Why Is HackFest A Must-Attend?
Hackfest is a 48-hour immersive hackathon where entrepreneurs, developers and designers collaborate to solve real-world problems using a variety of tech stacks and business tools. Hackfest is designed for young professional, undergraduate and postgraduate students interested in innovating across industry sectors and learning new skills.
Hack
Hackers will learn and build on a variety of emerging APIs, platforms and software tools.
Create
Hackers will utilize various technology stacks and frameworks to solve real-world problems.
Play
Hackers will have an unforgettable experience while innovating across all industry sectors.
HackFest 2020 Schedule
***= All Times Are Tentative.
Participants check-in in the lobby and head to the 6th floor to enjoy dinner and network with fellow hackers. Check-in is required for all hackers.
Location: TDB 11 Times Square
Welcome Remarks, Code of Conduct and Event Rundown. This event is requried for all hackers.
Location: TBD 11 Times Square
Hackers will participate in a design thinking and ideation workshop followed by fast 30 seconds pitches and team formation activities. This event is requried for all hackers.
Location: TBD 11 Times Square
- Intro to HTML + CSS + JavaScript with Genesis Bonds
- Making a React Native App with TBD
- Intro to Python with TBD
- Intro to Azure with TBD
Location: TBD 11 Times Square
- How to Succed with a Startup & Building a Product with Kwadwo Nyarko
- Coding Challenge Workshop with Genesis Bonds
- Finding Product-Market Fit with Brandon Hill
- Intro to UI/UX with TBD
Location: 5th Floor 11 Times Square
All hackers take 5-10 minutes to fill out the end of day survey and reflect on their experiences on this day.
Location: 5th Floor 11 Times Square
Coffee, Cookies and Hack! Coffee, and snacks will be available throuought the night as hackers start working with their respective teams.
Location: 5th Floor , 11 Times Square
All participants are welcome to some breakfast to fuel their day of hacking.
Location: 5th Floor , 11 Times Square
Hackers are welcome to participate in panel discussion with POC and women professionals on the challenges and triumphs of working in the tech industry.
Location: TBD 11 Times Square
Hackers are welcome to grab lunch.
Location: TBD11 Times Square
Recruiters from multiple competitive tech and fincancial companies will be part of a meet a greet with Hackers. Interview rooms will be available as well. Bring your resume and your questions!
Location: TBD 11 Times Square
Hackers are welcome to grab dinner.
Location: TBD 11 Times Square
Su Sanni, the founder of Dollaride which recently won the first PitchFest at Queens College Tech Incubator, will share some wisdom on how to pitch your product and business. Dollaride, uses mobile technology to help dollar vans increase ridership in areas underserved by public transit. Hackers are highly encouraged to attend this Workshop.
Location: TBD 11 Times Square
All hackers take 5-10 minutes to fill out the end of day survey and reflect on their experiences on this day.
Location: TBD 11 Times Square
Coffee, Cookies and Hack! Coffee, and snacks will be available throuought the night as hackers start working with their respective teams.
Location: TBD 11 Times Square
All participants are welcome to some breakfast to fuel their day of hacking.
Location: TBD 11 Times Square
All teams will pitch their product and business plan to a panel of Enza Academy judges in order to receive constructive feedback. The panel will decide if teams are qualified to pitch on Demo Day given the progress they have made on their product and business plan.
Location: TBD 11 Times Square
All teams will have the opportunity to rehearse their pitch on stage during a designated time between 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM.
Location: TBD 11 Times Square
Demo day audience, judges and hackers are welcome to have lunch and network.
Location: TBD 11 Times Square
Demo Day is the epic culmination of our weekend long hackathon were investors, startup founders, industry leaders and many others from NYC and beyond congregate for a chance to hear live pitches of groundbreaking innovations made in HackFest. Semi-formal and formal attire recommended.
Location: TBD 11 Times Square
Meh synth Schlitz, tempor duis single-origin coffee ea next level ethnic fingerstache fanny pack nostrud. Photo booth anim 8-bit hella, PBR 3 wolf moon beard Helvetica. Salvia esse flexitarian Truffaut synth art party deep v chillwave.
Location: Hall 1, Building A , Golden Street , Southafrica
Meh synth Schlitz, tempor duis single-origin coffee ea next level ethnic fingerstache fanny pack nostrud. Photo booth anim 8-bit hella, PBR 3 wolf moon beard Helvetica. Salvia esse flexitarian Truffaut synth art party deep v chillwave.
