Summary
The Discover Innovation Hack aimed to boost internal innovation and collaboration through a company-wide hackathon. This 52-hour event engaged 614 employees from diverse backgrounds and locations, breaking down departmental silos and fostering an inclusive environment. It offered six unique challenges and provided resources like expert mentors and technological support.
Challenge
In 2021, Discover aimed to enhance internal innovation and cross-departmental collaboration through an internal hackathon. The Discover Innovation Hack sought to engage employees from diverse backgrounds and locations to collaborate on technology-driven projects. The main goal was to leverage the collective talent within Discover to generate innovative solutions that could lead to a brighter financial future for their customers.
Solution
The Discover Innovation Hack was a meticulously planned event, involving participants from across three continents:
- Widespread Participation: The hackathon connected 614 participants from 35 states and 196 cities, breaking departmental silos and fostering an inclusive environment for innovation.
- Diverse Challenges: The event presented six unique challenge statements, encouraging teams to develop solutions in areas like Open API, Banking Challenge, Payments Ecosystem, and more.
- Engaging Format: The 52-hour hackathon included an opening ceremony, mentor office hours, patent program workshops, and interactive activities like a scavenger hunt and quizzes, maintaining high engagement levels.
- Support and Resources: Participants had access to expert mentors and various technological resources, ensuring they were well-equipped to innovate and develop their ideas.
Impact
The Discover Innovation Hack was a resounding success, marked by several achievements:
- Inspiring a Culture of Innovation: Many participants were inspired and surprised by how much could be done in the short amount of time.
- Community Building: The hackathon was instrumental in building a sense of community among Discover employees after an intense 52 hours working with other employees they might not have even interacted with before.
- Innovative Solutions: The hackathon led to the creation of groundbreaking projects, with winners like demonstrating creative solutions to real-world financial challenges.
- Cross-team Collaboration: Over 65% of participants worked with colleagues they had never met before, strengthening internal networks and collaboration.
Hear From the Participants
“Did not know Innovation can come in so many forms and the creativity within was reaching new heights. The best thing to feel is when you feel a personal connection to what you create and the whole team is motivated to the same vision and then the idea storm and execution. Love it!”
“One sentence on how I felt during the Hackathon: I am humbled and in awe of all the amazing, talented and experienced people in this entire program and although at first seemed like no one wanted me as a team member, grateful for the mentors and TeamDiscoverWithMe for taking me in and the opportunity to do this amazing experience.”
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Conclusion:
The Discover Innovation Hack successfully achieved its goals, driving internal innovation, fostering collaboration, and building a stronger employee community. This highlights the power of hackathons in engaging diverse teams and generating impactful solutions. The hackathon’s success offers valuable insights for organizations seeking to cultivate similar outcomes.
