A hackathon is a competition where developers work on a real task in a short time. For an IT company it is not a sales channel but a strong tool for building brand and attracting staff and partners.
With DeepVision we held a hackathon at PDP, and 200+ developers took part. Over the whole partnership there were 3 hackathons. Their goal wasn't sales, and that is exactly why they worked.
In short:
- The goal of a hackathon is people, partners and PR.
- The task should be built around the company's real technology.
- The result: a talent pool and recognition in the market.
What does a hackathon give an IT company?
Three things:
- Talent. You see developers at work. Much more telling than a résumé.
- Partners. Integrators and small teams see a chance to work with you.
- Brand. The developer community forms the opinion that "this company is serious."
For an ERP integrator this matters especially: as projects grow, finding qualified people becomes the biggest problem.
How do you choose the task?
The task should be built around the company's real technology. For an Odoo integrator, for example, it's a module or integration on top of Odoo. Then participants learn your stack, and the best of them come out ready to work.
A very abstract task ("an app that will change the world") draws many participants, but is of little use to you.
How do you promote a hackathon?
Through developer communities, Telegram channels, universities and IT parks. The prize matters, but developers are more interested in experience, mentors and the chance of getting hired.
After registration you need calls and reminders, just as with any event. This noticeably raises attendance.
Where do most people go wrong?
The mistake is expecting direct sales from a hackathon. Developers won't buy your ERP. Measure the result correctly: how many candidates were found, how many partners talked to you, how much PR you got.
Another mistake is going quiet after the hackathon. Keep in touch with the participant base: vacancies, next events, content.
Conclusion
In short, a hackathon is an IT company's reputation in the community.
- Set a clear goal: talent, partners, PR.
- Choose the task around your own technology.
- Measure the result with the right KPIs.
- Keep in touch with participants.
The full event system: B2B event marketing. We'll plan your hackathon together — book a consultation.
About the author. Safarmurod Abduroziqov is the founder and CEO of AURA Digital: 6 years in marketing, 50+ IT projects, ~$1M in managed ad budget. Telegram · LinkedIn
Frequently asked questions
Does a hackathon bring sales?
Rarely directly. Its main result is talent, partners and brand. Seminars and forums bring sales better.
How many participants do you need?
It depends on the goal. The hackathon held with DeepVision at PDP had 200+ developers.
What should the hackathon task be?
Built around the company's real technology: for example, for an Odoo integrator, a module or integration on top of Odoo.
How do you measure the result of a hackathon?
By the number of candidates found, partnership conversations, media coverage and community mentions.