book a demo to see how Devpost will make your hackathon available to a global developer community.
