From Ideas to Innovation: Let's Understand the World of Hackathons 💭

Introduction to Hackathons

What is a Hackathon? 💭

• Hackathon is a coding event where people team up to create or enhance software programs. The name "hackathon" is a mix of "hacker" and "marathon".

• Hackathons have evolved from only corporate events to community-driven meetups and events. Now, they include various fields such as software development, hardware engineering, design, social entrepreneurship, and much more.

Impact of hackathons 🏅

• Facebook : Early coding events at Facebook resulted in the "Like" button and Facebook Chat. The "Like" button was created by Justin Michael Rosenstein in 2007 during one of these hackathons. Users loved it.

• GroupMe: The group chat app GroupMe, started at a TechCrunch Disrupt coding event in 2010. Skype later purchased it for around $80 million, showing that ideas from these events can turn into successful businesses.

Modes of Hackathons

Hackathons can be conducted in two primary modes: online and offline.

• Online Hackathons : 👨🏻‍💻

  Online hackathons are virtual events where individuals collaborate to solve problems using technology. In-person hackathons are more fun and interactive but online hackathons offer participation flexibility.

• Offline Hackathons: 🙋🏻‍♀️

  Offline or in-person hackathons offer a thrilling experience, encompassing both competition and networking opportunities. They often result in lifetime connections and provide a wealth of knowledge.

  

Why Attend Hackathons? 🧐

Hackathons are gatherings where individuals and teams brainstorm, design, and implement new software or hardware projects. They offer immense benefits such as,

• Skill Development: Hackathons serve as platforms for learning new technical skills or refining existing ones. They give help resources to speed up learning.

• Innovation: Hackathons are a breeding ground for fresh ideas. They allow you to explore new technologies and rapidly build prototypes, fostering innovation and creativity.

• Networking: One of the greatest benefits of hackathons is the networking opportunity. Meeting new people, mentors, and potential developers can open doors to experiences beyond university courses and introduce you to real-life applications of technology. If you're job hunting, it's a chance to network with potential developers and sponsors.

  

Terms Related to Hackathons 🤷🏻‍♀️

When I first attended the hackathon, I was totally blank when I heard these terms as I wasn’t aware of their meanings. So, I'm mentioning some of them here for you. (These terms vary for different contexts; here they are in the context of a hackathon.)

• Hack: In a hackathon, "hack" refers to coding or problem-solving.

• Hacker: A hacker is a person who uses their technical skills to solve problems(participants).

• Evangelist: A hackathon evangelist is someone passionate about hackathons and communities. They are responsible for spreading awareness and encouraging people to participate in hackathons.

• Volunteer: Volunteers are the people who help the organizers and hackers with the setup, serving, making sure hackers have everything they need, and checking on hackers to help.

• Mentor: Mentors are the people who help you with technical issues and if you are stuck at something in your project. It’s always okay to ask for help if you wish to develop something innovative. As of my experience, mentors always find you through the solutions.

• Judge: Judges are the people who evaluate your project from all perspectives like UI, Innovation, creativity, Project Presentation, Scope, and the problem it solves.

• Organizers: Organizers are the heart of the hackathon and manage everything from organizing the hackathon to finding the sponsors, and location, spreading the word about the hackathon and everything else.

• Sponsors:

  Sponsors can be of different types like :

  • Community Partners: Communities that can help you recruit hackers, mentors, judges, or volunteers from their community.

  • Tech companies: Tech companies who sponsor the hackathons and sometimes recruit the developers from the hackathons.

  • Startup/Product: Startup and product-based ventures sponsor the hackathon to spread the word about their products and inspire hackers to use their products.

  • Strategic/Media Partners: Companies that help with marketing and promotion.

    

Top Hackathons 🙌

I'm not an expert to claim that these are the only top hackathons, but based on my experience and knowledge, I'm listing some top hackathons that happens throughout the year in India.

Government Hackathons:

• Smart India Hackathon -

  A nationwide initiative to provide students a platform to solve real-world challenges posed by different industries.

• KAVACH -

  KAVACH is a cybersecurity hackathon that challenges innovative minds to innovate ideas and frameworks in the domain of cybersecurity.

• Open Government Data Hackathon-

  A hackathon organized by NIC, IAMAI, and StartUp India to promote innovation in the open data ecosystem.

• The 5G & Beyond Hackathon-

  A program by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to identify and promote 5G-related applications for India. The hackathon is open to individuals, students, startups, and academic institutions in India.

Community Hackathons:

• Hack This Fall-

  Hack This Fall is a hacker community in India that started in 2020. The community encourages new hackers to build unique projects, regardless of the field or technology.

• WittyHacks-

  WittyHacks is a 36-hour offline hackathon experience that brings together technology leaders and minds to work on building tools that solve problems. It has been Central India's largest community hackathon since 2018.

• Techacks-

  TecHacks is a hackathon community run by students at Chitkara University in Punjab. It was founded in 2019 and is open to all colleges and universities.

Finding Hackathons 🧐

You can easily find hackathons on various platforms depending on your preference, location, and other factors. Here are some platforms to help you find one :

• Devfolio: Devfolio is a hackathon platform, that aims to empower builders by hosting hackathons, fellowships, demo days, and more.

• Devpost: Devpost is a platform that assists software engineers in participating in software competitions (hackathons). It powers the majority of software competitions globally, including virtual and in-person events.

• HackerEarth: HackerEarth is a platform that hosts online coding challenges and hackathons.

• Unstop: Unstop is an online platform that offers a variety of opportunities, including hackathons.

• MLH: MLH stands for Major League Hacking, a student hackathon league. MLH organizes more than 200 hackathons every year, and anyone can participate for free.

Conclusion 🎬

In conclusion, I highly recommend participating in hackathons. Don't worry if you're a beginner, everyone can participate. I was in my third year when I attended my first hackathon. I regretted not participating sooner, but I was still able to accomplish a lot in one year. For me, hackathons are not just about competition, but also about meeting new people, learning new skills, and discovering new products and technologies. I hope you find this useful.

You can reach out to me on LinkedIn, X, and GitHub or via tishaghevariya@gmail.com.

Happy Hacking! 🙌