When you attend a tech event, what do you usually expect?
Exactly one week from now, I’ll be co-organising a tech event (a hackathon), and I’m realising how much work it actually takes. I’ve been to many conferences myself to gather inspiration, but I still can’t come close to what I’ve experienced as an attendee. Maybe that’s also because we’re organising it as just a 3-person team. 😅
If you’ve been to hackathons or other tech events before, what made a positive impression on you?
I might implement some of those ideas into the program.
The current structure includes snacks, mini-quizzes, prizes, talks, hacking, and networking/party.
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I go for the mix of fresh ideas and fresh connections. Learning what’s next in tech while building relationships that often turn into clients, partners, or just good sounding boards.
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@atique_bandukwala1 ATM, we prepared a Discord where they can mingle, but I need to find some icebreaking activities.
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@atique_bandukwala1 This is a nice idea! TY! :)
Glad for you!
I'm sure you're going to ace it
In all events I've attended, the vibe was definitely the most memorable aspect.
Use ice breakers to lighten the atmosphere and reduce the awkwardness
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@mayashaddad Which event was the best?
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@mayashaddad that amount of attendants is bearable (and high chances you will remember names of people). In our hackathon will be around 70 people. I am pretty curious how it goes :D
@busmark_w_nika indeed.
70 might seem like a lot, but trust me, it's going to be a great experience.
best luck!
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@mayashaddad Thank you! :)
DeepTagger
A welcoming vibe, easy ways to meet people (fun icebreakers or team shuffles), and good snacks 🍕😅
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@talshyn What should we serve? :D We are not completely decided yet :D
DeepTagger
@busmark_w_nika , maybe go for bite-sized foods that keep people mobile, nothing that locks everyone at one table. But pizza also works great, especially if it’s delivered hot during the event (not too early). Keeps the energy up and people moving between spaces instead of being stuck eating in one spot 😊
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@talshyn We agreed on pizza :D it seems that this will be our main dish :D
I'm sure it's a bit late for your upcoming event, but perhaps helpful for the future: I had a really positive experience at an event that offered a networking app and made it available it around 1-2 weeks before the event. It was super easy to see who else was attending and what we may have in common. I highly recommend something like this -- so much that I definitely take it into consideration now when I'm looking at events to attend.
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@leah_madden We have Discord for networking, but some app for vibecoins :D It is a speciality for us :D
I personally like it when the organizer collates essential takeaways like PDFs, free resources or subscriptions (which cannot be found elsewhere), and maybe merchandise for everyone.
The snacks and party are momentary and its memory fade away real quick (at least for me).
I mean, if I were to remember you, @busmark_w_nika, I would look at what positive value you brought to my life through that event.
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@ashok_nayak We have merch, but limited :D this is the first year and we do not know how it goes so we are planning it low-cost :D
IXORD
It's a lot of work and also some stress, good luck to you Nika. Answering the question, what I would expect from the event is acquaintance and maybe an idea that can be formulated in my head
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@ixord Thank you, Igor. Hopefully, it will meet the expectations of attendees.
Even in offline events, I have had 1-2 great stories (15 mins each) being told online by people from totally different ecosystems/geographies -- it's amazing how different perspectives it brings to the table.
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@manu_goel2 So what is your answer? To provide them with a good presentation/storytelling?
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@manu_goel2 Thank you! 🙏
Velocity
Always the networking and the facilitation of making the conversation flow easily. We can all watch presentations in the house, we attend these events to speak with people. Everyone is there, making an effort and it's hard to find the motivation. Anything the organiser can do to help the better. Introducing speaking points at the event, however you choose to do it is crucial.
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@kevin_mcdonagh1 Do you also participate in pitching competitions to raise money? I have seen something like that at Websummit.
Velocity
It's really interesting to see networking come up so consistently as the top expectation here. Having been to many events, I've noticed the biggest gap isn't the desire to connect, but the structure to do it meaningfully—especially in a room of 70 people where you can't meet everyone.
Discord is a great start for pre-event mingling and announcements, but as @leah_madden hinted, a tool designed to map the room and skillsets can be a game-changer.
I 'm building Hackamaps to solve this exact problem. Instead of wondering who's a good fit for your hackathon team, imagine if participants could:
See a live, interactive map of all attendees and their rough skills/interests (with privacy controls, of course).
Filter for exactly what they need ("Find a frontend dev interested in AI," "See who's looking for a team").
Connect intentionally before and during the event, turning random luck into targeted collaboration.
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@osten_wiecen_jap Honestly, if there is a talk about offline events... sometimes (and maybe oftentimes): quality > quantity. If you talk to 100 people but don't know them, you won't remember each other. But when you remember something specific about a certain person, there is a deeper relationship. Such a person can introduce you to his/her connections. This is how relationships are built.
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@sheraz_abdul_hayee Hey Sheraz, thank you so much. This year, it will be offline only. Maybe next one (if this is successful), we expand into the online space too :)