Kevin Steineman, AngelHack San Francisco ambassador and mobile insights extraordinaire, just did a terrific write-up on his site, Mobile Minute, laying out the reasons why you should participate in a hackathon near you (hint, hint: you have an opportunity this spring. Our global hackathon competition is coming to 30 cities, starting in May. Sign up now, before spots fill up!).
Steineman’s reasons for attending a hackathon are:
1. Networking
A wise person once said to meet people where they’re at. And if you’re a developer, you’re bound to meet other developers at a hackathon. Make meaningful connections over the course of a weekend, see what your peers are capable of, and possibly find a business partner to help make your startup idea a reality.
2. Meeting Investors
Steineman quotes another wise person in his blog: “if you build it, they will come.” And this is absolutely the case with hackathons. Prominent Silicon Valley investors regularly judge hackathons. You get to connect with these powerful decision makers, and show them what you can do for them.
3. Gaining Feedback
Honest feedback, that is. Tech is a notoriously insular field – all too often, entrepreneurs and developers fall into a positive feedback loop, and don’t get to address the problems that could possibly doom their idea. Hackathon judges will give you the brutal, honest feedback you need to truly perfect your product.
4. Pushing Your Limits
Think about what you’re capable of. Chances are, you have no idea – not until you’re pushed to do your absolute best in just 24 hours. Developers, designers and managers alike are amazed at what they’re capable of doing in such a short amount of time. Come get that confidence boost – it’ll stick with you long after the competition’s over.
5. Advancing Your Career
This point’s more philosophical. Would you rather spend a weekend out drinking with your buddies, or gathering with fellow game changers and creating solutions to the world’s problems? Your answer says a lot about you – and if you answered the latter, a hackathon gives you the perfect avenue to channel that desire.
Speaking of philosophical points, we’d like to add one more reason to attend a hackathon – specifically, one of our AngelHack spring hackathons, starting in May:
6. Becoming a Whole Developer
What does that even mean? In a nutshell: it’s great to know how to code, but in the real world, successful entrepreneurs have a much more diverse skill set. They know how to communicate, work with teams, and navigate the corporate hierarchy. At all our spring hackathons, we’ll teach you these skills so you can be more effective, more successful and most importantly… a happier and more fulfilled person. Stay tuned for more information!
Convinced? Be sure to sign up for our spring hackathon competition in your city – we’re doing a limited to promotion for a FREE ticket to any event! Use the code “SteineDAman” in the next 48 hours to score your free spot! And if you’re interested in the mobile space, you can also follow Kevin Steineman (@KSteineman) for more insights.
