How to Win (or Lose) a Hackathon
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Transcript of How to Win (or Lose) a Hackathon
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Digital Rochester
“Rising Star” Winner
“Best Mobile App”
Rochester Startup Weekend
2012
HTR LaunchPad 2013
“Best Investment”
“Winner” Rochester
Startup Weekend 2014
How to WIN (or LOSE)
a Hackathon!By @ToddBernhard, Founder, NoTie.NET
Cofounder, AllAccess.US
Cofounder, FlixAcademy.com
Cofounder, AppRochester.com
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Have an Idea
• Must be original
• Be firm
• This is your one shot!
• It’s now or never!
• Make it count!
• Build a better mousetrap
• Be flexible
• Leverage this
opportunity
• There will be others
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MenuBot
(now AllAccess.US)
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Name Your Business
• Spend the first two
hours deciding on the
perfect name
• Build resentment
among team members
• Find out the domain
name isn’t available
• Pick something, you can
change it later
• Get a working
domain/website/blog
• Start making your
product!
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Examples: Names
• HINY: Help In New York! Cute, had the dot-com
already
• iCurio.us: Cute, double-entendre
• eThank: Had the dot-com
• MenuBot: Changed to All Access Menus and
then All Access LLC & AllAccess.US many
months later
• FlixAcademy: Pitched as Netflix Academy,
knowing it would be infringing… reserved
FlixAcademy.com, Flix.Academy, @FlixAcademy
etc.
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Team
• I don’t need any help
• The more the merrier
• Identify Strengths &
Weaknesses
• Seek Help early
• Be flexible
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Examples:
Hackathon Teams
• HINY: solo
• iCurio.us: solo
• eThank.com: solo
• MenuBot: Web, iOS, Business, Mentors
• FlixAcademy: 11 People + Mentors!
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Product Features
• Plan every feature the
product should have:
• iOS, Android, Web,
Free vs. Pro, In-App
Purchases
• Code until time is up
• What are your goals:
• Impressing investors
or Impressing Judges?
• Generating revenue?
• Minimum Viable Product
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Examples: Features
• HINY: Simple, could have better UI
• iCurio.us: Simple, could still add TTS
• eThank: Simple, needs graphics, social
• MenuBot: Simple BUT expandable. Now
has 60+ features & is updated weekly!
• FlixAcademy: Simple BUT expandable.
More patentable features on the way!
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Feedback
• Don’t bother...
• No Time
• Focus Groups
are lame
• Steve Jobs never
did ‘em
• You’re not Steve Jobs
• Feedback helps you
iterate and cut losses
• Take Minimum Viable
Product in the direction
users/investors want
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Examples: Feedback
• HINY: developed in a vacuum, in Rochester
• iCurio.us: Feedback from daughter
• eThank.com: Feedback from prior apps
• MenuBot: Feedback from restaurant managers,
blind focus groups, email, twitter, surveys
• FlixAcademy: Feedback from educators, mentors,
email, twitter, surveys
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Demonstration
• Show everything
• Dazzle with complexity
• Show essentials
• Prepare to dive deeper
based on questions
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Examples:
Demonstration
• HINY: YouTube demo video
• iCurio.us: Live, funny demo
• eThank.com: Live, funny demo
• MenuBot: Working app with graphics,
text-to-speech with depth & growth opportunity
• FlixAcademy: Working website, app, funny video,
with opportunities for a variety of revenue sources
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Know Your Audience...
and Your Goals
• Play to the
crowd!
• Play to the
judges &
investors!
• Refreshments,
T-shirts, Swag,
Camaraderie,
Deadline!
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Examples:
Audience & Goals
• HINY.com: NYC, Motivational deadline
• iCurio.us: Motivational deadline
• eThank.com: Motivational deadline
• MenuBot: Working app with graphics,
text-to-speech with depth
• FlixAcademy: Working MVP, build-a-business
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Hackathon
Opportunities
• Rochester Startup Weekend
• rochester.startupweekend.org
• Buffalo & Syracuse, too!
• challenge.gov
• ChallengePost.com
• NYCBigApps.com
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Digital Rochester
“Rising Star” Winner
“Best Mobile App”
Rochester Startup Weekend
2012
HTR LaunchPad 2013
“Best Investment”
“Winner” Rochester
Startup Weekend 2014
Remember, you can’t
WIN if you don’t try!By @ToddBernhard, Founder, NoTie.NET
Cofounder, AllAccess.US
Cofounder, FlixAcademy.com
Cofounder, AppRochester.com