Hackathon “Attack” Guide
In recent years, Web3 hackathons have gradually emerged globally, becoming a gathering place for developers in the industry. A group of developers from all over the world brainstorm during the event, forming close-knit teams to create functional applications in hopes of winning grand prizes. However, successful participants are always the minority. Aside from the technology itself, how can developers stand out in these competitions? This may be a question every developer has.
Yilmaz, a judge for the ETHGlobal Taipei 2025 hackathon, recently published an article offering advice to participants on how to excel in hackathons. Below is the full text.
How do developers stand out in competitions?
You travel halfway across the globe to attend a hackathon. Your code is clean and concise, making it hard to resist the urge to lick the screen. However, you leave empty-handed, without winning any prizes. What happened? Hint: this is not a technical issue.
This situation is not uncommon. Excellent developers and outstanding builders walk away with nothing. This is not because their skills are lacking, but because they overlook certain key aspects of hackathons.
Recently, I served as a judge at the ETH Global Taipei event on behalf of Citrea. Citrea sponsored this event and held evaluation activities such as “Best Bapp on Citrea” and “Experimental DeFi Bapps.”
For most of the event, I not only served as a judge but also observed—navigating through booths and tables, listening to developers’ ideas, and brainstorming together. Seeing these scenes reminded me of my own days in competitions, where I learned how to deconstruct the rules of the game to potentially win rewards.
This article will share insights on how to truly “conquer” hackathons—based on the experiences of someone who has served as an architect and is now in developer relations (DevRel), having judged multiple Web3 hackathons.
Hackathon starts before the competition day
Believing that hackathons start only on the first day is one of the biggest misconceptions. This is not the case. I am not saying you should pre-build your project (that would get you disqualified immediately), but there are many things you can prepare in advance.
Observation
You might be a student or an experienced developer wanting to dive into the Web3 ecosystem. But do you know which area to focus on? You should observe the industry early on. Not just casual chatting on Twitter, but truly diving deep into the field to see what everyone is doing. What weak or blank spots can you fill or improve? What upcoming improvements are on the horizon? Which projects are performing strongly in which tracks?
Having a comprehensive understanding of the area you wish to enter will be very helpful. This is said because many developers try to win rewards from fields they know almost nothing about. This seldom works, as you have no idea what to build. Judges, hackers, and advisors may provide some assistance during the hackathon, but it’s far from enough.
Networking and Team Collaboration
If you enter the competition without a team, you are already at a disadvantage. You have days or even weeks before the hackathon to form a team—this gives you time to screen members, test compatibility, enhance teamwork, or adjust roles among team members.
However, participating solo is not without hope. Perhaps you intend to form a team on-site, brainstorming with individuals from diverse backgrounds to spark unique ideas.
If you don’t have a team yet, be proactive: attend some peripheral activities, cocktail parties, and keynote speeches before the hackathon starts. Network with developers, designers, product managers, DevRel personnel, and even business development folks. They may not know how to code, but they know many people and can help you find the perfect teammates.
Personally, I helped form two teams before the Ethereum hackathon in Taipei. They didn’t know each other beforehand, but one of the teams ended up winning.
Check Tracks Early
Before the hackathon begins, check the tracks and sponsored projects as early as possible. Surprisingly, many participants only pay attention to this once the event starts. Tracks are usually announced days or weeks in advance, giving participants time to strategize.
For example, the ETH Global hackathon announced its tracks two weeks before the event. Some developers proactively contacted project teams ahead of time to outline their ideas and ensure alignment with the track. This proactive approach allowed them to adjust their ideas or choose suitable tracks, maximizing their chances of winning.
Break the Norm
Creativity is crucial. Even if you have the most concise codebase, you can still fail. Why? Because your creativity isn’t striking enough. It may not reach product-market fit, or the judges may have seen too many similar products. If what you’re submitting is just another AI wallet interface, with almost no improvements compared to the submissions from six teams in the past two months, you have no hope. It will be hard to capture the judges’ attention because they were uninterested in your idea/concept in the first phase.
The judges have limited time to evaluate each submission and cannot dissect every line of code. Therefore, the product concept or idea is paramount. Is the concept reasonable? Is it unique, or does it represent a real improvement over existing products in the market? Does it feel novel?
Here’s a real case. At the Taipei Ethereum hackathon, there was a team from the Philippines. They had a Web2 background with no Web3 experience, but their idea was completely groundbreaking, and their novel concept immediately caught the judges’ attention. They didn’t even submit to our track, but they are now collaborating with us in our incubation project, Citrea Origins. This illustrates the power of an excellent idea that can garner immediate attention.
Think from the judges’ perspective. After two days, the judges are exhausted after reviewing over twenty projects. You only have a few minutes to win their favor.
The checklist in your mind should include:
- What is this product?
- Is this concept novel?
- Does it have potential product-market fit?
- Is this merely a copy of other products?
- Was this written during the hackathon, or was it pre-built/repeatedly submitted?
The judges have seen it all. If your project is merely superficial, it will be quickly identified.
Engage with the Judges
Want to improve your chances? Consider communicating with the judges, as the help they can provide is beyond your imagination. Before you start building, articulate your idea and discuss it with the judges.
This can not only refine your idea but also increase visibility. If judges have seen your face and heard your proposal, then see your project again in the submissions—they will remember you. Naturally, this gives you an advantage.
Stand Out
Ensure your project stands out. Once you have a brilliant idea and a solid team, start building—but don’t stop there. You might have ideas that can shine, but to secure awards, you also need to present well. Often, participants overlook the demonstration phase, simply sharing a GitBook, which might work, but it’s not ideal. You don’t need to create a flashy demo; rather, it should be a well-structured and detailed presentation.
Give it a good name—yes, the name is important. It sets the tone.
Design architecture—draw diagrams to simplify explanations.
Create a clickable demo—more powerful than videos, allowing judges to experience it firsthand.
Build a clear and concise PPT—your slides should explain everything without needing much elaboration from you.
Unless absolutely necessary, don’t invest too much effort into video demonstrations. If it’s just a five-minute UI showcase, the judges won’t be interested. Provide some interactive content. Let the judges feel the application and experience it.
A professor of architecture once told me: “If I have to ask questions, it means your demo has failed.” This may sound extreme, but take it as a guiding principle for your demonstration. Because broadly speaking, your demo is essentially your Pitch Platform.
Wait, is it all about grabbing attention? Always has been.
More than Just Prizes
Finally, remember: while prizes are nice, they are not the real rewards.
Hackathons are a form of attention economy. Everyone is paying attention. Even if you don’t win, making a lasting impression on the right people can open doors for you: incubation opportunities, partnerships, job offers. Prizes are short-term; your reputation is long-term.
Also, don’t participate in five obscure hackathons just to fill a quota; no one will care. Build something that allows you to grow, ensuring each hackathon adds value to your portfolio.
In short, how to participate in hackathons:
- Form a team early
- Conceive innovative ideas
- Think from the judges’ perspective and interact more
- Create a clickable, polished demo
- Pitch it as if your future depends on it (because it does)
This article is collaboratively reproduced from: PANews