Hack-o-ween: Civic Tech Buildathon

What is Hack-o-ween: Civic Tech Buildathon ?

Hack-o-ween: Civic Tech Buildathon is a spooky technology event spanning over three days of workshops, competitions, talks, and coding. Participants can enjoy technical and educational presentations, demos, community events, and its classic 48-hour coding competition.

Who can attend Hack-o-ween: Civic Tech Buildathon ?

Hack-o-ween: Civic Tech Buildathon is targeted at creative minds with a hacker spirit (in the classical definition of the word). Anyone with a technical profile is welcome to apply, not only engineers (eg. web designers and others are welcome too).

How are applicants selected?

Hack-o-ween: Civic Tech Buildathon curators aim at selecting the best, most participative and motivated, programmers and creatives. For this they rely on what candidates fill in their profiles (their pitches and personal bios) and evidence of engagement in previous editions (if applicable). CVs don't matter, please don't paste full CVs as an application pitch. What matters is your potential and your passion for public goods and technology, no matter your level of experience. Please note that you or at least one member of your team has to be present on the last day of the hackathon, Saturday October 28th, to have your submission considered for one of the prizes.

Do I have to attend the hackathon in person to submit my project?

Yes, this is a physical local NYC area hackathon and attendance is required for at least one member of your team. Submissions from completely virtual participation will not be accepted. We encourage as much IRL participation as possible as this grants you an environment of building and learning that we hope will fuel your desire to make New York a better place for all.

How much does it cost?

Hack-o-ween: Civic Tech Buildathon is free for all selected candidates.

Can I register our company employees in bulk?

No. Candidates must register and apply individually (they are evaluated and selected individually too, see above).

Do you pay for the attendees' transportation and/or accommodation costs?

No. Transport is expected to be covered by participants. Only food and beverages are provided for the duration of the hackathon for all registered participants. In addition, as this is a local hackathon tailored to NY area residents accommodation should not be needed. Special circumstances can be evaluated for transportation stipends, so please contact [email protected] for further information.

Can I bring a guest to the event?

No. All attendees must apply to the event individually.

Do I have to participate in the 48h programming competition?

No. But we do encourage you to participate in something during the event, and not just passively roam around the venue. Fortunately, there are plenty of activities to choose from.

I was selected but can't attend the event, what do I do?

Please let us know. Spots are limited and it would be nice if another candidate could go instead (but no, you cannot choose who that candidate might be).

When will the workshop topics in the schedule be available?

A detailed schedule will be available closer to the event, on the timeline tab.

Will there be a live stream from the event?

No, live streaming will not be available. This is a local event that emphasizes physical participation. However, the talks, workshops, and presentations will be captured by a videographer and be made available to the public after the event.

Will the talks be recorded?

Unless the speaker states otherwise, every talk will be recorded and available online in the weeks following the event.

Is there food and beverages at the event?

Food and drinks will be provided free for all attendees. We'll be providing lunch and dinner daily, and there will be random snacks and beverages available 24/7.

Do I get a participation certificate at the end?

Yes, we can provide participation certificates on demand in the days following Hack-o-ween: Civic Tech Buildathon . Just make sure you actually participate.

Is there Wi-Fi at the event?

Of course. There will also be a limited number of ethernet outlets in the table area, but teams doing projects for the 48h competition have priority on these.

What are these other activities?

The main activity is, of course, the 48h programming competition, where your team works on a project during the event and presents it on stage on the final day. There are also going to be "learn-to-earn" challenges that are an array of exercises you can work on with our mentors to improve your web-development skills, whether it be in JavaScript, Rust, 

How can I participate in these other activities?

Show up at the hackathon and see what the list of "learn-to-earn" activities are! There will be Mentors at the booth to guide you and help you with any questions you may have.

If I'm selected to participate in one of these activities, can I select anyone to team up with me? Even a speaker?

Yes, as long as it's a mutual decision.

I don't have a team, where can I find someone to work with?

Please indicate in the registration form that you'd like help in finding a team. Of course, you should be scouting for members by interacting in our telegram and/or discord, but we will be having online and IRL sessions before the official start of the hackathon to assist with this as well.

Does that mean I can invite someone who's not attending Hack-o-ween: Civic Tech Buildathon?

No. The other members in your team must also be approved attendees. And to be approved they must apply for the event (individually).

Are there prizes for winning one of these activities?

In most cases, yes. But we won't tell you what the prize is in advance.

I want to be a speaker at the event. How can I propose a talk?

Talks proposals are handled through GitHub pull requests. Follow the instructions in the talks repo ( https://github.com/pixelscamp/talks ).

Do I need to apply to Hack-o-ween: Civic Tech Buildathon  to propose a talk?

Yes, you do. And if your talk is accepted, it means you're immediately accepted as an attendee as well (of course).

I am interested in exhibiting or becoming a sponsor, what do I do?

If you are interested in sponsoring Hack-o-ween: Civic Tech Buildathon , please contact us at [email protected] for a prospectus and sponsorship application instructions.

I'm a tech guy but I also do recruiting. Is it OK if I talk to someone at Hack-o-ween: Civic Tech Buildathon  to see if they're interested in working with me?

You cannot engage in direct recruitment activities during Hack-o-ween: Civic Tech Buildathon . This is one of the core rules of the event. The attendees don't enjoy unsolicited targeting, and we don't want to turn the event into a battlefield for hires. Trust us, it's better for you, not only for attendees. Having said this, it's OK if the interest is mutual and both parties want to talk (meaning the attendee approaches you). It's definitely NOT OK if you're preaching to the crowd or fishing around for interest.

Can I leave a few flyers on the tables to advertise my group/event/company?

That would depend on what you're advertising. The only hard rule on this is that you talk to us first at [email protected].

Still have questions?

Contact us at [email protected] or ask away in our telegram or discord.