FAQ

in this FAQ, we answer a few questions you might have about AEChack. Is your question not answered? Please click contact above, or contact us on Facebook or Twitter!

What is a hackathon?

During a hackathon, multidisciplinary teams try to identify issues and create working solutions for these issues. Hackathons have long been common events in the Technology Industry since the late 1990s, but are now spreading to other industries as well. A Hackathon is an intense event that brings together computer programmers like software developers, graphic designers and user interface specialists along with industry experts and professionals to identify issues and create software solutions, usually within a weekend.

Do I have to be able to write code to participate?

No! We need both coders/hackers and built environment professionals to make up the best teams. If you cannot code, you can contribute in many other ways, and learn a lot while doing so!

What do I bring?

Bring everything, but at least a laptop. Also bring any mobile phones, Kinects, Oculus Rifts, Leap Motions, wearable computing devices, Arduinos, Raspberry pies or any other tech you can think of! If you won't need it for your project, perhaps someone else will. Wifi and power outlets should be sufficient.

How does forming a team work?

On Saturday morning, challengers will pitch their challenges. These will be real questions or problems from the field, which will be posted to our site in andvance. We will help forming teams around these challenges after the pitches, and actively support forming multidisciplinary teams. Of course, you can always invent your own project and look for team members to join you in hacking!

Are there any prizes?

We are able to hand out small cash prizes in a few categories, and promise to link up teams to the challenging businesses or organisations to have a chance to further develop their project.

Who owns my project?

The team that develops the project is the owner of the project. We are big supporters of open source. If you want to be considered for prizes, we ask to share any code or other solutions developed during AEChack on a central depository (this one!), so the entire community can profit. What you do with your project after the hackathon however, is up to you!