Can we use a "pressure cooker" to make fast friends?
It's been over 11 years since my first hackathon. I attended Startup Weekend Toronto during the summer of 2011 and got my first taste of startup culture. Prior to that, I knew nothing of prototyping, building ideas, or an MVP. After placing second, I was hooked. I wanted to be part of the startup scene and learn a lot more about building technology. As a business student, I didn't have much to offer to the team the first time around. But it gave me the motivation to do even better the next time around.
Creating an exciting future
This past weekend our students had their first taste of a hackathon. My cohorts had a very compressed version of a hackathon (just three hours!!) where others had up to 48 hours to create their pitch.
It was fast.
It was furious.
And it was fun.
Students had three hours to prepare a presentation on how they would use a new or emerging technology to solve a problem today. We had ideas ranging from: AI-augmented movie making or improved crime reporting, to xenobots being used for cancer treatment and a nanoscale sensor to proactively detect diabetes. They then presented to a panel of guest judges that we brought in including a VC in a Climate Tech fund, ex-founders, the head of Strategy at a digital consulting firm, and a Sr. PM at Amazon!
I’m constantly surprised by what students are able to accomplish in such short periods of time. Just this week a few of the directors attempted an even-more-condensed version of the same activity and my god was it stressful. Big props to the students who got it done.
But that's not all. For most students, they are used to school projects they have to do. They are working on something they aren't really interested in, with people who aren't that motivated. At the hackathon, this was totally different. As one student put it, “it was amazing to work together with people all passionate about doing something great”.
It’s about the friends we made along the way
In my third year of university, we did a series of projects called 48 Hour Reports. They are exactly what they sound like: in small groups we have 48 hours to do a case study and prepare a report. They had a very similar feel to a hackathon. And as far as I can remember, I loved them. This could just be because it’s been 12 years.
Can I remember the projects I worked on? No.
Do I think we created anything noteworthy? No.
Did I have a lot of fun? Hell yeah.
There's something magical about having a shared mission and the incredible pressure of a deadline that makes for a great experience. I remember staying up until 4am on the first night of the report working at Amy's kitchen table, while my friend Kevin tried to nap in the middle of the living room floor. He didn't even use a pillow! He claims it was good for his back1. I remember taking a short nap in the morning on Saturday before getting back to work. I remember learning how to do things differently with each 48h report, and by the last one we didn't even need any all nighters. I kind of miss them.
Hackathons and things like the 48 hour report are interesting experiments in collaboration and experimentation. Where most projects are like a slow-cooker: simmering away in the background for prolonged periods of time, a hackathon is more like a pressure-cooker: incredible pressure and surprising results in a short period of time.
The thing about these experiences is they compress the normal relationship-building timeline into a meaningful burst of experience that can lead to deep relationships. Think about that. Just 48 hours of intense work to build a long-lasting friendship. If anything, we should do more of these, they are potential relationship hacks.
🔑 Another one
Ok, back to the hackathon.
The hackathon was another opportunity for students to get more reps in when it comes to doing impactful work.
Many of them worked in teams with people they might have never met before, only seen in a little square on Zoom sessions. Rep.
They had to rapidly research and solve a new problem. Rep.
They had to create and deliver two presentations: a 30-second pitch and a 3-minute presentation. Rep. Rep.
They created compelling decks describing the problem. Rep.
We brought in judges from our networks for the students to present to—real people and no more safety net of your directors. Rep.
This was just our first hackathon and I’ve already got a list of things I want to do differently in the next one. I’ve heard students share their own learnings and how they want to do things differently in future hackathons. Reflecting on how valuable these experiences are for the students, it’s important to remember there’s great value in doing hard things. Especially with other people.
✌🏼
Yes, these are the types of things I remember