If you are a working professional or a student in Software/Programming field, then you must be aware what a hackathon is. In case if you are not, then in the simplest words I can say a Hackathon is a technical event where programmers/developers gather for few days to come up with innovative ideas which will solve a problem using some latest technologies.
You can brainstorm -> come out with an innovative idea -> get necessary hardware and software -> develop something cool -> showcase it to the audience/judges -> and that's all it takes to be part of a hackathon. You can also enjoy food and games during break time.
Most of the hackathons are long events which last at least two days. Participants are free to stay at the venue at night or leave the venue and continue coding next day depending on the organization of the event. You can form your teams upfront if you know some other participants already or you can drop in alone and organizers will match you with one of the teams. Both ways work well - at the end of the day all that matters is what you accomplish as a team.
If you haven't participated in any hackathon yet, then I strongly suggest you should now. You will enjoy it - and read below to see what else you can do there.
Get some swags
I like swags - all different kinds of swags, and who doesn't? You may get some cool swag for participating in a hackathon from organizers.
At various hackathons, many big and small companies set up their booths and distribute swag for their marketing. Sometimes the swag is available for free, sometimes you may have to do a challenge like solving a puzzle to win some swag.
Enjoy going to a new place
Hackathons happen at different venues like Universities, Colleges, Corporate offices, Stadiums (the big ones happen there) - in different cities. If you participate in a hackathon, you will be able to see some new places.
Brainstorm and showcase your idea
In a hackathon, you will work along a team of developers having different skills to solve a challenge or do something innovative programmatically (which can be finished before the given deadline of the event, of course)
Hackathon gives you a chance to brainstorm and come out with an innovative idea which is going to solve a problem related to the theme of the hackathon. You are free to think of anything for which there is no technical / software solution exists currently. You can list down the problems your solution will address and how you are going to achieve it during the hackathon.
You may need some special hardware/devices and software as well. Sometimes organizers provide you with the hardware like IoT toolkit, drone, webcam, etc. depending on the theme of the hackathon. You may also get free trials of software and services like Azure cloud, etc.
You can win a prize!
A typical hackathon will have many teams participating. In the final hours, judges may visit each team and find out about their idea and what different teams have accomplished. Some teams, may be 5 or 6, will be short listed for the final demo.
If you get selected for the final demo/presentation, then it will give you a chance to compete for the top position. Usually each team will get around 5 or 10 minutes to present their work to the judges and all the audience. Get ready with your PowerPoint slides, speech, demo, etc. Remember to showcase everything quickly before you run out of time.
If you win, you will get some prizes. Prizes and their value depend on the organizers and sponsors of the event. Usually top 3 teams get a prize. There may be some additional prices for ground-breaking ideas or complete solution/demo.
Impact on your career
More than anything else, participating in a hackathon will have a positive impact on your career. It is your chance to get highlighted to the potential employers/sponsors who are looking for skilled talent in hackathon. You may get to learn something new from the hackathon from other teams or other members of your team. You will get a chance to network with like minded people and also those who are experts in your field.
Overall, a hackathon is a win-win situation for you so don't let go your chance to attend a next one near you. Register in advance because most hackathons get fully booked before months in advance.
For a list of hackathons happening in Toronto, Canada, see this link
Happy coding! May be I see you at a next hackathon nearby!