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Let’s get ready to hack!

Whether this is your first hackathon or your tenth, here’s a few tips to help you get started.

{Empathize} Choose a team of diverse skillsets and discuss a common problem

  • Normally this would be done with end users or those who experience the problem, but in this case you are limited on time and resources
  • Consider the problem you’re addressing, your skills, and what other skills you think you might need
  • Typical Team: Front-end Dev, Back-end Dev, Domain Expert, Project Manager, UX Designer

{Define} Deciding on a problem to solve: (this is not the solution)

  • Build Personas
  • Identify challenges and pain points
  • Defining your problem and create “How Might We” statement
  • Build roadmap for how your team will get to the ultimate goal:
    • a low-fidelity prototype
    • a project pitch deck (10 slides max)
    • a 3-5 min video demo or pitch or your product

{Ideate} Deciding on a solution to solve the problem: (this is the solution)

  • Use Rapid brainstorming to come up with 100 ideas
  • Cluster ideas into common themes
  • Decide on which idea is P.I.C.
    • Practical
    • Innovative
    • Creative
  • Guiding questions:
    • How the problem is currently being solved?
    • How is it being delivered?
    • How can it be improved?
    • Who will it impact?
    • How will it impact them?
    • What change do you seek?

Submitting your project in the Hackathon:

In order to submit your solution at the end of the Hackathon, you’ll need to submit via Devpost. Head to Hack The Culture Devpost, sign up for a free account, and register!

Once you’ve done that, check back here for more information on how to:

Schedule

2023 March

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Grand Challenge

Hack The Culture 2020

Grand Challenge Prompt: How might we create technology-driven solutions to address the most pressing Health, Economic, and Social Justice issues impacting our communities?

First Place

$1,000
*split evenly amongst team members*

Second Place

$500
*split evenly amongst team members*

Crowd Favorite

$250
*split evenly amongst team members*

Sponsor Challenges

BankBlackUSA

$500

Challenge prompt: How might we encourage and embrace creative technology-based solutions to improve financial literacy amongst marginalized and under-resourced communities?

Mini Event Challenge Prizes

Anyone can submit to mini challenges! Any challenges that aren’t platform specific (e.g. TikTok dances) can be submitted in the #challenges channel on Discord. If you share on Instagram, include the hashtag #HackTheCulture2020 and post into the challenges channel!

Best “TikTok” Dance

Prize: $15 Gift Card
Number of prizes available: 4

Show us your moves! Post your best dance moves and post it with the hashtag #HackTheCulture2020.

Comfiest Hacking Outfit

Prize: Premium Fleece Snuggie
Number of prizes available: 2

Worst Snack Hack

Prize: Snoop Dogg Cookbook
Number of prizes available: 1

Best Paper Prototype

Prize: Origami Kit
Number of prizes available: 1

Healthiest Snack

Prize: Healthy Meal Prep Cookbook
Number of prizes available: 1

Worst Workstation Challenge

Prize: Desk lamp
Number of prizes available: 2

How raggedy is your rig? How defunct is your desk? If you think you’ve got the worst workstation of all, we’ve got a prize for you too! Take a picture and share it with us on Instagram with hashtags #WorkstationOrWreckstation and #HackTheCulture2020 and you could win a desk lamp. Every little bit helps, right?

Best DIY Hack

Prize: RGB LED Strip
Number of prizes available: 1

Best Team Rap Freestyle

Prize: $25 Kindle
Number of prizes available: 1

Best Mask Challenge

Prize: $15 Gift Card
Number of prizes available: 4

Protect your friends and neighbors from COVID-19 — in style! Plenty of fashionable mask prints have spawned out of the COVID-19 crisis, and we want you to show us how you’re doing your part to stop the spread. Post pictures of your best mask on Instagram @ImpactVentures with the hashtags #HackTheCulture2020 and #StopTheSpread

Best Hacking Outfit

Prize: Premium Character Fleece Snuggie
Number of prizes available: 2

Best Mentor Award

Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card
Number of prizes available: 5

Best Natural Scenery

Prize: $10 Starbucks Gift Card
Number of prizes available: 5

Music Trivia Prize

Prize: $15 Itunes
Number of prizes available: 2

Best Workstation Challenge

Prize: Headphones
Number of prizes available: 2

How rank is your rig? How dope is your desk? If you got it, flaunt it, and show us if you’ve got the best workstation! Take a picture and share it with us on Instagram with hashtags #BestDesk and #HackTheCulture2020 and you could win a pair of headphones to listen in to your work music in style.

