How to prepare for a Virtual Hackathon?
Hacks and tricks to give you an offline hackathon experience, online.
There is an opportunity in every crisis and the deeper the crisis, the better the opportunity can be.
Questions to ask yourself before joining:
Why are you attending the hackathon? What do you aim to get out of this hackathon? Define the goal.
- Is the prize your motivation? ($$$, Proof of Concept?)
- Is there a job opportunity? (Are the sponsors looking to hire? Is someone scouting talent?)
- Are you looking for a co-founder for your idea? (Hackathons are the place to develop connections with like minded people)
- Are you looking to learn a skill? (Rapid prototyping, Networking, Time Management… and many more)
Do you have an idea that matches the problem statement?
- More often than not, hackathons have a theme. Although always focused around tech, they could be specific to finance, travel, food and many different areas. They could also have extremely specific ideas allowing you to plan in advance.
- Do your research! Check out the website of the hackathon and read these problem statements carefully.
Do you have a team in mind to execute this idea?
- Why are investors so focused on the team a startup founder has? Because the team can really make or break the idea. You need to curate your team members according to the skills the hackathon requires.
- Make sure you can communicate freely with them, also make sure you are all on the same page. It is normal to bounce ideas back and forth and also discuss, however, it is important to not dwell too much on the negative aspects of these discussions.
If you’re already convinced that you want to join a virtual hackathon, take a look at Hack.Asia.
How to prepare yourself for a hackathon?
1. Attend Pre-Events (Virtual) and AMAs
If you have questions about the different problem statements/tracks/challenges, make sure you clarify them beforehand.
2. Work on your skills, do your homework
What is your role in the team?
The developer? The designer? The marketer? The presenter? or the many roles needed during a hackathon.
→ Make sure you are ready and prepared to save your team from any problem that may arise. Keep calm and carry on!
If you will be presenting, read the problem statement again and again and work on your pitching skills.
If you’re a designer, brush up on your skills with the software you’re about to use. You know the drill.
3. Stay up-to-date with your email and social platforms
To stay updated with the hackathon, hacks and tricks, make sure you follow the social pages and check your email frequently.
Social pages are especially useful for:
- people looking for team members
- people who check their social media before emails as soon as they wake up
If you’re already convinced that you want to join a virtual hackathon, take a look at Hack.Asia.
How to survive the hackathon?
1. Find a comfortable spot
Comfortable ≠ Sleep
Make sure your spot feels good but doesn’t make you want to fall asleep.
2. Make sure you have a strong Internet connection
The most important thing for any virtual event is Internet, as for the hackathon as well. Stay connected to the team and the hackathon.
3. Constant communication with your team
Platforms running virtual hackathons allow you to interact with the team like you would in an offline conference. They let you video conference your teammates, allow you to share documents and much more.
Make sure you make use of all these tools!
If you’re working with your team members for the first time or for the 5th time, communication is key.
4. Take regular breaks
An easy way to make sure the team is on the same page is to coordinate breaks with your team. Let them know that you are on a break so your body doesn’t burn out.
5. Have fun
At the end of the day, you should leave the hackathon happy and a little more informed than the day you came in, so have a lot of fun!
If this has convinced you, let’s make it happen! Join us at Hack.Asia as we spend 36 hours to build the solutions!
Want to get Hack.Asia-ready with us? Here are some FREE workshops!
