Better hackathons by everyone, everywhere.
We advise, train, and coach production teams to reach higher paradigms of hackathon badassery by leveraging our experience built from over a decade of helping decision-makers at the world's strongest brands turn innovation strategy into execution.
DementiaHack interview on the Exchange with CBC's Amanda Lang
This was an involved discussion that HackerNest had on how we came to build international tech communities, the evolution of hackathons thus far, what they (should) accomplish, and how one of our anchor hackathon series’ (coincidentally, the world’s foremost dementia hackathon) came to be.
Run better hackathons.
Hackathons should be amazing, effective, impactful, and planned with care and consideration. Sadly, they aren’t. Most are terrible. Everyone should produce better hackathons. We won’t run yours, but we can help your nonprofit, charity, social enterprise, or value-driven company make sure yours are head & shoulders above others - Unlike others, we want you to develop effective hackathon production skills internally so you don’t keep paying others, ad infinitum, to run things for you.
More efficient and impactful public, standalone hackathons or internal innovation exercises saves your organization from squandering precious resources [ time, funds, opportunity cost, + more ] that can be better allocated elsewhere.
Institutionalizing hackathon mechanics and strategy in your organization’s innovation DNA is a long-term win. More hackathon-planning finesse and capabilities lets your team achieve peak performance for that next event.
Internal & Corporate Hackathons
Internal innovation exercises that are generally goal-oriented, singular-focused, and have appropriate levels of rigor to ensure that they are efficient and compelling. Aside from the purposeful efforts in the sprints leading up to each hackathon, leadership also get insights into how their cross-functional teams work under pressure, the various levels of penchant for problem-solving, and sets a baseline for the organization approaching problems and innovations across teams.
Bring real-context, world-class innovation mechanics to your organization.
Have your new or experienced hackathon producers trained to reach a higher performance paradigm. Build lasting institutional knowledge of proven hackathon strategies and methodologies while empowering your team with the right guidance: Our sage, time-tested advice & coaching sets them up for success -- depth-of-strategy, strong production planning, actionable deliverables, and hands-on, practical knowhow leading up to a formidable first or next event!
We are one of a handful of companies in the world with expert-level breadth of hackathon knowledge, significant depth of experience, and a very unique, differentiated perspective on hackathons and innovation. Some areas we advise on:
Understanding hackathon fundamentals and the frameworks & processes that production involves.
Strategy & Positioning with definitive asks & goals, requisite buy-ins, realistic metrics, and an inclusive structure beneficial to all.
Effective sponsor, partner, and community development so the right organizations are involved.
Stakeholder Engagement for participants, mentors, and judges for problem solving, expert involvement, and greater impact.
Production Finesse in executing with clarity, foresight, and to ensure omni-channel visibility.
“Winning” and prizing strategies that provides adequate recognition to minimize that ‘wasted effort’ perception.
Critical paths to post-event stewardship & aftercare to sustain the momentum & build lasting value.
Get in touch.
Let’s connect to discuss how we can help - a 15 minute initial information call, gratis, is a fast litmus test to decide whether you need our advice and guidance. Easy, quick, and painless.
Check these short videos to see the synergy in carefully crafted hackathons tackling a set of strategic challenges endemic to a single issue or cause. Channeling audience, participant, and stakeholder energy appropriately to demonstrate value across the entire exercise is key to ensuring success, not just at the end, but also in the discovery and brainstorming stages.
“The British Consulate-General in Toronto has collaborated on a number of high-impact tech events and campaigns with HackerNest. Their tech, social science, and community savvy, coupled with their global platform, enabled the British Government to deliver innovative outcomes in dementia research and cooperation between Toronto, London, and other global cities. ” — Kevin McGurgan; OBE; British Consul-General Toronto, UK Government
“Facebook is proud to have been the presenting sponsor of DementiaHack. It was an honor and a privilege for me, as Chair, to have helped guide the event towards such a positive outcome. Anyone can run a hack event, but it is an entirely different thing to produce the world’s foremost dementia hackathon, which is why we chose to partner with HackerNest. Their experience, dedication, and enthusiasm helped ensure DementiaHack ran smoothly and it was a pleasure working with their team. ” — Jordan Banks; Managing Director, Facebook & Instagram
“In case anyone wondered, *this* is what a #hackathon looks like. #DementiaHack #awesome #inspiring.” — Amanda Wilson.; Executive Director & Director General, Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention, Public Health Agency of Canada
About our our hackathons.
