HACK'N'LEAD
Frequently Asked questions
WHAT IS A HACKATHON?
A hackathon is a design-sprint like event, which usually runs over the course of a couple of days. During this time, participants form teams of 2 – 5 people to create software solutions, which aim to solve real-life challenges from business and day-to-day topics.
WHY IS A WOMEN-FRIENDLY HACKATHON IMPORTANT?
Diversity breeds success
Multiple studies have shown a direct statistical correlation between companies’ success and the diversity within their teams. A McKinsey report (2015), which surveyed 377 companies showed that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity are 15% more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians.
Diversity in tech is particularly low
The science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields in particular have been plagued by low diversity rates. In Switzerland, women make up around 15% (2017) of the ICT industry.
Hackathons captivate, teach and bring people together
Hackathons have proven to drive innovation, provide invaluable networking opportunities and create immense learning experiences. By making hackathons more accessible to women, we are opening this platform to a wider audience and actively encouraging diversity in tech.
WHAT MAKES HACK'N'LEAD DIFFERENT?
Childcare
At Hack’n’Lead we provide childcare and offer opportunities for children to take their first steps in coding. In EU-27 countries, 85% of parents who reduce working hours in favor of childcare are women. By offering childcare, we avoid this trade off and on top of that provide the opportunity for children to get involved in tech at a young age.
No overnight coding
At Hack’n’Lead there is no overnight coding. By emphasizing the need for balancing work and private life, Hack’n’Lead becomes accessible to people who may be juggling multiple responsibilities at the same time and still want to be involved in a hackathon.
Prep-events
Prior to Hack’n’Lead, there will be prep-events, which will give participants a better understanding of how to make the most of the event, provide tips on how to prepare and boost confidence for those who may be new to hackathons.
Emphasizing learning: Mentors-to-Participants ratio
Hack’n’Lead specifically emphasizes the learning process. Last year, we had 1 mentor for every 2 participants, meaning teams received active attention from experts in their fields to further improve the projects they were working on.
Coding, Business and Domain Expertise
The success of tech-projects is largely driven by inter-disciplinary teams. Hack’n’Lead actively seeks participants with expertise in different disciplines, in order to create feasible products