Running Hackathon #1 taught us a lot—about students, tech, and what actually makes an event work. Here’s what we’re taking with us into Hackathon #2.

1. Beginners matter.
   A good number of participants were new to hackathons. They appreciated clear starter guides, flexible submission types, and mentors who didn’t assume too much.
2. Teams form late.
   Many students didn’t have a group at the start. Keeping team formation open longer helped more people feel included.
3. Devpost works—but needs reminders.
   Submissions were smoother once we sent out a checklist with clear steps. The earlier we send that next time, the better.
4. Clear rules prevent confusion.
   We learned to be upfront about things like no cross-submissions or hardware projects. Saying it once in the FAQ isn’t enough—repetition helps.
5. Demo videos > fancy edits.
   The best demos were simple walkthroughs. Students focused on showing how their projects worked, not on editing flair.
6. Discord is where the energy is.
   Most of the momentum came from students supporting each other in real-time. Threads, questions, late-night feedback—it all happened there.
7. Judging takes longer than expected.
   Scoring 50+ projects fairly takes time. Giving judges structured criteria helped, but we’ll budget more room for it next round.
8. People like updates.
   Progress posts during the hackathon kept students motivated. A few quick updates helped remind folks we were all still building together.
9. Themes spark direction.
   Students built stronger projects when we offered a clear, relevant theme. It gave structure without limiting creativity.
10. Confidence is the biggest win.
    The most common feedback? “I didn’t think I could do this.” That’s the part we’re proudest of—and the part we want to keep building.

— Arnav Bonigala