how to win (or lose) a hackathon

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

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

MenuBot

(now AllAccess.US)

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!

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.

Team

• I don’t need any help

• The more the merrier

• Identify Strengths &

Weaknesses

• Seek Help early

• Be flexible

Examples:

Hackathon Teams

• HINY: solo

• iCurio.us: solo

• eThank.com: solo

• MenuBot: Web, iOS, Business, Mentors

• FlixAcademy: 11 People + Mentors!

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

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!

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

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

Demonstration

• Show everything

• Dazzle with complexity

• Show essentials

• Prepare to dive deeper

based on questions

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

Know Your Audience...

and Your Goals

• Play to the

crowd!

• Play to the

judges &

investors!

• Refreshments,

T-shirts, Swag,

Camaraderie,

Deadline!

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

Hackathon

Opportunities

• Rochester Startup Weekend

• rochester.startupweekend.org

• Buffalo & Syracuse, too!

• challenge.gov

• ChallengePost.com

• NYCBigApps.com

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