Location: Hall 1, Building A , Golden Street , Southafrica
Meh synth Schlitz, tempor duis single-origin coffee ea next level ethnic fingerstache fanny pack nostrud. Photo booth anim 8-bit hella, PBR 3 wolf moon beard Helvetica. Salvia esse flexitarian Truffaut synth art party deep v chillwave.
Location: Hall 1, Building A , Golden Street , Southafrica
Past HackFest Judges
HackFest Challenges
Data & Privacy
In today’s world, there is plenty of data coming from diverse sources. This data is an extremely valuable asset. In the wake of recent privacy breaches and violations, consumers have woken up to how their data is used and by whom it is being used.
Energy
Global warming has a lasting impact on the environment, yet many people still disagree it exists. Renewable energy sources like wind, solar, and nuclear are reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. What’s even more exciting: cutting edge technologies are igniting novel ways to build more sustainable homes, cities, and societies.
E-commerce
Amazon is putting malls and big box stores out of business. Rather than fighting a losing battle with Amazon, brands need to rethink how to use retail space in ways that play to their strengths. What new marketplaces can be penetrated? How might we serve the bottom billion, where the new middle class is rising across the world?
Transportation
With companies such as Uber, Lyft, and Tesla, transportation is slowly changing. What other software solutions can be created to take transportation to the next level in the areas of safety, efficiency, and experience? This can include public transportation.
Healthcare
Healthcare in the United States is badly broken. We are getting close to spending 20% of our GDP on healthcare; this is unsustainable. Think about: Diagnostics, Medical Devices, Pharmaceuticals, Preventative Healthcare and beyond.
One Million Jobs
There are a lot of areas where it makes sense to divide labor between humans and computers – we are very good at some things computers are terrible at and vice versa – and some of these require huge amounts of human resources. As existing jobs go away, a company that creates a lot of new jobs should be able to get a lot of talented people.
Limitless
This category is for any ideas you may have that do not fit in the above 6 categories. All ideas are welcome!
PRIZES FOR WINNING TEAMS
FIRST PLACE
$1500
- +plus
- 24 Free Months of Userpilot
- 1 Year of Unlimited, Just-In-Time Coaching
SECOND PLACE
$1000
- +plus
- 18 Free Months of Userpilot
- 1 Year of Unlimited, Just-In-Time Coaching
THIRD PLACE
$500
- +plus
- 12 Free Months of Userpilot
- 1 Year of Unlimited, Just-In-Time Coaching
Past Partners & Sponsors
Platinum Sponsors
Gold Sponsors
Reserve Your Spot for HackFest 2020 Now
Get your ticket for HackFest 2020 and we'll see you there.
Mentors & Volunteers
Free
- Seeking mentors and volunteers
- with skills in programming, design,
- business, innovation and event logistics.
- (Anyone interested is welcome.)
HackFest Hackers
Free
- Open to all young professionals!
- Coding experience IS NOT a requirement.
- (Automatically registered for Demo Day)
Demo Day
Free
- Open to the general public
- Connect with VCs, startup founders,
- industry professionals, and many
- others from NYC & beyond
What HackFest Participants Say
Here's just a handful of the amazing things previous hackers had to say:
There were a lot of guest speakers and judges who gave advice.[HackFest] was a fantastic, fast-paced, 48 hour event that prepares you for pitching your software product to an audience (especially people in business) in real life.
It's different from normal hackathons.[HackFest] was a startup focused hackathon, unlike many of the other hackathons I attended this year. Focus was on business as well and not only technology, something that is lacking in the hackathon space.
Please go! You will learn a whole lot![HackFest] was very helpful and relevant! I understand what the market is looking for and what I need to study more on. The whole weekend I was busy learning, this is great!
FAQ
HackFest 2020 Frequently Asked Questions
- You are not required to bring a team, but it is highly encouraged that you bring an idea to work on.
- HackFest has a unique team formation system. On Friday evening, every participant is given the opportunity to pitch an idea ( 30 second pitches). These ideas will be displayed around the room. Participants will then go around and vote for their favorite ideas. Depending on the number of participants presents, the HackFest team will decide the number of teams that will be formed and the ideas with the most votes will be selected to compete in the hackathon. After this, participants will have a chance to go towards their favorite ideas and form teams.
- This unique approach to team formation means that it is crucial for participants to attend Friday evening’s events.
- If any participants would like to compete with an idea that did not receive sufficient votes, we will consider each request on a case by case basis.