Best Paper Craft

Prize: RGB LED Strip and Succulent Kit
Number of prizes available: 1

Submitting your project

Are you ready to submit your project? Remember that in order to submit, you must have at least the following two components:

a pitch deck (you can use Google Slides for this)
a pitch video that will be uploaded to Youtube

Finally, you’ll have to submit these items via the HackTheCulture Devpost page.

If you’re ready, click here to begin your submission to Devpost. Need help? You can check out the Getting Started page for more details or ask on the Discord.

Good luck!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is a Hackathon?

The term “Hackathon” means an event where participants team up and solve challenges in a short amount of time. However for this year, in light of the Covid-19 situation, the hackathon will be held online over a period of 48 hours. The challenges usually require the solutions to involve technology and/or coding and/or development in one form or another.

When will it be happening?

Registration date: August 1st – September 25th, 2020
Hacking days: September 25th – 27th, 2020
Submission date: September 27th, 2020
Winner announcement: September 27th, 2020

Who can attend?

Attendees 18+ and U.S. residents are eligible to participate and compete for prizes and giveaways. Anyone can spectate talks and workshops via our live site and social media outlets.

How big should teams be?

Each team is limited to have 2-5 members.

What if I do not have a team?

Don’t worry! Join us on Discord to share your ideas and network with each other so that you can join a team or form your own.

How can I register?

You can register as a participant here.

What is the time committment?

The event is a 48-hour sprint kicking off on Friday evening September 25th and ending on Sunday September 27th evening. Since the goal is to bring tangible and meaningful solutions to life, participants should expect to commit Friday evening, most of Saturday, and Sunday morning/early afternoon to the event. Participants do not need to be available 24/7 for the duration of the event but should engage with mentors, lightening talks, workshops, and communicate their availability to team members to get the most out of the event.

Will there be mentors?

Yes, mentors will be available throughout the event and you can connect with direct via video. Participants must be registered and on Discord to connect with Mentors.

What do I need to submit with my project?

Since this is a 100% virtual hackathon and we won’t be able to see your work in person, we’ll require a detailed submission on Devpost (you should receive an invite once you’ve registered). We’ll only be able to work with whatever you write and upload, so make sure you put some effort into that! More details on how submission works can be found on the live stream site and Mentors will be available to assist.

Are we allowed to build on past projects?

Typically hackathons require participants to build something new within a set amount of time (This is what makes it fun). Therefore, you cannot work on past projects. However, using your own open-source or third party libraries is fine, so long as the project is new. If you’re in doubt, ask a mentor.

Who owns the Intellectual Property (IP) of the projects?

The team that comes up with the solution will own the IP to the project, not the organizing team nor the partner companies.

What happens after the event?

What makes hackathons great is that there is no pressure. Once the event is over you can:

A) Pat yourself on the back for a job well done
B) Continue working on your project with your team or other participants
C) Decide to turn your project into a new startup business and apply for our Founders Academy program.
D) Whatever you want, no pressure 🙂

What is the address for the Discord server?

Our Discord for the event is available on the Devpost page when you register for the event.

Note that our event adheres to have a real name policy, so upon joining you’ll need to change your Discord nickname alias to your real name in order to participate in the community.

What is the address for the Devpost site?

You can reach the Devpost event page for the hackathon by going to https://hacktheculture2020.devpost.com/

#HTC2020 Harassment Policy

Harassment includes offensive verbal comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion or political views, sexual images in public spaces, deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, photography or audio/video recording against reasonable consent, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention.

Photography is encouraged, but other participants must be given a reasonable chance to opt out from being photographed. If they object to the taking of their photograph, comply with their request. It is inappropriate to take photographs in contexts where people have a reasonable expectation of privacy (in bathrooms or where participants are sleeping).

Participants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately.

As this is a hackathon, we like to explicitly note that the hacks created at our hackathon are equally subject to the anti-harassment policy.

Sponsors and partners are also subject to the anti-harassment policy. In particular, sponsors should not use sexualized images, activities, or other material. Sponsor representatives (including volunteers) should not use sexualized clothing/uniforms/costumes, or otherwise create a sexualized environment.

If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact a member of hackathon staff immediately.

Hackathon staff will be happy to help participants contact any local security or local law enforcement, provide escorts, or otherwise assist those experiencing harassment to feel safe for the duration of the hackathon. We value your attendance.

If a participant engages in harassing behavior, the hackathon organizers may take any action they deem appropriate. This includes warning the offender, expulsion from the hackathon with no refund (if applicable), or reporting their behavior to local law enforcement.

We expect participants to follow these rules at hackathon and workshop venues and hackathon-related social events.

Please contact support@impact-ventures.co to report any form of harassment to our staff.