THE APPLICATION PROCESS

We don't expect everyone to have been to a hackathon before, in fact, we love first-time hackers having been there ourselves when we started! We're just trying to bring those who most want to really build something awesome and learn something new, and we're striving to continue building a community of diverse and amazing hackers at PennApps. Just show us what you've made, tell us about why you want to be at PennApps.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

Check Hopin HERE for the current schedule.

TENTATIVE PRIZES

Check out our devpost HERE for the most up to date prizes!

Will PennApps be online or in-person this year?

Due to the circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, PennApps has decided to host our first-ever online hackathon.

What platform will you be using to host the event?

We will be using Hopin, Slack, and Piazza to host PennApps XXI! Workshops, speakers, ceremonies, and events will take place on Hopin while communication will happen over slack. The mentor piazza will be for hackers to ask questions and connect with mentors who can assist them with questions or their projects. Click HERE to learn more about Hopin.

Are you still looking for sponsors?

We definitely are still welcoming corporate sponsors! While this is a new hackathon experience, we are confident that PennApps can provide a meaningful and fulfilling experience for both hackers and sponsors.

How will you recreate the typical sponsor experience (booth/location to interact with hackers, potential info sessions, etc.)?

This mainly depends on the platform we end up using. If we use a platform like Zoom or Discord, sponsors can set up a room or channel where hackers can come in to hear about the company, ask questions, etc. With PennApps now being online, we will probably have the Zoom “rooms” set up for hackers to come in and out with questions, but set up specific times on the schedule for “info sessions” to avoid sponsors needing to repeat themselves/restart a session. We are definitely open to working with all of our sponsors to create options that suit you and provide the best possible experience!

How will swag/prize distribution work this year?

Typically, our Logistics Committee mails the prizes to each participant after the event. Sponsors have previously sponsored certain hacker routes (creating towards a certain theme) and provided the prizes for the winners in that category. This is something our sponsorship team would be happy to discuss with you!

How do you plan to keep the sense of community in an online event? How will people be able to form teams?

As with any hackathon, the most important way to foster community is through communication. We are planning to use our online platform to facilitate communication between hackers, time for forming teams, and opportunities to match with mentors. With the online event, we are foreseeing even more connections between hackers, and more meaningful interaction and guidance between hackers and mentors.