In the world of blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies, web3 hackathons have become crucial spaces for innovation and collaboration. Participating in a web3 hackathon is a transformative experience, but to make the most of this opportunity, it's important to follow some best practices. In this article, I'll share my personal experience in web3 hackathons and offer advice on how to have a successful participation.

First, let's understand what a hackathon is. Is it a competition only for developers? Is it a competition for master's in Technology? Is it a competition where you need to know a lot about Engineering? What really is a hackathon? According to an article published in Hackathon Spain in 2022, "a hackathon is called a meeting of programmers with the objective of collaboratively creating new hardware or software systems. For such work, participants gather for 2 or 3 days or even more to work intensively on their task, depending on the complexity of the challenge." However, in the world of innovation and new technologies, the term hackathon has been changing and opening up to various disciplines so that, together, they can develop a solution.

In simple terms, hackathons are an opportunity to promote collaborative work among various areas of knowledge, in which each plays an important role in building a solution to solve a problem or seize a business opportunity in a short period, no more than a week.

The experience of my first web3 hackathon that I won was crucial to understand the web3 world and Innovation. This hackathon was organized by AndinoDao and took place at the Continental University in Lima, Peru. I discovered that it was not just about tokens and NFTs, but about solving problems or seizing business opportunities using blockchain Technology.

Here are some best practices when participating in a hackathon:

1. The key is to form diverse teams during registration, where each member contributes different perspectives. Ideally, a team should include people from Business, Project/Product Managers, Software Development, Design, and/or Marketing.

2. The optimal team size is 3 to 5 people to ensure effective coordination and prevent it from becoming unmanageable.

3. Once the team is formed, it is crucial to assign responsibilities according to each member's skills. Some may focus on technical development, others on design and frontend, and others on presentation and pitch strategy.

These are nice to have for success in hackathons.

My second participation in a hackathon was in Lisbon, Portugal, thanks to a scholarship I won with Talent Protocol, whose focus is to make talent visible and blockchain invisible. In this hackathon, what I highlight is the following:

1. You don't have to be a developer to come up with a Minimum Viable Product (MVP), you can do it with no-code tools. Although some categories require you to deploy smart contracts, if you don't manage to find a developer for your team, try to progress with your no-code website and present at least what you have.

2. Brainstorm various issues in your community and try to prioritize and organize them according to the level of difficulty, from the most difficult to the simplest that you find convenient. This way, you can organize all the ideas until you are left with just one. This idea can be pivoted as you receive training, etc.

3. Don't get frustrated, although these are contests with good prizes to win, there is also little time to develop an MVP. Here, I recommend that you define the scope of your project. Develop a roadmap and let it be known that you will reach a point and then continue the project.

At Ethereum Argentina, an event held every year in Buenos Aires, I took the following best practices:

1. If you already have an idea in mind to develop, schedule consultations with mentors to discuss your idea and adjust it until you have clarity on what will be built. Meet with mentors from different areas, both technical and business, to shape your MVP.

2. Communication is key in your team, as well as assigning roles for each to work on what they are experts in. Define the scope and what each will do based on their experience and the time they have to develop. A Notion, Chamverse, or Trello are essential for Project management.

3. Although in a hackathon all participants are 100% involved in their activities, take some time to eat something, go to the bathroom, or get some sleep. Many times participants tend to skip these points and do not take time to recharge their energies. A coffee to keep you awake is also key.

At Ethereum Samba, an event held every year in Rio de Janeiro, I took the following best practices:

1. You have to be open to the various opportunities that arise. I said, "I'm going to vacation in Brazil and I'll sign up for the hackathon, who knows, maybe I'll win something," and that's what happened, we got first place.

2. Stickers stuck on the laptop do have an impact. Something curious happened to me with this, as I met a developer thanks to the stickers I had on my laptop and we managed to form a team. So stick all the stickers you receive at web3 events on your laptop ;).

3. Prepare to step onto the podium, consider what you need for your pitch, explain in 2 minutes the problem and solution you are addressing, 2 minutes for the demo, and 1 minute for the roadmap and team. If they ask for a video, record everything related to your project in a maximum of 5 minutes.

4. Don't wait until the last moment to upload your project to the platform, it often tends to hang or take time to load. I recommend uploading or submitting your project up to 1 hour before the deadline at the latest.

When presenting, avoid repetition and be punctual with your words, practice in advance with your team and receive feedback, only then will you manage your time well and effectively communicate.

These are the best practices on my journey as a hacker to make the most of a web3 hackathon and succeed in creating innovative solutions. Take advantage of the hackathon being organized by Women Biz and sign up:

If it's your first hackathon, give it your all and don't be afraid of success. If you have any questions or want guidance, contact me at @piurana_inblock on X or Telegram.

#Keep doing it ;)

Liliop.eth

Optimism Delegate ;)