Guide to Host a Successful Digital Hackathon

To become victorious in this era of digital hackathons, it’s the moment to move above creators and contains different functionalities across associations. Besides providing a miscellaneous participant collection, you can forever use social lounges and virtual meeting tools to unite and network in this virtual event.

Most significantly, have a set hackathon planning and the biggest difficulties you are peeking to solve. Possess a structure that:

• Describes the purpose and goal of your virtual hackathon – What do you desire to gain from the hackathon – a feature, a product, a sense of the society, hiring, etc.
• Use other groups to maintain the fun component of a virtual hackathon and plan a time for discussions and presentations, including the time for networking possibilities, and schedule time.

When you get down for a digital hackathon planning, here’s what you must do,

1. Brand and theme formation: Determine the challenge and objective for the digital hackathon. Keep the target spectators in mind when you zero in on the theme for the occasion. In these contemporary days, quite a few non-IT-based digital hackathons have made an impression, and so relying on the future objective, list down potential themes and a complete one that works. One up with a title for the occasion. Branding is quite important for any occasion, and a digital hackathon is no oddity to this. You can also schedule team-based items such as matching t-shirts to send out forward of time for the audience to wear during the occasion. You are required to use the title across all channels of social media when advertising the occasion to launch the event and build publicity around it.
2. Landing/Website page: It is important to develop a website page, or just a landing page wrapping all elements of the virtual hackathon occurrence. It should deliver the audience details about the dates, theme, judges, schedule, rules, regulations, and more. While you can convey updates through social media channels, it is good to have the exact results reflected on the landing/website page. Make sure to wrap all elements and any queries that the audience might have about the occasion.
3. Stakeholders: Who are the co-workers you are aiming for this specific virtual hackathon event? Organizations that might show curiosity and arrive forth to support the events, associates who would deliver technical assistance or other help that you might need for the duration of the event, and so on. Likewise, recognize people who would be on the judging committee, assisting you to make the conclusive decision on the prizewinner.
4. The real event and beyond: Operate with an event management forum that comprehends the vision of hackathons and what it requires to host a virtual hackathon. Once that is evident, make a checklist of the action items lined up, the schedule, plan, and schedule communication to the players giving them the information and how to go concerning the event. Split players into separate groups and allocate project managers for the event for a simpler partnership.

It is also necessary to have rewards sorted for the occasion. They could be vouchers/coupons, a chance to attend a masterclass by an industry professional, or a gadget/vacation. 

Once the event is concluded, send out mailers paying gratitude to the players, showcase highlights and photographs from the event, and exceptional mentions (if any). This requires it to be done on the social media channels and event website as well. 

Why should you host a digital hackathon?

While there are difficulties and limitations to a digital event, the advantages overshadow them. The highlights of hosting a digital hackathon occasion are,

1. Cost: The funding needed to host a digital hackathon occasion is far less when approximated to the actual physical occasion. A digital hackathon planning contains costs towards developing a virtual infrastructure, support staff, and tech resources.
2. Comfort: The hackathon might stimulate interest from individuals spread across demographics, and thus hosting a digital event would work agreeably. Individuals can participate from the convenience of their homes, and set up techniques, and other important materials based on their choices. With fewer distractions, there is a limitation to an expansion in widespread productivity.
3. Diversity: Virtual events open gates to individuals from numerous paths of life to partake and endeavor the same. These digital hackathons could have individuals from unique functionalities partaking and carrying various thinking abilities into the competition. This permits creative thinking and unique viewpoints, which could increase the importance of the hackathon.
4. Team development: Since individuals from different locations and surroundings partake in these digital hackathons, it is an incredible chance to help individuals comprehend teamwork and evolve skills needed to work as a team and not just as solo rangers. This will be useful in the long run, giving them a benefit when operating in associations with big teams. 

Hackathon ideas for 2022 and beyond

1. Edu-Tech hackathon ideas: With the world shutting down academies, universities, and colleges, there has been an enormous change in how education is supplied. You can host educational technology hackathons on,

• Student education experiences
• University and course finders
• Project administration for students/teachers
• Record management for educational academies
• Tutoring aids

2. Healthcare hackathon ideas: There is a big scope when it arrives to healthcare and technology. Here are some views for your subsequent virtual hackathon,

• Record management in hospitals and clinics 
• Digital health helpers 
• Virtual monitoring of hospital vans
• Medical crisis triage management
• Health administration in rural regions

3. Consumer technology hackathon ideas: Artificial Intelligence and machine learning come in handy when it arrives at homes and will help larger gatherings. Here are some intelligent views for your successive consumer technology hackathon,

• Independent drones
• Internet of Things for houses
• Labor Saving workspaces

The viewpoints noted above will surely put you in the correct direction for the virtual hackathon event. While a standard physical hackathon event has always been about showcasing the skill, digital hackathons have obtained a new grade of ‘improving others.’ Through digital hackathons, you can allow an international talent pool as players and create significant and more thought-out assignments.