Pitching your hackathon project

This year at Code for the Kingdom London we’re thinking about the theme “Transformed Lives”. We’re a people whose lives have been transformed by Jesus. So how can we use the technical skill-set that God has given us -be that code, design or entrepreneuring – to advance God’s kingdom and see more lives transformed?

First off, let’s be clear, a good hackathon pitch does not have to be polished. It doesn’t need a three year roadmap or all the details about each UI interaction worked out. What really makes a great project pitch is communicating the vision. Simply put – what’s the problem that needs to be solved? What’s your concept for solving it?

You’ll have just two minutes to pitch your project and get others on board, so here are a few things to think about:

Vision and objective

Why does your idea need to be made? What problem is it solving? For whom? What will it achieve or accomplish or change?

Focus & simplicity

Present a simple, focused project, not loads of sprawling ideas loosely joined – what one thing is going to achieve your vision?

Realistic

You have one weekend. We all have big ideas, but think about what can we get done in 48 hours. Set yourself a reasonable expectation and ambition – then communicate that!

Clarity

Articulate clearly and briefly, elevator pitch style – you’ve got the time it takes to ride a lift to the 10th floor to communicate your idea and get other people excited by it!

Needs

What do you need to get your project built? What skillsets from the people in the room are you going to need? Design skills? Database skills? Someone great at copywriting?

Originality

Research! Are there similar ideas to the one that you are pitching? What makes your project different or better?

Last year we had over thirty projects pitched at the opening night! From an app that helped care for the homeless to website that communicated the message of Christmas, a smartwatch app that woke you up with a bible verse of the day to a tool to help aid relief after disasters. It was a real feast of creativity and ideas that God had put in us all.

Everyone gets something different from a hackathon. Yes, it may be a great prototype which can be built on further, but is could be as simple as a great conversation with the right person.

Be open minded about where the weekend adventure might take you, who you’ll meet and work with, but most importantly how God will use your time there.