HackerNest is a veteran producer of large, high-stakes hackathons and innovation events that require a full understanding of how things fit within a grander plan -- whether that's to fuel product development, recruit, define culture, win political favor, shift brand perception, strengthen international relations -- the list goes on. We’ve produced events with partners like Facebook, Amazon, Deloitte, Dove, local & federal governments, consular & diplomatic services, law firms, and others. Our public hackathons have been sponsored by thousands of companies. We have hundreds of carefully strategized, purposeful hackathons under our belt and have stewarded thousands of project teams from pre-inception, prototyping, demos, to winning.
Public-Facing Hackathons
High-engagement and very visible, these centered around a cause or problem. We’ve written lots on the cause & effect of hackathons, and public ones throw light on the world’s issues and problems that teams poke & prod at, seeking pathways to solutions. Realistic end-of-hackathon expectations should prevail - unveils smart & creative team-oriented technologists, brings relatable community together, and centralizes passionate people together at a high level of intensity.
Internal & Corporate Hackathons
Internal innovation exercises that are generally goal-oriented, singular-focused, and have appropriate levels of rigor to ensure that they are efficient and compelling. Aside from the purposeful efforts in the sprints leading up to each hackathon, leadership also get insights into how their cross-functional teams work under pressure, the various levels of penchant for problem-solving, and sets a baseline for the organization approaching problems and innovations across teams.
Check these hackathon highlights:
DementiaHack
This was the world’s foremost and largest dementia-specific hackathon series produced. Presented by Facebook and chaired by Jordan Banks, we brought this hackathon to life over a number of years to explore tools and solutions for very specific challenges in patient welfare, caregivers & clinicians, and researchers.
Fishackathon
A 45+ city, multi-million dollar hackathon series produced concurrently around the world to tackle problems in fisheries and oceans’ sustainability, this hackathon was produced for the U.S. State Department’s Office of Global Partnerships as part of core deliverables on conservation set by the Obama Administration.
Hack4Equality
This west-coast diversity & inclusion hackathon addressed hurdles faced by the LGBTQi community in the US and around the world. Things that most don’t consider, like which public bathrooms are ‘friendly’, are challenges that were tabled, delineated, and solved for.
“I worked with HackerNest on two unorthodox projects testing new ideas, and in both cases the HackerNest team proved to be highly capable, agile, and professional. We would not have been able to deliver either project without HackerNest, and they made both events far more successful than we had hoped. They would be my first choice of partner for any technology-related project. I need to be able to trust that my partners will do what they say they’re going to do, when they say they’re going to do it, and raise any issues immediately. This, in my experience, is HackerNest’s strongest asset – they deliver, no matter what.” — John Preece, Ph.D.; Sector Development Officer, City of Toronto
“… provided strategic direction & tactical support throughout the program … valuable perspectives … very committed to our success. They continue to enhance the program with deep insights … helped support our drive to a changing culture within Deloitte …. confident in their abilities. ” — Keyur S.; Deloitte
When experiential stakeholders - mentors, advisors, judges, attendees, watchers - leave with lasting impressions and renewed energy, that’s a win.
“Considérez-le #piraté! Félicitations à tous les participants de #Fishackathon de cette année! Super d’avoir travaillé avec @HackerNest sur ce fabuleax événement” — Péches et Océans (Fisheries & Oceans Canada)
“I just wanted to send a quick note to express my gratitude for being part of Sunday’s Fishackathon. What a fabulously designed and organized event and I feel very luck to have been a part of it.” — Brianna L. Bailey-Gevlin, Vice Consul, U.S. Consulate General, Lagos, Nigeria
“..a great event. I’m really glad to have attended and appreciate the opportunity to mentor. Congrats on a successful and meaningful event” — Todd Myers, Environmental Director, Washington Policy Center
“…the air in the room felt electrified, there was a feeling of sheer excitement and everyone was pumped. I thought that on the second day, this atmosphere would have dwindled, but it didn’t. If anything, it had increased …I would like to finish by saying that this was one of the greatest events I have ever attended. I was on a personal high for days after this event. It has made me strive to do better in the work I do for Alzheimer’s.
If I was ever asked to participate again, I would jump at the chance to do so. No matter where or when, I would go just to get this totally awesome experience again. I would also recommend to anyone asked to participate to say yes – this is something that I feel everyone should do at least once in a lifetime.
As an off-note, my granddaughter attended. She was so amazed and has since decided to change her major in university. No matter what your age or your ability, this is an event to participate in, your youth returns while you are there and for a few days following. It definitely changes the way you see things. ”
— Phyllis F. M.L.A., R.N., S.A.N.E.; Ontario Dementia Advisory Board, DementiaHack Mentor & Finals Judge
Some companies, NGOs, & governments we’ve dealt with:
+ many others. Thank you all for your support in making better hackathons, everywhere.