Hackathon 2018

Join us for a friendly fun-filled competition of 24 hours of Innovation, starting noon on November 1, 2018. 

This year's theme is Strengthen the Core - Identify pain points in the products around you and come up with innovative solutions! 

We are looking for UMass Chan IT's Finest Hackers, Hipsters, and Hustlers to answer the call to Innovate and have a lot of fun! This is your chance to embody our IT Values and etch your name in the Hackathon Hall of Fame!

Developers, designers, data experts, and creative people alike - are you up for the challenge?

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Hackathon?

Every year University of Massachusetts Medical School IT hosts a Hackathon event where we encourage our employees to come together and collaborate in a friendly 24-hour competition. This is a chance for our employees to innovate and freely express their creative and ambitious minds to further the Medical School’s mission. 

Do I need a team or can I join by myself?

Participate either by yourself or by joining a team of no more than 5 to come up with innovative solutions.

Who can participate?

The Hackathon isn’t just for “nerds” or “developers” – it’s for everyone, regardless of what your title of role is.

Here are some hackathon roles that you can play:

Hustler – Find the business need, find a problem to solve, find people who can solve them, assemble the team!
Hipster – Craft the perfect pitch, snazzy UI, make the solution presentable and make it SELL;
Hacker – Find the tech to solve to problem; minimalist. Solves the problem simply.

How are the winner(s) chosen?

At the end of the 24-hour Hackathon period, teams will be provided 10 minutes each to present their projects to the audience. Voting begins at the end of the presentation period and a winner is chosen based on the voting results

Do I have to compete the entire 24 hours?

No. The 24-hour period is simply the period in which you, or your team, will have to complete the project. How much hacking you do is totally up to you.

Are there any prizes?

You get recognition and bragging rights! We do also try to provide giveaways such as training, t-shirts, and free food! But the real motivation should be to have fun and innovate, while doing something valuable that you can be proud of. 

Can I start on my project right now?

No. We ask that you do not begin your project until the official start time, which is noon on the day of the event.

Is there a Code of Conduct?

Yes. You can read about it here.

I have more questions. Who can I contact?

Please visit our Hackathon Yammer Group and post your questions. You can also follow along as we update it with cool content.