What a failed hackathon project taught me

I recently joined a hackathon, and let’s just say it didn’t go as planned. Out of 18 teams, mine ended up in the bottom 5. It was a brutal experience, but definitely one with rich lessons!

Obviously, not to say the top teams didn't deserve their spot—they presented projects with immense potential to shape our org’s future. My team's project, however, had a questionable impact at best.

Here are the top 3 lessons I learned from this experience.

1/ Validate Your Idea

In hindsight, I should have treated this hackathon project like a startup from day one. I had an initial hypothesis: a GPT that could enhance our organization's brand visibility. But I failed to ask a crucial question—would anyone actually use this GPT?

I spent a mere 10 seconds deciding on the functionality of the GPT, focusing solely on featuring our logo in the GPT Store without considering the value it would bring to potential users. This lack of validation was our downfall. Successful projects require some form of market validation—even for hackathons.

Engage with your target audience early on, gather feedback, and ensure there’s a genuine need for what you’re building. Seriously, after seeing the results of this hackathon, those who validated their ideas and talked to customers were in the top spots.

2/ Build a Winning Team

I was fortunate to have an awesome team behind me, but it wasn’t enough. A winning team is not just about individual talent but about how well those talents complement each other and work cohesively towards a common goal.

Reflecting on our experience, we could have benefitted from better-defined roles and more effective communication. For instance, my team was missing marketers and product experts—roles that could've defined what the GPT should be capable of. And, although we had sales and customer success backing me up, I could've used their expertise better (e.g. customer interviews).

In essence, it's extremely important to have a balanced mix of skills and clear allocation of tasks to maximize your winning potential. In hindsight, my team was not bad at all! It felt like we could've won this hackathon if we leveraged our skills better.

3/ The Pitch is Everything

After watching the top teams' pitches, it became clear that a compelling pitch is crucial in hackathons. These teams didn’t just present ideas; they told stories. Some pitches were hilariously creative, others resembled movie trailers, and a few narrated engaging stories that captivated the judges.

Spending only half a day on our pitch didn’t cut it. A good pitch requires time and creativity. It should clearly explain the problem, the solution, and the impact, while, most importantly, keeping the audience engaged. Spending more time on creating a memorable and convincing pitch could have greatly improved our standing.

Moving Forward

Despite the setback, this hackathon was a valuable learning experience for me. It highlighted the importance of idea validation, the power of a cohesive team, and the critical role of a compelling pitch.

Honestly, if I acted more like an entrepreneur, the results could've been better (or we could’ve just pivoted).

Anyway, I’m fucking ready for my next one!

If you’re enjoying this, can you do me a favor and forward it to a friend? Thanks.