The Journey to McHacks

Over the last 12 months we’ve worked with a lot of hackathons. We’ve moved nearly 1,000 people to and from 10 hackathons. We’ve spoken with organizers, met with hackers, and even traveled on a couple of those buses.

But we still want to learn more about these awesome, hectic, incredible events.

This is why we’re incredibly proud to be partnering with the lovely folks at McHacks, the largest student-run hackathon in Montreal. This partnership isn’t all about buses, though. In fact, buses are a small part of it. The most important part is that we’ll be following them around (initiate creepiness level 10) for the next few weeks to get an inside look on what it takes to organize an event of this scale.

Today, we’re introducing The Journey to McHacks. We’ll be documenting their journey to hack day through various interviews and sit-ins on meetings. Ultimately, we’re looking to teach other organizers about the intricacies involved in planning a hackathon. We’ve heard that there are tons of challenges involved – choosing a venue, finding the right food, convincing sponsors to give you cash, and getting hackers to Montreal during the coldest time of the year. Many people learn through examples, and that’s exactly what we’re hoping for here: mindshare.

Here’s what you can expect:

Story 1: The First Meeting
Story 2: Tools for Team Communication
Story 3: People You Might Meet At A Hackathon
Story 4: Raising Funds from Sponsors
Story 5: Food, Transportation, and Venue
Story 6: Last Minute Speed Bumps